As a real estate agent, you’ll run into difficult clients. Sometimes, these are clients that just need specific things and you can handle them. Other times, they are clients you likely need to let go of and move on from.
Difficult real estate clients can take time away from other clients you have. They can drag you down, make you feel like you have to jump through hoops for them and cost you a ton of time. Sometimes, they do this and there is no payoff at the end.
While you might not want to lose a client, sometimes it’s better to end the client relationship than receive a commission for all you will put up with. Let’s look at some of the ways you can let go of difficult real estate clients.
Why You Might End a Relationship with a Real Estate Client
There are a few reasons you might need to end a client relationship, including:
- The client is disrespectful
- The client has become rude or even abusive
- The client has no consideration for your time or work at all
- The client isn’t serious about selling or buying
- The client isn’t being realistic and won’t listen to your advice
These are just a few of the reasons you might need to end a relationship with a real estate client. Your time is very valuable and you cannot be wasting it on difficult clients when you have other clients that need your time.
How to Let Go of Difficult Clients
Depending on the client, you might need a strategy to let them go. Other times, you just need to allow the contract to expire and not renew it. It might be very easy, but it could also be difficult to let go of a real estate client.
Be Honest
The best strategy is always honesty. When you choose honesty, you’ll come out in a better place, even if it’s difficult. You don’t want to burn bridges and honesty is respectable.
Get to the Point
You don’t want to beat around the bush when letting difficult real estate clients go. Get to the point and be concise when firing a client.
Be Firm
Sometimes, you have to be firm and make it clear you will no longer be working with the client. This can be difficult for a client to take, especially if they don’t realize how difficult they are for you to work with.
Document Everything
Every verbal conversation should be documented, just to be safe. People can do some crazy things and you don’t want to end a client relationship only to end up in a lawsuit that could have been avoided.
The client does have a right to know why you are ending the relationship. It’s best to put this in writing to ensure you and the client are better protected. The client should also know their bad behavior so they can adjust it with the next real estate agent they hire.
Protect Your Reputation
During the process of letting a client go, you need to protect your reputation. Stay calm and make sure you handle everything in the most professional way possible. Real estate is a long-term business and you need a good reputation to stay successful.
Why You Need to Let Go of Difficult Real Estate Clients
Sure, you could tough it out and collect a commission (maybe) at the end of the relationship. However, difficult clients are typically a bit of a time suck and your time is valuable. Sometimes, learning to cut difficult clients is hard, but it can lead to taking on more qualified clients you can actually work with.
When you have to let go of difficult real estate clients, it might be that they chose the wrong real estate agent for them. This can help both parties, as you won’t be wasting your time anymore and they can find the right real estate agent for their needs.
