Dealing with a client who has unrealistic expectations---whether it is a timeframe for selling, a listing price, or a buying price--is apt to create feelings of frustration because the client's unrealistic expectations are preventing you from meeting your goal---selling a house.
Keep your frustration at a minimum by practicing your humor skills, using your relaxation response when dealing with the client, reminding yourself that unrealistic clients are the norm, and developing a strateghy to get the client to become realistic in his or her expectations.
Use an educational---not argumentative-style and provide the facts that will bring his or her expectations to reality. Try letting the client test their expectaiton: "Okay, let's make this offer and see what the client says. Maybe I am wrong." The very worst, you get a counter offer that will move the client into more realistic grounds. Same strategy if you are trying to sell their home at an unrealistic price."
If expectations remain unrealistic, you might try humorous exaggeration: "Why not list it for two million instead of just a million (when it should be listed for $850K)." Such a tactic often tells the clueless client that if he or she is going to over list (or underpay) it might as well be done in style. The typical response: "Don't be silly," to which you reply, "Well, in all due respect, your espectation, based on market conditions, is silly."
If the client still refuses to budge, "Listen, I can't help you if I honestly think you are being unrealistic. I suggest you rethink your position and when you are ready to be more realistic in your listing price or the quality of the house you can buy in your price range, let me know and I would love to help you." If the client calls you a week or two later, you have a realistic client; if not, you've gotten rid of your frustration!
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