5 Bad Reasons for Not Referring Clients to Your Favorite Real Estate Agent (Even If You Meant Well)

If you have a real estate agent in your life that you know and trust, it means the world to them when you recommend them to anyone you know who’s thinking about buying or selling a house.

But even an agent’s staunchest supporters miss the chance to send them business because of some common misconceptions…

Just to make sure you don’t miss an opportunity to help your favorite agent, here are 5 common reasons people don’t send clients to their favorite agent. Be sure to ignore these if you find yourself thinking twice about sending them a referral:

1) You Think They’re Too Busy

Most agents thrive on being busy! And even if they get a little too busy at times, it certainly beats the alternative of not being busy enough. Don’t hesitate to send your favorite agent a referral even if it’s the busiest spring season in history, and they seem to be working 20-hour days; they’ll gladly add another client into their schedule.

2) You Think They Only Help Buyers or Sellers

Many agents do actually lean a little more heavily one way or the other. But while some agents work mostly with buyers, and others may work mostly with sellers, that doesn’t mean they won’t be glad to work with either!

So don’t avoid sending an agent a buyer referral just because they seem to have more listings, and feel free to refer a seller to one you think only works with buyers. If they truly do “specialize” and focus on one or the other, they can always politely decline and help you find another great agent to help the person you want to refer them to.

3) You Think It’s Too Soon to Refer the Client to Them

People often go through a long process before actually buying or selling a house. They may start thinking about it years ahead of time, and may say something to you about moving in a year or two.

While it may seem a bit premature to introduce them to your favorite agent if they’re not looking to move immediately, the earlier you can connect them with each other the better. The more time agents are involved with a person’s real estate plans, the more insight, advice they can give that’ll add up to better results no matter what (or when!) they actually put things in motion.

4) You Think the Price Range of the Buyer or Seller Is Too Low

Agents give the same time, attention, and effort to every client, regardless of the value of the house they’re buying or selling. Don’t think twice about sending them a referral for someone buying or selling in any price range!

5) You Think the Client Is Going to Be Difficult to Work With

It’d be amazing if every client was fun and easy to work with, but agents often have to work with “difficult” clients. Buying or selling a house is one of the biggest financial decisions a person makes, and it can be a stressful process, so even the most easy-going person can lose their cool or be demanding at times.

So, yeah, if you think someone you want to refer to an agent is difficult to begin with, they’ll probably try the agent’s patience at some point. But the agent is sure to take it in stride, and take pride in helping even the toughest client get through what can be some tough moments for anyone.