The work of a real estate agent isn’t easy. It’s not a given that a home will fly off the market, even if it’s priced strategically and in fantastic shape.
Sometimes being a real estate agent means having to be available at all hours of the night, on weekends and at a moment’s notice. It can also mean talking buyers and sellers down when they’re anxious to ease their nerves.
If you’ve got a terrific real estate agent who’s been working tirelessly to help you find your dream home or sell a home you’re ready to move on from, you may be eager to show your appreciation once closing rolls around. Here are some great ways to say thank you.
[READ: Behind the Scenes: The Unglamorous Side of Being a Real Estate Agent]
1. Refer Another Client to Them
Real estate agents rely on a steady stream of clients to earn money. So one the best things you can do to show gratitude is send people their way who you know are interested in selling a home or buying a new one.
“A referral is the greatest gift a client can offer you,” says John Sieling of Branch Real Estate, a real estate broker based in Oregon and Washington. “That speaks to a very high level of trust.”
Sheila Trichter of Coldwell Banker Warburg in New York City, feels similarly. “What we really hope for is referrals,” she says. “After all, it is referrals, the new clients, which are the lifeblood of my career. Many of those clients have, in turn, become dear friends.”
2. Write a Rave Review on Their Website
Real estate agents are better able to drum up business when they can prove that they do an exceptional job. Another great way to thank yours is to write a detailed review on their website. Highlight the extra steps they took throughout the process and talk up the things they did to make the process seamless.
[READ: How Long Does It Take to Sell a House?]
3. Offer to Serve as a Reference
You may not know anyone who’s looking to buy or sell a home. So if you can’t offer up a referral as a thank you gift for your real estate agent, offer to serve as a reference for their future clients. Tell your agent they can feel free to share your email address or phone number with prospective clients who may be on the fence. Sometimes, the simple act of offering references is enough for real estate agents to build trust with new buyers and sellers.
4. Present Them With a Fun Gift Card
Any time you give a specific item as a gift, you run the risk of it going unused. You could present your real estate agent with a bouquet of flowers, but if they’re allergic, that’s going to backfire. Similarly, wine might seem like a great gift — but what if they don’t drink?
That’s why you really can’t go wrong with a gift card. It can be to a fun restaurant in town, a high-end grocery store or market, or a meal delivery service that comes in handy during a busy week.
5. Give Them a Gift That Speaks to Their Interests
There’s a good chance you’ll get to know your real estate agent in the course of working together. A gift that speaks to their specific interests is one that’s likely to be much appreciated.
“The best thank-you gift I ever got from a client was a leather flight bag,” says Danny Johnson, founder of Danny Buys Houses in San Antonio. “Yes, we all want referrals and gift cards. Those are great. This gift was memorable because it was something related to my interests as a recreational pilot.”
6. Donate to a Cause That’s Meaningful to Them
Some real estate agents are involved in community organizations. Others might simply have causes they care about. Instead of a gift card or fruit basket, your agent might truly appreciate a donation to a cause of theirs, whether it’s the local soccer team they coach or an animal rescue.
New York-based Annie Cion Gruenberger, a real estate broker at Coldwell Banker Warburg, says, “Another very thoughtful thank you gift I once received was a donation in my honor to an organization I’m passionate about.”
[READ: The Most Undervalued U.S. Housing Markets]
7. Share What a Difference They’ve Made in Your Life
Lindsey Harn, an agent based in California’s San Luis Obispo County with Christie’s International Real Estate, says she loves it when clients “share the fact that what you did really made a difference in their life.”
One former client of Harn’s who was blind and living alone once told her, “I am just so grateful you took such great care of me at this stage in my life, living all alone.”
“Hearing the joy and appreciation in her voice … was all I needed to remind myself our work really does help people and make their lives better,” Harn says.
8. Extend an Invite for a Meal in Your New Home Once You’ve Settled In
You may have some unpacking and organizing to do once your closing is complete. But one final great way to thank your real estate agent is to invite them to share a meal in your home once you’re ready to host.
“Many clients invite me to dinner in their new home once they’ve settled in as a thank you and a way to show me what they’ve done with the place,” Gruenberger says.
If cooking from scratch isn’t in your wheelhouse, there’s nothing wrong with bringing in catered or prepared food. The point is to welcome your agent into the home you can now call your own, thanks to their hard work.
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8 Things You Can Do to Thank Your Real Estate Agent at Closing originally appeared on usnews.com
