Special offer

Closing Gifts Are a Challenge in Themselves

By
Real Estate Agent with William Raveis Real Estate RES.0772823

When I bought my first home, my real estate agent gave me a beautiful inlaid wood oval mirror that fit perfectly in the entrance way of my home.  It hung on that wall for 20 years.  I never forgot her or her thoughtfulness.  I even remember that she picked it up while on vacation on Cape Cod and it was handmade by a craftsman.  This is the type of closing gift I aspire to give and have never achieved.

I'm a listing agent, so I tend to deal with sellers, which means that my clients sometimes move away.  We live in a remarkable water community and one of my creative outlets is photography, so very often I give them one of my limited edition photographs to remind them of the beauty of Black Rock (see photo on right).  In one case, I used Kodak's online photo service to upload high definition photos (www.kodakgallery.com) to create a beautiful linen covered coffee table book with photos of their former home.  I used the photos that I had a professional photographer take when marketing the home.

For buyers, I like to give them a large gift basket of food and a bottle of champagne (& glasses) and deliver it to their door the day they move in.  Most buyers forget about food on moving day and are famished. 

I do wish I could find gifts that are as stunning and creative as the one I received.  It remains my standard for closing gifts, but I know I fall short of that. 

Posted by

  

 

Click on icons below to go to Black Rock Real Estate and Black Rock Community websites as well as social media sites:

 

 Black Rock Homes for Sale Website        

 

  Active Rain Subscribe to Blog        FaceBook Black Rock CT         Twitter Gail Robinson       Instagram Gail     ActiveRain Pinterest IconActiveRain YouTube Icon

 

Recent awards:

 

                    

Comments(11)

Roger Davidson
DiSalle Real Estate Co. - Maumee, OH
Maumee, Ohio Real Estate

A thoughtful closing gift is very difficult.

Mar 09, 2011 02:53 AM
Lynda Beaton
Coldwell Banker A.L.M. Realty & Associates - Manistee, MI

I try to make it personable if possible, but also rely on gift certificates to restaurants and gift baskets of food and wine.  I sold a log home a couple of weeks ago, and the couple that bought it has a 2 year old son.  I gave them a lincoln log set for their son to build his own log house...that was a fun gift.

Mar 09, 2011 02:55 AM
Sussie Sutton
David Tracy Real Estate - Houston, TX
David Tracy Real Estate for Buyers & Sellers

I got a throw blanket with our names and address sewn into it...It is great I use it daily!

Mar 09, 2011 02:58 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Gail it is gifts like what you received, and like you give that are remembered for a long time.  The wine that I give just helps them forget any painful memories associated with the transaction :)

Mar 09, 2011 06:40 AM
Gail Robinson
William Raveis Real Estate - Southport, CT
CRS, GRI, e-PRO Fairfield County, CT

Roger - I agree.

Lynda - I love the Lincoln Log set for your client's son!  That was inspired!

Sussie - I wouldn't have thought of giving that gift. 

George - That's precious!  Sometimes I think something stronger is in order.  LOL

Mar 09, 2011 12:59 PM
JoAnn Moore
The Mortgage Market of Delaware - Georgetown, DE
Home Loans in Delaware

The photo is beautiful. Your gift basket of food and drink is perfect as people would rather stay at their new home and enjoy themselves on the first night. 

Mar 09, 2011 01:05 PM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

Gail, because I lack the creativity and imagination for gifts, I do the charity donations. It gets remembered as long as that delivered pizza and wine when they move in but does more good.

Mar 09, 2011 02:03 PM
Ruthmarie Hicks
Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605 - White Plains, NY

Hi Gail - I gear it to the individual   Sometimes -if they have a move across country into our area - I offer them a night out at a great restaurant.  In one case, the family loved hiking - so I bought them "hiking trails of Westchester"  Complete with maps and photos...But that's not something I would give everyone.

Mar 09, 2011 04:02 PM
Gail Robinson
William Raveis Real Estate - Southport, CT
CRS, GRI, e-PRO Fairfield County, CT

JoAnn - Glad you like my photography.

Ed - Your charity donations are a wonderful idea.

Ruthmarie - Sometimes you can personalize the gift, but sometimes it is hard to do that.

Mar 10, 2011 10:53 AM
Joyce Godwin, Realtor, CRS
RE/MAX Elite Properties; Serving Cypress, Spring, Tomball, NW Houston - Houston, TX
RE/MAX Elite Properties

Gail, Your gifts are thoughtful and I'm sure they are very much appreciated.

Mar 11, 2011 03:10 PM
Lydie Ouellet Dickinson
Realty Executives Tri County, Bellingham MA - Bellingham, MA
Realtor

I really like to idea of personal art! I think it is also very true that food, is forgotten on moving day. Champagne and pizza sounds like the perfect match!

Mar 14, 2011 09:44 AM