Unique & Personal Closing Gift Ideas for Your Real Estate Clients

Closing gifts are a unique characteristic of the real estate industry. For instance, if you hire a general contractor, once they've completed the job, they are most likely not going to bring you a present at the end of it. In my opinion, closing gifts are a common practice because of how personal the home-buying process is. Purchasing a home is not an impulse decision. There is a huge amount of planning involved, lots of anticipation, expectations, and not to mention: stress. As a real estate agent, you should strive to manage the emotion involved in the home-buying process by focusing on strong and consistent communication. Any high-stress situation can be deescalated by talking through the situation, discussing all the options available, and planning the best course of action for your client.

When you are acting as a listing agent, you are not only going into someone’s home, but you are also commenting on ways that they can improve their chances of selling the house for the highest profit. This alone, is highly personal, but there is also a lot of emotions that come with selling a beloved home and allowing strangers to walk through it without being there. As your client’s agent, ensure that you have discussed the proper expectations for each showing and communicate these points to anyone touring the home. Go out of your way to check on the listing so that your client has peace of mind. Make sure that the home is in the same condition that it was in when the seller’s left, make sure all the lights are off, and double-check that the doors and windows are secure after a long day of showings.

When you are acting as a buying agent, you are guiding someone through the process of finding out what their “needs” are versus what their “wants” are. You must decipher your client's feedback so that you can narrow down a location and price point that is going to work for them, their family, and their long-term goals. You are going to be having a lot of personal conversations with your client, so make sure are always listening. Don't be afraid to ask questions and take diligent notes.

A positive aspect of representing the buyer is that you get ample time to build rapport with your client. You will be performing activities together like walking through houses, signing lots of paperwork, determining the results of the home inspection, and more. By the time you get to the closing table, you really know these people and that’s why closing gifts are a special part of the process.

Gifting a client a closing gift is a great way to show them that you value their relationship. Each client you work with is different. Each relationship you have with them is unique and special, and their closing gift should reflect that. I am going to break down different types of client/agent relationships, so that you can have closing gift ideas for any scenario. Hopefully, the list below will inspire you to think of your own thoughtful gift ideas. If it does, share them on our Facebook Page by clicking here.

Closing Gift Ideas for Your Real Estate Clients:

For Single Women

Potted plant (Make sure if they have pets, the plant is pet friendly.)
Charcuterie board & accessories
Wine subscription (Make sure they drink alcohol.)
Thick knitted blanket
Large wicker grocery basket
Basket of natural handmade soap
Video doorbell with wireless camera
Set of glass tubber ware

For Single Men

Wine/Bourbon glasses (Again, make sure that they drink alcohol.)
Nice bottle of Bourbon or Whiskey (Again, make sure they drink alcohol.)
Wood engraved cutting board
Set of cooking knifes
Personalized grilling accessories

For Family Members

Be sure to reach out to other family members to ask questions about what they are waiting to buy or missing.

Purchase their Home Warranty for them
Bar cart
Instapot
Airfryer
Entertaining glassware
Embroidered cooking apron
Set of vintage cook books
A organic meat subscription box (For example, Butcher Box)

For Close Friends

It’s so wonderful being able to work with close friends. When picking out their closing gift, make sure to go the extra mile to make them feel special.

Custom coordinates of their new house as wall art from Etsy (See example picture above.)
Record player with their favorite artist’s record
Custom made door mat with their name on it or an inside joke
Framed picture of you both together
Gift them the book "100 Things Every Homeowner Must Know" and vintage bookends
Custom ceramic kitchen canisters
Brass candle stick set and funky candles from Etsy

For Married Couples

Cutting board with their last name engraved
Wine glasses with their initials on them
A watercolor of their new home from Etsy
A gift card to a restaurant or small business close to their new place
Large coffee table book with candles sticks

For Immediate Family Members

You know these people better than anyone so really pick something that is unique and personal.

Custom made cornhole tables with their favorite local sports team on it
Custom made blanket with a family photo or favorite pet
Monogramed towels or bath robe
Unique dining set
A cooking tool or gadget they've always wanted

For When You Are Representing the Seller

The closing gift you give to your seller can either be practical or personal. Depending on the client, decipher what they would appreciate the most.

Watercolor picture of the home they are selling
Bottle of Champaign (If they drink alcohol.)
Pay for cleaners to come and clean the entire house so that they don't have to worry about it.
Pay for local home-packers to come and assist them for a few hours to ease

These are just a few closing gift ideas to get you thinking of great ways you can surprise your client with something special. You really can’t go wrong. Most of my clients were not aware of the tradition of closing gifts, so they were pleasantly surprised at closing. What does that mean for you? That there is no pressure on you to make it perfect. No matter what, your effort will be appreciated.

Don’t forget that this purchase is also a tax wright-off, be sure to keep track of this business expense. Finally, always pair your closing gift with a hand-written card and thank them for trusting you. Check back to the Career Corner in the future for more tips on how to be an incredible real estate agent.

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