In real estate, effective communication is key to ensuring that you not only represent your clients well but also operate with clarity and confidence. One strategy that has been a game changer for me, and that I believe can benefit any real estate professional, is getting permission from your buyers and sellers upfront. This practice allows you to align with your clients' expectations, negotiate with confidence, and ultimately represent them at a higher level.

Seller Permissions: Protecting Their Interests While Maximizing Efficiency

Let’s start with sellers. If you take a lot of listings or plan to in the future, this approach will be especially useful.

As a listing agent, you’ve likely encountered this scenario: someone calls while standing in front of your listing and says, "Hey, I want to see this property." On the one hand, it seems like it would be in the seller's best interest to show the property to as many people as possible. But is it really? Do you want to show the home to someone who can’t afford it or has no real interest in purchasing? Probably not.

This is where getting the seller’s permission comes into play. A simple conversation with your seller can make a world of difference. Here’s an example:

"Mr. and Mrs. Seller, I’m going to have people calling me from websites like Zillow, or maybe just driving by your house and wanting to see it. Do you care if they can afford to buy your home or not?"

In almost every case, the seller will say they only want to show their home to serious buyers who can actually afford it. Now that I’ve gotten that permission, I can confidently respond to buyer inquiries with something like:

"I promised my seller that anyone viewing the home must be qualified to purchase. Do you have a loan commitment or proof of funds?"

This shift allows me to represent my seller at a higher level. It also filters out tire-kickers, ensuring we only show the property to serious, qualified buyers, saving everyone time and effort.

Buyer Permissions: Navigating Commissions and Closing Costs

On the buyer side, there’s been a significant change recently with the new NAR settlement, which now requires agents to negotiate their commission directly with buyers. While this may seem like a challenge, it’s actually another opportunity to set clear expectations and obtain your buyer’s permission regarding commissions and closing costs.

For example, when discussing your commission with a buyer, it’s essential to understand that they may not want, or be able, to pay your commission out-of-pocket. In this case, you can propose a solution:

"No problem. I’ll do everything I can to get the seller to cover this cost. But if they won’t, then you’ll be responsible. Is that okay?"

By securing the buyer’s permission in advance, you can negotiate with the seller from a position of strength. You can confidently communicate that the buyer needs the commission included in the deal, increasing the chances of a successful negotiation.

The Bottom Line: Confidence and Clarity

At the end of the day, securing permission from both buyers and sellers creates alignment between you and your clients. It provides the confidence to negotiate on their behalf and ensures that their best interests are always at the forefront. In turn, this leads to smoother transactions, better client relationships, and ultimately more successful deals.

I’ve been using these strategies for years, and they’ve made a significant impact on my business. Whether you’re negotiating for sellers or working with buyers who need help with closing costs, getting permission upfront can dramatically increase your effectiveness as a real estate professional.

Click here to hear Chase Craig discuss more about this topic.