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3 Ways to Handle High-Maintenance Clients

By
Real Estate Technology

how to handle high-maintenance clientsWe’ve all had them. You might have one now. That seller who takes your comps, cross-references them on Trulia, adds in seven more, and builds out a spreadsheet—complete with formulas—then wants you to get them into each of the properties so she can point out the comps’ outdated paint colors, inferior appliance brands or other reasons she thinks she should get double the price for her home. The buyer who sees 45 houses before deciding they want a condo, then sees 50 of those before revealing that his palm-reader and rabbit jointly hold final decision-making power.

Okay, I might be exaggerating the factual scenarios (a tad). But in the life of an agent, three things are inevitable: death, taxes and high-maintenance clients. Some are both high-maintenance and unreasonable, and these folks can become a massive hemorrhage of time, gas and energy. It’s also demotivating and frustrating to work with high maintenance clients who are beyond pleasing.

That said, the majority of high maintenance clients can be pleased, it just takes a lot of time and hand-holding to. These folks often know that they are high maintenance and will rave for a lifetime about the agent who can keep up with them and deal with their demands.  In either event, it’s helpful to have some perspective and tools for understanding and handling high maintenance buyers and sellers—here are a few I’ve used:

1. "Scrum" Them - Schedule Regular Phone Calls

real estate agent taking a phone call with a high-maintenance clientMany high maintenance clients demand attention for reasons more emotional than transactional. They are deeply anxious about the prospect of buying or selling. Others worry they will make the wrong decision if they don’t ask every question that comes to mind. Still others feel that for 2.5% of their home’s sale price, they should simply get a lot of your time and attention—and they simply begin to feel neglected when they go more than a couple of days between interactions with you.

In the tech world, software developers often work on and manage projects via a series of intensive work sprints they call “scrums.” As good ol’ Wikipedia says: “A key principle of Scrum is its recognition that during a project the customers can change their minds about what they want and need (often called requirements churn), and that unpredicted challenges cannot be easily addressed in a traditional predictive or planned manner.”

Sound like any project you’ve ever managed? Well, one of the primary tactical elements that makes scrums successful is a daily meeting, time-blocked to run no longer than 15 minutes. I’m not suggesting you talk with every client every day, but if you have a high maintenance buyer or seller, you can head off random, anxious calls at the pass by setting a regular time for 15-minute check-in calls.

Let your high maintenance client know you’ll be doing a quick call at a certain time every other day or every week, or whatever makes sense, and that the format will always be as follows: each of you will explain what you’ve done since the last check-in to move things forward, each of you will brief the other on what you’re planning to do, and each of you will surface any concerns or stumbling blocks you’re encountering.

This helps create predictability around your communications and will also help surface things your client might be doing to unwittingly sabotage themselves (e.g., not giving buyer’s brokers access to the property), so you can help course correct them or plan for deeper conversations as needed.

2. Agree with Their Objections First before Countering Them

deal-killing mistakes buyers makeWhen your high maintenance client gives you bizarro objections to whatever advice you’ve given, use “Yes, and. . .”.  Acknowledging their concerns is just plain old respectful, and it also helps them feel heard. Many people hear “No, that’s not right” or “I guess, but. . .” as defensive or negating the way they feel. The feeling that their own agent isn’t hearing them is at the root of quite a lot of bad client behavior, and demands for time, attention and debates about what to do next.

What comes after “Yes, and…” should be your experience, the facts they are failing to account for or your strategic advice on the matter. “Yes, you absolutely do have the final say about what to offer on this property. And I know that you love the place, and would be frustrated if you lose another place. I also know that there are seven other offers on the property, and that the successful buyers on the last four properties on that street paid right around 110% of asking. That’s what I’m suggesting you come up to this price point, if you want to be successful.”

3. Get out in Front of Their Questions - Then Speak Their Language

Much of what can be irritating about a high-maintenance client arises from feeling exasperated at their requirement of an inordinate amount of time and energy to go through questions, properties or details as compared with other buyers and sellers you’ve worked with. But here’s the truth: Unless you’re prepared not to work with them at all, or to refer them out to another agent who has more time, there’s probably not much you can do to change someone’s decision-making style or process.

In fact, the most deliberate buyers and sellers, the ones who put you through the most intense of wringers, are often the ones who leave the happiest with their transactions and with you, because they lack the nagging questions, lingering doubts and “what ifs” that more decisive clients often develop after closing.

So, if you know someone is going to want to dissect every comp in excruciating detail and that they feel their design and decor makes their home more valuable than the others, go in offering your knowledge of the comparable listings and brief them on what value local buyers assign to design and decor. When a new home comes onto the market in their area, send them the listing and encourage them to attend the open house so you can compare and contrast it with them. If you’re working with a buyer who made their own comps spreadsheet before making an offer, when you get the inspection reports in, send them over with your own spreadsheet listing out the repair line items and categorizing them by report, by urgency of action, etc.—and use that to drive your conversation with them about contingency removals.

Some of your high-maintenance clients will relax and become much less demanding when they feel that you care about what they care about and are willing to speak their language in terms of resolving their questions and concerns throughout the transaction. Is this time-consuming? Yes. But the level of trust it builds is often well worth the time, and if you attempt to anticipate these sorts of questions in earnest, you’ll be in position to build out your answers when it’s convenient to you, instead of in fire-drill fashion the day the contingency removal is due.

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There are many other ways consumers can induce headaches in their agents. Sellers, for example, can self-sabotage their own deals. Click the below image to learn five home selling mistakes that only agents understand on the Trulia Pro blog.

home selling mistakes only real estate agents understand

Comments (16)

David Shamansky
US Mortgages - David Shamansky - Highlands Ranch, CO
Creative, Aggressive & 560 FICO - OK, Colorado Mtg

Great Post!!!

its so accurate and so valid that these tips truly will help make sales happen when doing what "feels" right is likely going to cost you the client.

Excellent

Oct 01, 2014 10:31 AM
Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate-Kansas City Homes - Kansas City, MO
Experienced Agent in Kansas City Metro area

I especially like #2--need to practice that one!  HIgh maintainence clients can be worth it--especially if , after the deal is done, they recognize and thank you for all the extra work you put into the deal.  That usually doesn't happen!

Oct 06, 2014 07:58 AM
Ann Wilkins
Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty - Oakland, CA
Oakland, Berkeley, Piedmont CA

Great post.  I do have some high maintenance clients - not many but...I find that constant communication works best.  Answering every question.  High maintenance clients actually help me be a better agent - my other clients reap the benefits. 

 

Oct 06, 2014 07:59 AM
John Battaglia
Woodstock, GA
Atlanta Home Inspector

I like #2... Definitely a practice I need to hone. Got to resist the temptation to immediately point out why they're wrong.

Oct 06, 2014 08:28 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Agreeing with them is a great sales tool. They want to be heard and they need us to acknowledge their ideas too. 

Oct 06, 2014 08:58 AM
Bill Reddington
Re/max By The Sea - Destin, FL
Destin Florida Real Estate

Kind of goes with buyers are liars and sometimes sellers also. You have to be able to modify your course to make it to the finish. Number 2 and 3 are called salesmanship and listening before you respond.

Oct 06, 2014 09:01 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Hmmm... I don't know if you call them high maintenance or just "highly entitled," but the clients who make me crazy  are the ones I don't hear from for a year or so, then they email with an "Immediate" need. They don't quite get it that I can't drop everything else I'm working on to do 2 hours of research, then crank out whatever they need by tomorrow. 

 

Oct 06, 2014 01:29 PM
Diana Dahlberg
1 Month Realty - Pleasant Prairie, WI
Real Estate in Kenosha, WI since 1994 262-308-3563

We all have those challenging clients and i find that each experience I've had, that it helps me to hone my skills for communicating, organizing and negotiating ... ultimately wowing them in the end when we have a successful closing. But there are those times when I take another concept into consideration:  That 80% of our problems (in any business) comes from 15% of our clients ... so if I can recognize at the onset that I'm about to take on a challenge of that sort, i evaluate my work schedule and decide whether or not I can afford to extend the time and effort to work with that client. In the long run, I have the peace of mind to know I've given my best to the clients that appreciate my hard work and long hours and they usually are happy to tell their family and friends about me. 

Oct 06, 2014 02:22 PM
Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

Like Karen Fiddler, I feel many people want someone to hear and address their concerns and share their joy.  Letting them know that you are listening goes a long way in building trust and maintaining a group of satisfied clients.

Oct 06, 2014 02:32 PM
Tammy Adams ~ Realtor / Podcaster
Maricopa Real Estate Co - Maricopa, AZ
A Maricopa Agent who Works, Lives & Loves Maricopa

Some great tips. Seems like I've been collecting these lately. LOL. You are right, the key is to make sure that they know your listening to their concerns and thoughts. 

Oct 06, 2014 03:37 PM
Travis "the SOLD man" Parker; Broker/Owner
Travis Realty - Enterprise, AL
email: Travis@theSOLDman.me / cell: 334-494-7846

Call....call.....call....... that's the biggest thing "Head'em off at the Pass"

Oct 07, 2014 05:42 AM
Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

Very powerful post!  By being proactive with the daily 15 minute phone call to an over-active buyer, you'll manage expectations much better.  And #2 is powerful in any situation, not just real estate.  Agree but counter with a point.   #3 smacks of mirroring, which is a psychology term meaning, get down to their level.  Come back re-stating a question to make sure you're on the same page, then offer a suggestion.  Great post!!

Oct 07, 2014 03:27 PM
Andrea HoffDomin
Florida Dream Homes Realty - Fort Lauderdale, FL
- in Real Estate always on your side!

Very interesting post. I will keep these tips in mind the next time.

Sunny greetings from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Oct 09, 2014 09:54 PM
Monique Ting
INET Realty Honolulu, HI - Honolulu, HI
Your agent under the sun

Good advice! I had to deal with a couple of those and had to gather up all my patience and understanding to keep working with them when I felt I just could not stand them anymore...

Oct 10, 2014 06:44 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

I think as a new agent I got a lot of high maitenance clients because no one else would deal with them.  Great post.

Oct 14, 2014 08:21 AM
M.C. Dwyer
Melody Russell Team at eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Felton, CA
MC Dwyer-Santa Cruz Mountains Property Specialist

Thanks for a great blog with solid advice, plus reasons for hope, when working with different kinds of clients.

Oct 26, 2014 08:17 AM