3 Ways Top Agents Keep More Deals Together in Clark County

By Jacqueline Smith

Jacqueline Smith started in real estate in 2015 and sold 52 homes her first year in the business as a solo agent. After considering growing her own team, and exploring different team models, she decided to partner with Place in 2017. The partnership allowed her to fast track her growth, and provide better systems and models to her agent partners. Her and her team in Vancouver Washington now close over $165M in annual sales volume, while keeping the quality of the agent and client experience at the forefront.

Are you tired of working hard to get a contract signed only to watch a deal fall apart before closing? Every Realtor knows that feeling. Your job doesn’t end at “under contract.” In fact, that’s when the real work begins.

Our focus shifts from negotiation to transaction management, and it’s our responsibility to guide clients all the way to a successful closing.

Here are three ways our team at Evergreen Real Estate Partners proactively keeps our deals together because we work too hard to let them fall apart when it’s avoidable:

1. Set Clear Expectations Early and Overcommunicate

A smooth transaction starts well before an offer is accepted. It really begins at your listing appointment or buyer consultation. We need to do a better job of setting expectations from day one, because our clients don’t do this every day like we do. What seems obvious to us is brand new to them.

● Explain the whole process and potential pitfalls up front. Even if it feels negative to talk about what can go wrong, it’s our responsibility to make sure clients are informed.

● Mitigate surprises before they happen. If clients are blindsided, it’s usually because we skipped this step.

● Weekly updates are a must. Monthly check-ins just aren’t enough in today’s fast-moving market. Things change quickly, and clients rely on us for the latest information and advice.

2. Be the Transaction Quarterback

Don’t just manage transactions, we lead. When we are working with clients, we can’t simply hope everyone else will do their part.

You need checklists and systems for every step in the transaction process. Get ahead of client questions and concerns by always being proactive.

Someone told me in my very first week in real estate: “When you’re in a transaction, just assume you’re going to have to do every part of it.”

Don’t assume others will deliver to your standards. Take more control and do the following:

● Make sure everything is moving forward.

● Be the point person for communication.

● Don’t leave details to chance.

Your clients will notice the difference. Not only does this lead to smoother closings, but it also generates more referrals after the deal is done.

3. Control Your Own Emotions

This process is emotional for clients, and that’s okay. It’s your duty to be a steady presence.

We do this for a living; most clients only buy or sell a few times in their lives, and it’s stressful. They’re not watching real estate training videos, reading market reports, or breathing real estate like we are. We have to be the confident, calm, wise advisor they need.

When emotions are running high, remember these points to help you stay grounded:

● Clients are allowed to have feelings. This is one of the biggest investments of their lives, and emotions run high.

● Let them react. If a tough inspection response comes back, your seller is allowed to be annoyed.

● Don’t take it personally, and don’t react emotionally. Your job is to stay steady and provide leadership and clear guidance.

If you focus on these three things: overcommunicating, controlling the transaction process, and staying calm, you’ll keep more deals together, even in tough markets.

I know agents are seeing more failed sales lately, but I truly believe many of them can be avoided by communicating expectations upfront and providing ongoing updates throughout the process.

If you’re looking for actionable real estate advice in Vancouver, Camas, Ridgefield, or throughout Clark County, Evergreen Real Estate Partners has the strategies top agents use every day. Feel free to call us at (360) 560-1156, (360) 800-1334, or email me at jacqueline@evergreenrealestatepartners.com. I’d love to hear from you.

Do you feel stuck in your real estate career? Before becoming a top producer, I experienced that same struggle. It wasn’t until I adopted five key habits that I transformed my career and built a resilient, long-lasting real estate business. To learn what changed for me, check out my post: How I Went from Broke to Top Producer in 18 Months.

By Evergreen Real Estate Partners – Trusted real estate experts in Clark County and Southwest Washington