Honesty and reliability are the two most common and important values for real estate agents that customers and clients often look for.
The reasons for these are very practical, considering investments in real estate whether it be for commercial or residential purposes simply because of the amount of money involved.
This is why it is vital for real estate agents to set client expectations each and every time. While it may be quite challenging for agents to set and manage client expectations, there are several practical ideas that work and make it simple.
Manage client expectations with honesty and sincerity
There’s no point in setting incorrect expectations with clients, even if it means that your intentions are well-meaning. Being honest and sincere are fundamental principles when dealing with clients, so let your “yes” be “yes” and “no” be “no” with nothing in between.
This establishes your trustworthiness as a real estate agent to your clients and will serve to keep you out of hot water ion the long run. What’s more, this can largely help establish long-term relationships with your clients.
Always avoid sugarcoating or hiding something from a client, because anything that you hide from them could later show up and bite you.
Always make an effort to educate clients
Most of the time, clients dive into buying and selling real estate property without clear knowledge of the workings in the real estate industry.
While the internet has provided access to information that provides some tips and ideas regarding real estate, it may not be accurate or attuned to a client’s needs.
This is why real estate agents need to empower their clients by educating them about the risks, benefits, or disadvantages of their real estate prospects.
Another aspect where education is applicable is on the matter of setting up a budget and other financial requirement related to selling or buying a property. Providing good advise to clients and educating them about real estate options and solutions helps them develop trust in you as a reliable and trustworthy agent.
Always reach out or stay in touch with your clients
Make sure to always find out the preferred mode of communication by your clients, whether it be social media or personal. This way, you can provide them with important updates, happenings, or celebrations.
Having their contact details available makes them reach out to new for updates and concerns in the real estate market that needs to be relayed to you.
Always lend a listening ear
The art of listening is one of the most under-utilised skill in humans that provides a very useful tool in the real estate market. Most clients, especially new or inexperienced ones, are not just often sure of what they want, but they also fail to articulate it.
This is where active listening comes in, where it becomes a good method of getting accurate information from clients. When listening to a client, do not take everything for granted or initially form a bias that could cloud your judgment that could contradict with what your client wants.
Empathise and show compassion
Sometimes it’s easy to get distracted when faced with the complexities of the real estate market that a real estate agent often fails to relate to challenges or circumstances their clients are in. Sellers are liable to make the mistake of selling off their property even if they do not want to, or buyers think they are making a good deal when being offered property at a “low” price.
Buying or selling property can be a very emotional process so showing empathy and compassion will make you a better real estate agent.
Understanding a client’s situation and assuring them of your support and assistance can help strengthen your credibility and reliability as a real estate agent.
Always remember the importance of setting and managing client expectations because this can help determine your reliability and credibility as a professional real estate agent.