Tips for Dealing with Sensitive Client Topics

Tips for Dealing with Sensitive Client Topics Slideshow: 10 Tips for Dealing with Sensitive Client Topics Honesty and full disclosure is the best policy. Setting clear boundaries and expectations and educating clients and customers early can prevent problems and misunderstandings later. Sometimes “I don’t know” or “I can’t answer that question” are smart answers to consumer questions. Think about how you’d handle some of these sensitive topics. body{background:#fff} .simple_slider p{font-family:'Roboto',sans-serif; font-size:18px; line-height:22px} .simple_slider h3{font-family:'Roboto',sans-serif; font-size:32px} .simple_slider h3 a{font-family:'Roboto',sans-serif; font-size:32px; text-decoration:none; color:#fff} .simple_slider .onecolor{background-color:#b40a0f} .simple_slider .purple{background-color:#cb391a} .simple_slider .purple2{background-color:#331259} .simple_slider .pink{background-color:#dc311f} .simple_slider .green{background-color:#85ad05} .simple_slider .green-dark{background-color:#556409} .simple_slider .orange{background-color:#e1640f} .simple_slider .brown{background-color:#602817} .simple_slider .blue{background-color:#002a89} .simple_slider .cyan{background-color:#03628e} .simple_slider .dorange{background-color:#ed1b24} .simple_slider .black{background-color:#0f0801} .simple_slider .gray{background-color:#525759} .simple_slider{width:100%; margin:0 auto; position:relative; box-shadow:2px 2px 2px #999; z-index:10} .simple_slider .right{float:right; width:50%; padding:0px; height:427px} .simple_slider .left{float:left; width:50%; padding:20px 20px 20px 40px; box-sizing:border-box; height:427px; text-align:left} .simple_slider .LowPad{padding:20px 10px 20px 45px} .simple_slider .left ul{padding-left:19px} .simple_slider .left ul li{display:block; position:relative; min-height:inherit; text-align:left; font-family:'Roboto',sans-serif; font-size:15px} .simple_slider .left ul li:before{position:absolute; content:"; background:url('https://www.360training.com/blog/files/presentation-assets/real-estate/10-tips-dealing-sensitive-client/bulletimg.png') 0 0 no-repeat; background-size:contain; width:13px; height:13px; left:-21px; top:3px} .simple_slider .SlideFooter{width:100%; clear:both; height:48px; overflow:hidden; position:relative; border-bottom:7px solid #636770; background-color:#52575A} .simple_slider .SlideFooter .leftCol{width:40%; float:left; padding:5px 10px; box-sizing:border-box} .simple_slider .SlideFooter .rightCol{width:59%; float:right; padding:0px 10px; box-sizing:border-box; line-height:44px; text-align:right} .simple_slider .SlideFooter .LogoSpan{display:block; width:150px} .simple_slider .FirstCoverSlide{} .simple_slider .FirstCoverSlide .CoverTitle{display:block; position:absolute; top:35%; background-color:rgba(180,10,15,0.8); width:100%; padding:40px 35px; box-sizing:border-box; font-size:34px; font-weight:600; line-height:initial} .simple_slider .SlideStyle1{} .simple_slider .SlideStyle1 .TitleDescBg{display:block; position:absolute; top:35%; background-color:rgba(57,57,57,0.8); width:100%; padding:25px 5px; box-sizing:border-box; font-size:16px; font-weight:300; line-height:initial} .simple_slider .SlideStyle1 .DescStyle{display:block; width:100%; padding:25px 25px; box-sizing:border-box; font-size:16px; font-weight:300; line-height:initial} @media screen and (max-width:1020px){ .simple_slider .SlideStyle1 .TitleDescBg{ top:22%; padding:5px 35px;} } @media screen and (max-width:767px){ .simple_slider .SlideStyle1 .TitleDescBg{ top:10% !important;} .simple_slider .SlideStyle1 .DescStyle{ padding:15px 25px;} } @media screen and (max-width:479px){ .simple_slider .SlideStyle1{ height:400px;} .simple_slider .SlideStyle1 .TitleDescBg{ top:0% !important; background-color:rgba(57,57,57,1);} } .simple_slider .SecondCoverSlide{min-height:450px; background-color:#b40a0f} .simple_slider .LastContactSlide{} .simple_slider .LastContactSlide .gray{overflow:hidden; min-height:350px; padding:50px 35px 30px 35px} .simple_slider .LastContactSlide img{width:inherit} .simple_slider .LastContactSlide img.sources{ display:block; width:219px; margin:0px auto 0px auto} .simple_slider .LastContactSlide img.logoImg{ display:block; width:350px; margin:40px auto} .simple_slider .LastContactSlide p.adj{font-size:15px} .simple_slider .LastContactSlide span.SocialLinks{margin:0 10px} .simple_slider .LastContactSlide span.SocialLinks i.fa{margin-right:5px} .simple_slider .left p{padding-right:10%; font-family:'Roboto',sans-serif; font-size:17px; line-height:22px; text-align:left; margin:0 0 5px} .simple_slider .left h3{font-family:'Roboto',sans-serif; font-weight:600; font-size:22px; padding-right:10%; margin:0 auto 10px; padding:0; text-align:left; color:#fff} .simple_slider .left h3 a{font-family:'Roboto',sans-serif; font-size:40px; text-decoration:none; color:#fff} .simple_slider img.OnlyImgSlide{display:block} .simple_slider a{color:#fff !important; text-decoration:none} .simple_slider ul{margin:0; padding:0; list-style:none; display:block} .simple_slider ul li{display:none; color:#fff; padding:0; text-align:center; min-height:380px; background:none} .simple_slider ul li.on{display:block} .bullets{font-size:0px; float:left; position:absolute; z-index:70; top:15px; right:10px} .bullets a{background:rgba(255,255,255,0.6); color:#000; text-align:center; float:left; margin-right:6px; font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; border-radius:50%; padding:6px 10px} .bullets a.on{background:rgba(255,0,0,0.6); color:#fff} .simple_slider .nav-slider{position:absolute; left:0; top:48%; width:100%} .simple_slider .nav-slider .prevSlide, .nextSlide{position:absolute; left:5px; top:45%; font-size:30px; color:#fff; border-radius:50%} .simple_slider .nav-slider .nextSlide{left:auto; right:5px} .simple_slider .right img{width:auto; max-width:100%} @media screen and (max-width:1100px){.simple_slider ul li,.simple_slider .right{min-height:auto; padding-bottom:0} .simple_slider .left p{padding-right:6%} } @media screen and (max-width:992px){.simple_slider .right{float:none; width:100%; padding:0; min-height:555px} .simple_slider .right img{max-width:100%; margin:40px 0 0 0} .simple_slider ul li img{max-width:100%; display:block} .simple_slider .left{float:none; width:100%; padding:10px 0px 20px 0px; height:auto} .simple_slider .left p, .simple_slider .left h3{padding:0 5% 0 5%} .simple_slider ul li img{display:inline} .simple_slider .left p, .simple_slider .left h3{padding:0 47px} .simple_slider .left ul{padding:0 35px 0 70px} } @media screen and (max-width:960px){.simple_slider .FirstCoverSlide .CoverTitle{font-size:25px} .simple_slider .right{height:392px} .simple_slider .left{margin-top:-1px} .simple_slider .SlideFooter{height:auto} .simple_slider .SlideFooter .leftCol{width:100%; padding:15px 10px 0px 10px} .simple_slider .SlideFooter .rightCol{width:100%; line-height:inherit; padding:10px 10px 15px 10px; text-align:center} .simple_slider .SlideFooter .LogoSpan{margin:0 auto} } @media screen and (max-width:768px){.simple_slider .LastContactSlide img.logoImg{margin:30px auto} .simple_slider .LastContactSlide span.SocialLinks{display:block} } @media screen and (max-width:767px){.simple_slider .right{min-height:485px} .simple_slider .right img{max-width:80%} .simple_slider .left h3{font-size:20px !important} .simple_slider .left ul{padding:0 35px 0 57px !important} .simple_slider .left ul li{font-size:14px} .simple_slider .left p{margin:0 auto !important; padding:0px !important; width:80%} .simple_slider .left h3{padding:0 35px} } @media screen and (max-width:732px){.simple_slider .right{height:auto} } @media screen and (max-width:600px){.simple_slider ul li,.simple_slider .right{min-height:auto; padding-bottom:0px} } @media screen and (max-width:479px){.simple_slider .FirstCoverSlide .CoverTitle{font-size:13px; padding:20px 40px} .simple_slider .LastContactSlide img.logoImg{max-width:60%} .simple_slider .left p, .simple_slider .right img{max-width:75%; width:75%} } 10 Tips for Dealing with Sensitive Client Topics Honesty and full disclosure is the best policy. Setting clear boundaries and expectations and educating clients and customers early can prevent problems and misunderstandings later. Sometimes “I don’t know” or “I can’t answer that question” are smart answers to consumer questions. Think about how you’d handle some of these sensitive topics. 1.Family-Oriented Because family status is a protected class under fair housing laws, agents are hesitant to say anything on this topic. Explain that you legally cannot point them in the direction of family-friendly or no-kids neighborhoods. Often real estate customers will have to do their own research on what’s important to them. © 2017 360training.com | 888-360-8764 | http://www.360training.com 2.Good School District This is a subjective topic that customers will have to investigate themselves. Information on school rankings, criteria, and other data can be publicly found online. © 2017 360training.com | 888-360-8764 | http://www.360training.com 3.Crime Customers may ask if the house is in a safe neighborhood. Thats hard to answer. Different people may have different ideas of whats safe. Do they prefer zero crime or low violent crime rates? Also, the safety of an area could change in a few weeks or months. Real estate agents often direct customers to helpful resources to answer their own questions. © 2017 360training.com | 888-360-8764 | http://www.360training.com 4.Neighborhood Demographics Discussing neighborhood demographics like religion, ethnicity, and national origin could lead to fair housing violations. Again, it is best to gently educate clients and customers about why you cannot answer these types of questions. © 2017 360training.com | 888-360-8764 | http://www.360training.com 5.Marketing to Families or Single Professionals This is another fair housing violation waiting to happen. You cannot steer consumers or publish advertising in way that indicates any preference based on a protected class of person. © 2017 360training.com | 888-360-8764 | http://www.360training.com 6.Future Home Values You can discuss current home values and trends, but you cant predict the future. A number of factors locally, regionally, and nationally could influence property values in the next 10 years. Instead, you could point to sound structure and good condition as making the property desirable in the future. © 2017 360training.com | 888-360-8764 | http://www.360training.com 7.Commissions Due to anti-trust laws, there is no standard or customary agent commission. Agents agreeing on a standard commission would be price fixing, which is illegal. They cant even talk about average commission rates without stepping in legal jeopardy. Your brokerage firm will have a commission rate it charges, but it is negotiable. © 2017 360training.com | 888-360-8764 | http://www.360training.com 8.Disclosure A seller client may want to be less than truthful about a property defect to close a deal. Educate your client on the property disclosure laws in your state and advise them to be honest on disclosure forms. Sellers are generally required to disclose all property condition defects they know about. © 2017 360training.com | 888-360-8764 | http://www.360training.com 9.Areas Beyond Real Estate The NAR Code of Ethics and state license law state that agents should avoid offering advice on topics beyond their expertise. Legal issues, tax complications, and engineering questions would be outside most agents experience. Providing legal advice could be considered the unauthorized practice of law. But agents can help clients find the answers and direct them toward qualified experts. © 2017 360training.com | 888-360-8764 | http://www.360training.com 10.Big Purchases Home buyers may get excited about the idea of decorating their new home. With closing a week away, they break out the credit card and head to the department store for a furniture shopping spree. If the lender does a final credit check a few days before closing and finds thousands of dollars of new purchases, it could jeopardize the deal. Its safer to wait until after closing for those large purchases. © 2017 360training.com | 888-360-8764 | http://www.360training.com http://blog.zurple.com/agent-insights-10-things-your-realtor-cant-tell-you https://www.thebalance.com/things-to-tell-real-estate-buyer-clients-early-2867209 © 2017 360training.com | 888-360-8764 | http://www.360training.com /360training.com/blog/company/360training/360training/360training © 2017 360training.com | 888-360-8764 | http://www.360training.com