Conditioning Commercial Real Estate Clients

Have you ever come across a commercial real estate client that thinks their property is worth more than what the market will deliver?  I would say just about 90% of clients fall into that category when first taking their property to the market.

It takes a while for reality to ‘kick in’ when it comes to property marketing.  Unfortunately the first few weeks of any property marketing effort are the weeks of getting results and enquiry; if the property is priced too high during that time, the client (and you) can be wasting a lot of time and money.

The important thing is that you help them understand what is really going on out there and what they can do to work within it.  It should also be said that you should not take the listing onto your books if the client will not listen to reason and the price is well away from market.  You do not want to be known as the agent that lists and cannot sell or lease.  Results are important in this industry.

Here are some facts:

1. Property prices do not go up forever.  They will sometimes slow, stagnate, decline, or reverse.  The property market is based on a cycle of change and churn.  Our opportunity is in serving clients and helping them with that change.  As agents we need to know how to handle ‘change’ and help our clients do the same.  Do not struggle with the changes in the industry; work with them.  Know that they are a fact of the market and then design some solutions to help your clients through those changes when it comes to selling or leasing property today.
2. New properties coming on the market will command more interest than older properties.  For that very reason you must watch the other property developments that are coming up.  Prices and rents offered will change the ‘game plan’ when it comes to existing properties today.
3. Property enquiry will change during the year between the factors of property type, value, rent, time on market, and improvements.  Every listing should be matched into the prevailing market conditions.
4. Selling and leasing commercial and retail property can be quite seasonal.  For this reason you can pick the best marketing solutions for the time of year.  Marketing of commercial and retail property today is quite important; the tools that we have available are diverse and powerful.  Choose the right tools to capture and grow the property enquiry.  Drop the generic marketing campaigns.  Be specific in how you promote your listings and make every marketing effort count.

So, all of this says that we should make sure at the very start of our services that we correctly guide and assist the clients that we work with.  When you list at the right price, your chances of better enquiry and eventual sale are much higher.  The client wants help in moving their property.  Tell them how you can help them do that and give solid proof as to the prevailing market conditions.  Give them the confidence and the reasons to use you as the preferred agent to take the listing on.