5 Tips for Breaking Up With a Real Estate Client Gracefully
One of the most common coaching questions I get is how do I stop working with a client and whether it is ok to not want to work with certain clients. Yes, it is ok to break up with clients and it is ok to decline to take on certain clients. There are only so many hours in every day. For the benefit of your business, mental well-being, and the client, you should not work with clients when there are obvious misalignments.
I had a client recently who refused to complete seller disclosures when we were getting their home ready to go on the market. They said they would complete them only for a buyer that they were under contract with. This was a red flag for me and no matter how I tried to explain why it could be a benefit to have the disclosures completed before going on the market and that buyers often request them before writing an offer, they continued to respond with statements such as, “you work for us and will do as we tell you.” This was not a client that I cared to spend time or energy working with. It was time to part ways. In another situation, one of the agents on my team had a seller who refused to provide us with contact details for his ex-wife or his divorce decree, although his ex-wife was still on the title of the home. We tried to explain the reasons for needing this information as did our escrow officer. When he repeatedly refused, we decided to decline the listing.
Here are 5 steps to take to break up with a client as smoothly as gracefully as possible.
Review your contracts. You want to be sure their contract doesn’t require you to provide a certain amount of notice before terminating the listing or buyer-broker agreement. If your contract requires something like 10 days’ notice, make sure you work that into your email by saying: “This is my 10 days’ notice that I am ending our working relationship.”
Get it in writing. Having this conversation in person or on the phone could be the right first step but follow up with an email. Layout your reasoning for ending the working relationship. If your client is particularly volatile, email alone may be the best route.
Use the positive sandwich approach. Even if you’re frustrated with the client for their behavior, try to end it gracefully and peacefully. I like to start with something positive, break the bad news, and end with something else positive as it adds levity to an uncomfortable situation. For example, “I know that you are going to find huge success as a real estate investor. I just don’t think I am the right fit for you as a broker partner. I can’t wait to see your progress in the coming years.
Don’t blame them. Again, you probably want to say, “You’ve been a pretty horrendous person to work with,” but that won’t do any good. You have to remember you don’t have control over their behavior, only how you act and react. Put the reasoning on yourself for needing to pivot and keep it vague.
Thank them and offer a referral if possible. I know, I know, the last thing you’ll WANT to do is say thank you, but be the bigger person. If you know someone who would better suit the client’s needs, it’s always great to leave a referral as a final act of service toward them.
You want to leave the client with little to argue with so keep it simple and civil. It makes a potentially uncomfortable situation manageable. Breaking up with clients can sound crazy but you have to have the confidence to know that saying no to one person leaves room for saying yes to another.
