Real Estate Professionals Who Have Gone Above and Beyond For A Client

Real estate is a people business, and it thrives on client satisfaction. Client satisfaction drives retention, which boosts the client base, increases word-of-mouth, and, ultimately, your bottom line. 

However, satisfying a client isn’t as easy as it sounds. Sometimes, you’ll have to go the extra mile just to make sure your client gets what they need. More often than not, this means going above and beyond the call of duty to put a smile on a client’s face.

Recently, real estate experts have had to also deal with the ongoing pandemic. So we’re taking this time to highlight some of the great examples of going above and beyond whenever possible. These real estate experts are known for providing impeccable solutions to clients. We asked them about their experience of going above and beyond to satisfy a client and the outcome of their efforts.  

Here’s what they had to say:

Taking A Risk To Help A Client Amidst COVID-19

As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, some affected areas were on lockdown, and traveling was restricted. However, some real estate agents had to go above and beyond to help clients get whatever they need.

Dylan Lennon, a realtor with Keller Williams shares his experience of going the extra mile to help a client despite the risk of COVID-19.

“One recent example is a client relocating out of state from Florida to Asheville during COVID-19. He had never lived in Asheville, but was relocating for work, and wanted to buy a home. However, because of COVID-19, he couldn’t travel,” he said.

“As his only “boots on the ground” in Asheville, I toured houses on his behalf, filmed videos of neighborhoods, trails, grocery stores, and parks (all at different times of day), and provided as much context as possible so that he could see/hear/feel what it was like to live in Asheville,” explained Lennon.  

“We “facetimed” during previews and walk-throughs, and I facilitated negotiations, repairs, and worked with 3rd party vendors on his behalf to make sure his home was ready and clean when he arrived. As a result, he closed on his home in 16 days, for thousands less than the asking price, and he met his timeline to start his new job,” he said.

 

Selling A Home Against All Odds

When the odds are in your favor, selling a home always seems like a good business, making you feel at the top of your game. But when the table turns, then selling a home isn’t as interesting anymore. 

Artur Muller is the founder/CEO of Amluxe Realty, and he’s had his Florida real estate license since 2013.  shares his experience of how he helped a client sell a large property in Florida – worth over a million dollars. But that’s not the challenge. The client had moved back to Switzerland, and the property was fully furnished. Finding buyers who were willing to pay for the home with the cost of the furniture was the challenge.

“So, I listed the house on the market, and within a few months, I found a buyer who was willing to put in an offer, but the house had to be delivered unfurnished, which I am talking about a house with over 5,000 square feet full of furniture,” said Muller.

Muller eventually found a buyer who was willing to pay for the property unfurnished. However, the homeowners in Switzerland want to break even by selling the furniture. Muller had to go the extra mile to find a suitable buyer for the furniture. He had to switch from finding buyers for homes to finding buyers for furniture. 

“So, after days, calls, and much effort, I found an auction place called I-95 Auctions in Delray Beach, who was willing to pick everything up for free, and then list in on their upcoming auctions, and split the earnings,” he said.

He didn’t stop at just that, either. 

“Not to mention that the process to sell everything took months, and that involved me reporting to my clients the progress and collecting checks on a weekly basis to mail them,” added Muller.

In the end, Muller had to deal with the wife of the property owner who didn’t speak English.

“To make things a little more challenging, she also didn’t speak English, so I had to translate everything that she was signing, which took at least a couple hours,” said Muller.

Selling furniture wasn’t part of the plan when Muller agreed to sell the home, but he did what he had to, going above and beyond for his clients. 

 

Doing The Unimaginable To Help A Client

Unlike what many people assume, selling a home isn’t always a clean job. At least not for real estate agents who are concerned about client satisfaction.  

According to Beverly Burris, a realtor at William Means Real Estate, selling a home could mean doing an unexpected job to help the client. 

“One of my most tangible “above and beyond” moments was probably when I power washed the concrete at one of my listings. We were on a time crunch, and I wanted to brighten up the patio before taking the listing photos.”

“It was a hot, wet, and messy day! I will definitely try and contract that out in the future, but it was also kinda fun! A good reminder that real estate is not always glamorous,” said Burris.

Similarly, Jim Whatley, a real estate broker for Uber Realty mentioned some of the most remarkable moments when he had to go above and beyond to satisfy clients.  

“I have flown to Maine and driven a customer back to Florida because of their fear of flying. I’ve driven 400 Miles to help someone purchase a home. I helped someone sell their house before foreclosure and made nothing. I charge everyone less but deliver better service,” said Whatley.

 

Helping Clients At Their Lowest Moments

Life can be unpredictable at certain moments, and so is the real estate business. Sometimes, being a real estate agent means comforting your clients, even as they grieve. 

According to Michael Kelczewski, a realtor/broker with Kurfiss Sotheby’s International Realty, “One of the more poignant moments of my career occurred a few years ago. I had been representing two older clients hoping to downsize and return to a home state.”

“Unfortunately, their house was located in a rural location where the market was slow. One night, around 11:00, I received a frantic call. One of the owners requested a ride from a hospital as her husband passed. We ended up spending hours together. I was very grateful to help a client during a trying period.”

Rhys Reid of Wiseberry Heritage had a similar experience.

“My client Lived in Ballarat; unfortunately, we had to sell the property as his father was in a permanently induced Coma from a stroke. They were referred to me by someone who I sold for across the road. After the vendor made initial contact, he was concerned due to COVID-19, he wouldn’t be able to get the property ready in time,” according to Reid. 

“We did everything initially over zoom as it was right in the peak of Covid-19 lockdown. He could not travel. So, I organized removalists, cleaners, got keys cut, and even got quotes for particular aspects of the property.”

“Other agents were trying to take advantage of his circumstance quoting a low sale price. I told my client to put it on the market for $50,000 more than every other agent, and we sold it in 4 days for above the top of the asking price,” explained Reid. 

 

Offering Free After-Sale Service 

For some real estate agents, selling a property doesn’t end when the new homeowner gets the keys. While many real estate agents will be glad to advise clients about moving to their new home and where to get help, others are even willing to help the client physically move – for free!

One of such real estate agents is Ricardo Mello, co-founder and Managing Partner at Manhattan Miami Luxury Real Estate. He shares his experience of going above and beyond to help a client move. 

 “At the beginning of my career, I had a buyer that was purchasing an apartment for her 18-year-old daughter in New York City. It was my first sale. After four months, the client finally decided on the apartment they were going to purchase. I was ecstatic and wanted to make sure they were happy with our service, so I offered to help them with the move. We rented a U-Haul truck, and I even brought along my housekeeper.”

“We spent the whole day helping them move all of their furniture and belongings, which included several trips between New Jersey and Manhattan. It was a lot of extra work, but even to this day is something I look back fondly on as a reminder of the importance of customer service and going the extra mile for each client,” said Mello. “It ended up saving them a lot of money, because long distance movers can be pricey.”

 

Conclusion 

In real estate, clients are always on the lookout for agents who deliver on their promises. In essence, clients’ satisfaction with your service and their overall experience while working with you can make or break you. On top of that, reputation is all that matters in real estate, and client satisfaction is a key component of every real estate agent’s reputation.