Homebuyers Feel Abandoned by their Real Estate Agents — Here’s How to Make Sure Your Clients Don’t

Getting your clients to that closing table and into their new home is the ultimate goal. But what are you doing for them afterward?

According to a new survey, this post-closing period should be on your radar.

A new survey from brokerage Century 21 shows that today’s homebuyers are increasingly feeling “abandoned” by their real estate agents once their closing documents are signed. In fact, almost an entire quarter of recent buyers said their agent hadn’t reached out a single time since closing on their home. 

Compared to the three times a week they heard from their agents pre-closing, it has buyers “feeling a bit abandoned,” according to Century 21’s report.

What can you do to make sure your buyers aren’t part of this saddened cohort? That they remain happy with your service and motivated to refer you to friends, family, and colleagues? Here are some tips to help.

Follow up.

It’s as simple as that. Send a quick text or email a week or two after closing. How did their big move go? Are they loving the new neighborhood? Is the commute as easy as they had hoped? A simple “Hi, how are you?” would even suffice. Just reach out, let them know you’re thinking of them, and ask if there’s anything you can do to ease their transition.

Put them on your holiday card list.

If you already send out season’s greetings to your friends and family, then this one’s easy: just add them to your address book and put them on that annual holiday card list. It takes virtually no additional work on your part (just an extra signature and one more stamp), but it can do wonders for making your clients feel special and valued. 

Add them to your database.

If you’re not already, you should be building a database of leads, clients (past and current), and industry connections so you can stay in touch throughout the year. Use it to update your network on your latest ventures, educate them on the latest market changes and interest rates and, most importantly, keep yourself top of mind long after your transaction is over. You never know when they might have a friend looking to buy or sell a house.

Automate it.

Make your post-closing communication strategy super easy by automating the whole thing. Use email marketing or texting software to keep the lines of communication open — with little to no effort from you. Most CRMs have some sort of automated reach-out tool, or you can look to more targeted tools like Smart Alto (for texting), Outbound Engine (for email marketing), or Thryv (for both).

The bottom line

Do you have a plan for following up with your clients once those closing papers are signed? If not, you might want to hone in on one. Want more advice for furthering your career? Check out our agent-focused resources now.