Saleswise Blog

Delivering Hard Truths: Guiding Home Buyers when their Dream House is Under Contract

Working in real estate can be both rewarding and challenging. Among these challenges is delivering bad news, such as telling your buyers that their dream home is already under contract. While no one relishes bearing bad news, effective communication can turn difficult situations into meaningful, trust-building experiences.

Part of your role as a real estate agent is to field the blows and prevent disappointment from coloring the whole home-buying experience. How you handle difficult scenarios can indeed make all the difference to your reputation and client relationships.

The Psychology Behind Delivering Bad News

Research has demonstrated that the most loyal customers aren't the ones who never experience problems. On the contrary, they cherish the excellent customer service they receive during problematic times. These clients become loyal, passionate supporters of your agency because of how you handle the challenges that arise.

Moreover, bad news can have a significant impact on your client-agent relationship. The key is maintaining a positive relationship even when the circumstances are far from ideal. Therefore, one must devise strategies to navigate through these difficult situations as smoothly and professionally as possible.

Staying Positive Amidst Negativity

When delivering bad news to clients, it's vital to remember the importance of maintaining a calm and upbeat demeanor, even if you may be feeling stressed or frustrated. You should be the voice of reason and a source of comfort for your clients.

Furthermore, consider practical ways to manage your own stress and prevent it from impacting your communication with clients. After all, your attitude can greatly influence how your client perceives and reacts to the information you're delivering.

Timing the Delivery: When and How to Break Bad News

You may feel an urge to postpone delivering bad news, but research suggests that immediate communication is often the best approach when it comes to delivering bad news. Contact your clients as soon as you have enough information to provide a clear explanation and answer their questions. Delaying can cause your clients to miss out on other opportunities.

This way, your clients are given the time to process the news and refocus their house hunting efforts, helping them seize potential alternatives.

Optimal Phrasing: Presenting Challenges, Not “Bad News”

When you have to deliver unfavorable news, avoid leading in with the phrase "bad news". Framing the situation as a challenge to overcome, or an important decision to be made, can help place the issue in a more manageable and less negative light.

Effective communication is all about conveyance - a simple shift in your phrasing can make all the difference. It can transform an unfortunate event into an opportunity for you and your clients to negotiate the issue together.

Honesty is the Best Policy: Direct and Honest Communication

When you communicate with your client, it's essential to stick to the facts and avoid making assumptions or drawing conclusions. By focusing on progress and offering alternative solutions, you can reassure your clients that a positive outcome is still possible, despite the setback.

Think of a constructive approach that emphasizes progress and potential solutions, keeping the communication positive, and making your client hopeful about future prospects.

Combining Tradition and Technology: Saleswise’s ‘Under Contract’ real estate tool

By using our Saleswise’s ‘Under Contract’ tool, agents can better manage such difficult situations. This tool generates a customized email that professionally communicates to the potential buyer that their desired house is now under contract, while also offering alternatives and ensuring open communication.

Aligning such traditional principles of good communication with modern technology helps simplify the process, enables better control of the situation, and reinforces good client-agent relationships.

Managing Anxious Clients

Using the 'Under Contract' tool is a practical application of the recommendations found in our article on The Art of Managing Anxious Clients: Essential Strategies for Real Estate Agents. This piece offers valuable insights into managing the anxiety, expectations, and emotions of clients, particularly when dealing with challenging situations.

Incorporating those strategies with our tool's capabilities allows you to navigate the sometimes-stormy seas of real estate communication with grace and professionalism.

Conclusion

In conclusion, delivering bad news is never easy, but with the right strategy and tools like those provided by Saleswise ai, you can turn these challenging situations into trust-building experiences. Whether it's the 'Under Contract' tool or the practical advice provided in our blog articles, using these resources can fundamentally impact your client relationships in a positive way.

Most importantly, remember that every challenge presents an opportunity. With care, tact, and technology, you can navigate your clients through any disappointment and towards their ultimate goal - finding the perfect home.

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