I have heard that up to 80 percent of all people are naturally resistant to change. However, one of the most stress-inducing changes imaginable – moving from one home to another – is sometimes necessary (oops, triplets on the way!), or even exciting (heading off to that dream job on the West Coast!).

Every successful real estate agent knows that effectively supporting our clients as they deal with the stress associated with a move is an important aspect of our job. This is rarely an issue when everything proceeds according to plan. After all, who could complain about having multiple offers from which to select the buyer best suited for your home, and then achieving an asking price even higher than expected?

The challenge comes when we must share news that our clients do not wish to hear: “The market simply will not support the price you would like to get for your home,” or “The green shag carpeting that you have loved for so long is a real turnoff to prospective buyers.” Even our buying clients sometimes need a double dose of reality: “You simply cannot buy the dream home you have described for THAT price in THAT town.”

So what is an agent to do? After all, it’s critical that we communicate “hard truths” to our clients if we are to be successful at helping them complete their sale or purchase.

Here are some suggestions that may help:

Always start with a complete understanding of your client’s goal. The only way to make certain that you are in sync with your clients’ needs is to ask.

Ask a lot of open-ended questions: Is it more important to you to be in San Francisco by Labor Day to start your new job or to get another $25,000 for your current home? What is your Plan B if your home cannot sell at the price you wish to achieve? How quickly do you need to sell this home? If you cannot buy what you want with your current budget, what is your alternative plan?

Smart agents have a list of powerful questions that help their clients digest and process bad news. When clients are able to self-discover a painful truth, it is more likely that we can move them forward to achieve their ultimate goal.

There Are Always Other Options

Remember why the client hired you in the first place. All we agents really have to sell is our expertise – it’s the one thing not readily found through a Google search. This means that we have an obligation to be current and knowledgeable about market trends and conditions, and articulate enough to share this information with our clients. We do not control the market; we simply are the ones who interpret the market and share reliable information with our clients. This empowers them to make good decisions for themselves.

We are failing at our jobs if we are not willing to tell our clients the truth, even if they do not want to hear it. I would go so far to suggest that a client who consistently refuses to hear our professional advice is either not really motivated to buy or sell or does not have respect for his or her agent’s expertise. We must ask ourselves if we really want to work with such clients.

Make certain that clients understand that they have choices. After all, it is their transaction, and ultimately the success or failure to sell or buy may have real impact on the quality of their lives. By spelling out all the alternative outcomes for clients and giving them space to process the effect that each will have, most clients tend to make good decisions. Here is an example: “Mr. Seller, we have had over 25 showings of your home without an offer. This means that, in spite of effective marketing to bring folks in the door, the market is rejecting your property at its current price. If you really want to be in San Francisco by Labor Day, something must change. Either we must lower the price to a place that will attract the right buyer or we must improve the condition of your home to help support your current price. Would you prefer a price reduction or perhaps it’s time to remove that green shag carpet and refinish those hardwood floors and replace the flock wallpaper with a fresh coat of paint? I have resources that can help you re-stage your home if that’s your decision.” If their choice is to do nothing, we must go back to the original goal: If we do nothing, how will this impact your need to have the house sold before Labor Day? What is your plan B if the house is not sold by then?

Kind And Direct Communication Are Key

Communicate succinctly and often! Simply avoiding the “tough” clients might be the path of least resistance, but it is a real mistake to do so. Make an appointment to talk face to face. Save email and text for the simple day-to-day message, because you simply cannot accurately hear or convey tone or emotion electronically.

As professionals, agents need to keep their emotions in check and remember that the problems are their clients’ to resolve. We can, and should, be empathetic and understanding, while also guiding our clients in a direct and upfront manner. Step out of the emotions associated with bad news and let the client process at his or her own pace. Agents need to be an honest and reliable voice of reason, and this starts with the truth, even when the truth hurts.

Manage your expectations – your client may become very angry and you need to be prepared. Listen and assess their response. It is likely that they are angry at their situation, not necessarily at you. You can be most supportive by offering a choice of solutions and stepping back while the client determines his best path going forward.

Be empathetic – understand where they are coming from and try to be cognizant of their feelings. And yet, agents must separate themselves emotionally from the news – a tough break for a buyer or seller is likely not your fault, especially if you have performed your job well. Acknowledge their feelings and then bring the dialogue back to solving the problem: “I can see and understand how disappointed you are, and yet if we are going to get you to San Francisco on time, we must take some action, right?”

There is really no way to sugarcoat the truth when it comes to real estate transactions with clients. Agents are hired for their expertise, and sometimes that means sharing these hard truths. Failing to do so is a disservice to our clients and to our industry. It’s actually easy when we keep our clients’ goals in the front of our minds and help them self-discover the surest path to achieving those goals.