It happens to the best of us — a real estate client leaves for another agent, leaving the realtor wondering what they did wrong.

In some cases, the answer is nothing. But in other cases, the agent’s actions — or, sometimes, inaction — leads to a real estate client leaving. Often, the root of the problem is poor communication, which results in a realtor not understanding their client’s needs. Poor communication can also lead to clients feeling they aren’t being looped into the process, which is counterproductive to cultivating a good relationship.

Let’s delve deeper into why clients switch agents, and how you can make sure this doesn’t happen to you.

The 4 Reasons Real Estate Clients Leave Agents

Reason #1: They feel neglected

After a showing, do you follow up with clients? Do you stay in touch frequently during the active buying and selling process? After a client has purchased or sold a home, do you stay in touch, even if they’re no longer an active client? If clients don’t hear from you regularly, they may think you don’t care about them. 

What you can do: Connect with clients frequently. This can mean sending out monthly or quarterly newsletters, sending out regular emails (for instance, market reports and other interesting information), and picking up the phone to say “hi” to show clients they’re always top of mind, even if they’re not actively buying or selling. 

Reason #2: They don’t see you as a team player

There are several reasons why clients may feel you don’t have their best interests in mind. That could be showing buyers homes out of their price range or lacking important features. Or maybe the ones selling their homes feel you aren’t doing everything you can to get them the best price. If they don’t feel you understand their needs, they’ll think you aren’t going to bat for them.

What you can do: Communication is key to understanding your clients’ needs and ensuring they know you’re on their team. After showings, solicit feedback from your buyers. When working with real estate sellers, keep clients looped into every aspect of the process, including showings and any offers received.

Reason #3: You overpromise and under-deliver

It can be a fatal mistake: throwing out an unrealistically high number for a seller’s home or promising an unrealistically low number for a buyer’s purchase, and then praying that you’ll get lucky. Or maybe you misrepresent what kind of inventory is out there and your client ends up unhappy. 

What you can do: Some clients may push you into overpricing their property or finding properties that don’t exist, but you’re better off being honest. That means setting a price that will attract a sale or setting realistic expectations. That’s better than having a property sit for months on the market or never finding a home for your buyers (in which case, the client is likely to find another agent anyways.)

Reason #4: They were unhappy but didn’t tell you

Maybe a client felt you could have done a better job staging their home before it went on the market. Or maybe your buyers felt you were pushing them to buy a home that didn’t check enough boxes for them. Either way, if a client is unhappy – for whatever reason – you’ll want to make sure you know about it.

What you can do: Always ask for feedback during and after a transaction. When working with clients, if you sense something is off, nip it in the bud by addressing it immediately rather than sweeping it under the rug. Offer your clients easy ways to provide feedback in the moment. Your clients will respect you for this.

How AFrameSoftware’s CRM platform helps keep real estate clients happy

AFrameSoftware’s CRM for realtors makes communication with clients a breeze with a range of handy features, including:

• A client portal that allows for easy communication with clients and ensures real estate sellers are always informed of everything you’re doing to sell their property. 
• Touch date reminders for important events like birthdays, wedding anniversaries and home purchase anniversaries, so you remember to reach out to clients on important milestones dates.
• A contact management system that keeps your contact lists organized and allows you to keep useful notes about clients.

Learn more about how AFrameSoftware’s powerful CRM platform keeps you on top of communications with clients and prospects, helping you build long-lasting, trusting relationships. To learn more, visit our website or email us at info@AFrameSoftware.com