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The real estate business is challenging, but the rewards are worth it. With most deals, you’re involved in a client’s life-changing decision and possibly the most important financial decision they will ever make. Don’t be fooled, the stakes are high. Real estate professionals, be they agents or brokers, must leverage their experience and expertise to achieve customer satisfaction.
Being an excellent real estate professional requires a broad suite of hard and soft skills as part of their qualifications. Realistically, even the most well-seasoned and experienced real estate professional is constantly learning and seeking ways to improve their performance.
It’s important to develop real estate professional skills that include communication, tact, and empathy, in addition to the technical ins and outs of real estate law, construction methods, and of course, negotiation.
At ThinkProp, we’ve narrowed down achieving client satisfaction to five key areas.
1. Understand the Client’s Needs
Before a real estate professional can start showing units to a client, they first need to understand their needs. Sometimes, a client is very clear about their requirements, while others may need clarification or help to articulate exactly what they are looking for.
This is where a real estate professional’s interpersonal skills come into play. Feel free to be inquisitive, provide examples, and frame questions in a way that allows clients to answer negatively or affirmatively.
With tactical communication, professionals can help clients uncover needs that they may not have even known they had. For example, if a real estate professional is assisting a would-be buyer in finding a new home, it is unlikely that the client will be able to list all the features of a property that are important to them.
The broker needs to know what questions to ask to help the buyer find their dream home. These questions can include layouts, storage, parking, finishes, location, and preferences.
It’s also important to consider a client’s lifestyle preferences. Perhaps they regularly visit the gym and would be enticed by a nearby fitness center. Alternatively, they could have children and want to be in a position where the neighborhood or development is family-friendly.
There’s more to purchasing property than just the state of the physical asset. It’s a real estate broker’s job to consider how their client will use their new space and then use that information to find them the best-fitting property to purchase.
While a real estate professional may not be able to deliver on every want and need, getting a clear understanding of a buyer’s tastes and dislikes will help make the property search more efficient.
2. Be a Resource for the Client
A successful real estate professional must be a resource for the client, including industry knowledge and professional connections, which should be considered as part of their real estate qualifications. Great real estate professionals are constantly expanding their network of other trusted professionals whom they can refer to their clients.
These complementing professionals could include valuers, solicitors, contractors, insurance providers, or even a housekeeping service. Before purchasing a property, clients will often want to get an estimate of their potential costs. Having other professionals who can provide quotes and guidance will make this process fast and accurate.
3. Understand the Market
Part of a real estate worker’s skills and building trust with clients is having a strong general knowledge of the market and real estate industry, which is where ThinkProp’s real estate courses can help. Property buyers expect their broker to know the ins and outs of the Abu Dhabi real estate market, what’s actively for sale, and any new developments or infrastructure projects coming up.
Clients lean on professionals to provide them the inside knowledge of the industry and guide them through their purchase.
Knowing the market requires more than just real estate knowledge. For example, a broker working with an international buyer who doesn’t know the districts of Abu Dhabi should be able to act as a city guide and discuss local amenities such as schools, parks, and restaurants.
Additionally, real estate professionals must have a solid financial and political grasp so they can discuss potential market shifts. Real estate professionals are their clients’ primary source of information; therefore, their real estate qualifications need to include becoming experts in all aspects of their market.
4. Understand the Opposing Client’s Needs and Communicate Effectively
Most real estate professionals know they need to understand their clients’ needs, but understanding the party on the other side of the transaction can put you at a unique advantage when it comes to negotiation. If a broker is working with a developer selling a unit, they might have less negotiation room, but when working on the secondary market, it can be helpful to understand the seller’s motivations and goals.
Real estate professional skills must include knowing how to communicate well with their colleagues. For instance, a buyer’s broker needs to know how to communicate and negotiate with a seller’s broker. Negotiation isn’t always about being tough or hard-nosed; it also incorporates tact and interpersonal skills. The ultimate goal is to arrange a deal where all parties walk away satisfied.
When real estate professionals don’t communicate well, it can delay, hinder, or altogether spoil a property transaction. Understanding a counterpart and their client’s needs will expedite negotiations and help close a transaction efficiently.
For example, an real estate agent or broker representing a seller may receive an offer from a buyer who is also simultaneously trying to sell their current house. Understanding the seller’s needs regarding timing and contingencies will help close the deal in a way that is helpful to both parties.
Flexibility on dates or contract conditions can finalize a deal and result in all parties being happy with the result, even if there is a higher offer on the table. The only way this can be achieved is if the brokers can effectively communicate with understanding and tact.
5. Follow Through After Closing
Finally, brokers must be conscious that their job continues once the transaction is complete. Follow-through customer service is a crucial aspect of building a long-term professional relationship, earning future business, and, just as importantly, referrals.
Buyers will often rely on their broker’s expertise and referral network even after they’ve moved into their new property. Real estate professionals can continue serving their clients while remaining top-of-mind for future deals by providing quality referrals to contractors or vendors if the property needs upgrades or maintenance.
Sellers will likely also require follow-up assistance, such as a referral to a financial advisor or moving company. The best-performing real estate professionals know that career success is built off strong relationships. Cultivating relationships with past clients by providing continued value will help them build their businesses.
While these services may have directly paid commissions, good word of mouth is by far the most valuable form of marketing and will lead to subsequent sales.
6. Learn More with ThinkProp
A real estate professional’s qualification should be more than a strong knowledge of the industry, law, and real estate market. Brokers must possess diverse interpersonal skills to navigate relationships with clients, other professionals, and key stakeholders.
With well-balanced real estate skills, agents and brokers can expand their network, grow their businesses, and help advance the real estate sector in Abu Dhabi.
ThinkProp’s real estate courses offer a detailed and balanced real estate education that allows professionals to get certified and understand the skills they need to establish an excellent reputation in Abu Dhabi. We help students learn what they need to learn to earn high customer satisfaction.
Become a leading real estate professional in Abu Dhabi with ThinkProp.
