The Importance of Gift Giving
As a real estate professional, you understand the importance of providing excellent service to your clients. One way to go above and beyond is by giving a closing gift after your clients purchase their dream home.
A thoughtful and personalized closing gift can make a lasting impression and show your clients that you appreciate their business.
When it comes to gift giving, you want to make sure you choose the perfect closing gift that fits your client’s personality and their unique interests.
Our list of the best real estate closing gifts in 2023 includes a variety of options, from practical gifts that will make the move into their new home easier, to unique and thoughtful gestures that will make them feel special.
At the end of the day, the best real estate closing gifts are the ones that show your clients that you understand and appreciate them.
By choosing a gift that matches their personality and interests, you can make a thoughtful gesture that will leave a lasting impression and lead to repeat business and referrals in the future.
Choose the Perfect Realtor Closing Gift
Real estate closing gifts can play a much more important role in your marketing plan than some realtors expect. According to the NRA, 88 percent of buyers say they would use their Realtor again, but in reality only 19 percent actually work with the same agent or recommend them to others.
In other words, there’s lots of room for improvement.
Since almost half of your clients come from referrals, you already know it’s essential to optimize the word of mouth surrounding your services. Perfectly chosen closing gifts that don’t sap your time should be the cherry on top of client relationships.
To that end, we recommend finding a small collection of realtor closing gifts for buyers and sellers that will delight the vast majority of your future client base.
Please note: This post contains affiliate links for certain, carefully-chosen products. However, the primary purpose of this article is to help you delight clients, not for us to gain commissions. By partnering, we can provide images to spark your interest and links to streamline the gift-buying process. Win-win.
Real Estate Closing Gifts for Buyers
In this section, we explore backyard closing gifts, housewarming gifts, local services and experiences, gifts for transplants, luxury gift ideas, and much more.
Backyard Closing Gifts
Outdoor Hammock
Tree Swing
Outdoor Fire Pit
Cornhole Lawn Game
Hummingbird Feeder
Robotic Lawnmower
Artisan Windchimes
Artisan Suncatchers
Croquet Backyard Game
Birdhouses
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Housewarming Gifts from Realtors
This section is full of great ideas to make a house feel like a home. These options have a personal touch, and they are sure to warm your client’s hearts.
Stained Glass Window Hanging
Succulent Terrariums
Nest Bluetooth Thermostat
Local Gift Ideas
Buying your closing gifts from local businesses allows you to form connections with your community.
For that reason, we highly recommend finding strong gift options from small businesses in your area.
One super clever idea is to market your closing gift on "For Sale" signs. For example, offer "$100 in Free Tacos" on your listed properties.
Local Backyard Gifts
- Porch Swing
- Fruit Trees or Privacy Trees
- Gift Card to a Local Nursery
Local Services
- Lawn Care Service
- Consultation with Landscaping Professional
- Consultation with an Interior Designer
- One Year of Pest Control
- Handyman Service
- 1-3 months of Cleaning Service
- Moving Service
- Autographed Sports Memorabilia
- First-Night Survival Kit
- 1-3 months of Homeowner’s Insurance
On one hand, homeowner’s insurance is not the most exciting gift. Plus, in many cases, it will be included in the contract. But if not, it does have the added benefit of giving you peace of mind.
If something unforeseen goes wrong with the property, you’ve already provided the solution with homeowner’s insurance.
Local Housewarming Gifts
- A Drawing or Watercolor of the Home
- Engraved Door Knocker
- Flowers or Florist Gift Card
Even better, work with a florist to deliver monthly bouquets to your client’s home for 3-6 months.
Local Experiences
- Cooking Lessons
- Sports Tickets
- Theater Tickets
- Concert Tickets
- Water Park Pass
- Drive-In Movie Tickets
- Winery Tour
- Hot Air Balloon Ride
- Sport Lessons (For Example, Skiing)
- Gift Certificate to Local Animal Shelter (To Rescue an Animal)
Gifts for Transplant Clients
- Snowblower or Tire Chains for Snowy Regions
- Beautiful Citronella Candles for Buggy Areas
- Car Wash Certificates for Oceanside Homes
Cordless Snowblower
Beautiful Citronella Candles
Real Estate Closing Gifts for Sellers
- Massage or Sauna Certificates
- Catered Holiday Meals (If the client is moving during Christmas or Thanksgiving)
Best Luxury Brands
- Hermes
- Tiffany & Co
- Crate & Barrel
Real Estate Closing Gifts to Avoid
- Branded Gifts
Branded gifts aren’t really gifts. They’re just self-promotion.
- Monthly Subscriptions like Netflix
They’re just blah and will never inspire referrals.
- Gifts for Experts
If your client is an expert outdoorsman, don’t buy them a compass. They probably have perfectly dialed-in gear, and you’re only going to buy something they won’t use.
Gifts to Buy for Agents
If you’re looking to buy a gift for an agent, know that the number one thing you can give is referrals.
The second best thing you can give is glowing reviews on Google, Facebook, and their website.
Beyond that, here are some clever things to buy your agent to show appreciation.
Digital Business Card
Laser Distance Measure
Wide-Angle Smartphone Lens
Solar-Powered Lights for Agent Yard Signs
- Scented Candles
- Engraved Business Card Cases
- Gourmet Food Baskets
- Massage Gun
- Handwritten Note & Drawing from Your Children
- Visa Gift Card
- Flower Bouquet
- Powerbank
- Aerial Camera Drone
- Cuff Links
- Real Estate Agent Adult Color Book
- Personalized “Sold” Yard Sign
Gift Cards
We don’t recommend gift cards because they lack a personal touch. But we can still make it easier for you if you go with this option.
Tips for Giving Perfect Real Estate Gifts
1. Consider Giving 3 Gift Options
How Closing Gifts Backfire
Real estate closing gifts can easily become a lose-lose situation if your client doesn’t love your gift. They might have to put on a fake smile when they open that too-quirky birdhouse.
Or even worse, they might agree to a dinner they don’t have time for. Perhaps they have to hire a sitter for their children. Or there could be some issue you didn’t consider, like their new puppy has separation anxiety.
Even the most seemingly universal of gifts, like a curated case of wine, can be a poor choice. Maybe your client is a recovering alcoholic, and then you’ve really stepped in it.
In these cases, you’ve not only given a bad gift, you’ve also wasted money. Plus there’s the opportunity cost. Instead of inspiring referrals, you’ve only succeeded in leaving a bad aftertaste.
The Best Solution
The simplest solution is to offer three options. Giving real estate closing gifts is not about Christmas magic of opening a mysterious present. It’s about genuine bonding and inspiring referrals.
Consider choosing 3 standard gift options. One could be an experience like a nice dinner. Another could be something material designed to last, like a windchime. A third could be a service, like a consultation with a landscape architect.
Of course, you can also simply ask your clients if they prefer to be surprised by the gift or if they want options. If they want options, it’s best to send photos when presenting the options.
2. Demonstrate Gratitude First, Inspire Referrals Second
A bottle of wine branded with your photo and professional info could be the sleaziest real closing gift of all time. Go to the other extreme. Make the gift truly about them, not you.
If you also want to offer moving boxes with your personal ad on them, go for it. Just don’t make it their official closing gift. That said, it is completely possible to kill two birds with one stone.
3. Prioritize Gifts That Also Inspire Referrals
While your real estate closing gift should absolutely be client-centered, the best gifts will also inspire maximum referrals. There are different ways to accomplish this. Beautiful conversation pieces like an artisan sun-catcher are sure to inspire compliments from guests of your clients.
Inevitably, those guests will ask, “Where did you get that sun-catcher?” Then you organically become the topic of conversation. In the best case scenario, you’ve also crafted a way to keep your contact info easily on hand that’s more impressive than a contact card on their smartphone.
Perhaps you’ve already gifted them a highly attractive refrigerator magnet or a cheesecake recipe with your phone number at the bottom. Something of value that won’t end up in the recycling bin like your business card.
You can hire graphic designers from Fiverr to complete tasks like this for less than $10. For more clever marketing ideas, check out the articles below.
Keep in mind that even the most tasteful of home decor gifts can miss the mark and end up in a closet. So we still recommend offering them as an option.
4. Consider Spending 1-2.5% of the Commision
Common metrics include spending no more than 2.5% of your commission or $50-$250. You may also want to decide the spending amount based on the potential tax deductions. For more info, see the next tip.
5. Deduct Your Closing Gifts
Remember that you can deduct real estate closing gifts from your taxes. Typically you can deduct up to $25 for business gifts per person. However, there aren’t any rules for how old that person can be. So technically if you buy a gift for a family of five, you could be able to deduct $125.
Of course, this article cannot provide you with official legal tax advice. Make sure you also check state and local regulations and get the advice of a tax professional.
You can look at IRS Publication 463 and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau for the full guidelines.
6. Be Aware of Cultural Gift-Giving Taboos
Certain cultures, especially Chinese and Japanese cultures, have taboo gifts. For example, knives and clocks can be interpreted as rude gifts that signify cutting ties or death. Check out this guide to culturally inappropriate gifts.
7. Be a Feedback Hound
Asking directly when you give the gift is probably not the best way to measure how much your clients enjoy it. Instead, wait a month to call and check in on the house and family. At the same time, you can ask if they’ve enjoyed their gift, especially if it’s something material or reusable.
8. Consider Local Connections
Remember that giving a closing gift is only one half of the equation. There’s also the person or company you buy the gift from. Widen your professional networking circle by buying local and forming loose partnerships.
Perhaps you know someone who owns a company that does landscaping, moving, interior design, or cleaning. These people are more likely to know when their clients will need a realtor.
To some, this strategy may seem like over-thinking. But it’s right in line with one of the best strategies of Top 1% real estate agents. They don’t think about landing the next deal. They think about forming the next connection.
As you form these casual partnerships with local business owners, politely but clearly express that you would appreciate referrals. If you’re regularly purchasing their products or services, it should be comfortable to ask when you explain who the gifts are going to.
9 . Don’t Buy Material Gifts for Sellers
When purchasing a realtor closing gift for sellers, the best practice is to avoid buying something that they have to move to their new home. That’s especially true for people moving long-distance.
Obviously it also makes little sense to buy a local service or experience if the client is moving away. Even if they will be in town for another month or two, you don’t want them to feel rushed to go to that couple’s massage in time.
Scroll down to the Best Closing Gifts for Sellers section for great ideas.
10. Assess Each Client's Referral Potential
Every client deserves your best. We’re not disputing that. But some clients have way more potential to generate referrals than others.
For these clients, we recommend putting the time in to find a clever and perfect real estate closing gift.
Sometimes gifts appeal more to the children, or to one spouse more than the other. In general, we recommend choosing gifts that delight everyone.
At the same time, there may be one individual in the family that has a large professional network or is simply more likely to refer others to you. In this case, it would be a big mistake to buy a gift that speaks less to them.
For example, let’s say the husband is a divorce lawyer and therefore in the perfect position to refer leads like crazy. You wouldn’t want to buy the family monthly floral bouquets if he doesn’t have a feminine bone in his body.
On the other hand, it would be excellent self-marketing to choose a gift that optimizes that referral potential. You could buy something for the house, but also a conversation piece for his desk at his office.
That’s a wildly cunning closing gift. There will be a continuous stream of people ready to move who ask about your gift around the same time they’re looking for a lawyer. Of course, just make sure it’s something your client will truly enjoy.
The Ultimate Closing Gift Package
1. Choose 3 savvy gift options your clients will love
Below is a sample collection of wonderful realtor closing gifts sure to inspire referrals from buyers and sellers.
- Monthly Floral Bouquet Deliveries
- A Consultation with a Landscaping Expert
- A Lasting Conversation Piece (Fruit Tree or Artisan Windchime)
2. Consider including a personal gift based on your relationship
As you get to know your clients, they will surely provide clues that can lead to a well-chosen gift. Perhaps the greatest tip for gift giving in general is to give by observing.
From the beginning, keep an ear open and jot down potential gift ideas. Once you form the habit, it will become second nature.
Then replace one of your standard gift ideas for the personalized gift. Or if you’re certain it’s a home run, go ahead and bank on it.
3. Invite your clients to a cocktail party
The Cocktail Party Guest List
Guests should include all your recent buyers and sellers, a choice selection of past clients, and people from your local network. Think local influencers, business owners, and service providers that can start mutually beneficial relationships with your clients. Make it the perfect networking event for everyone.
Ideally, it would be a one-stop shop for everything recent transplants need: a family doctor, a handyman, a landscaper, a dentist, a veterinarian, a daycare owner, etc. And of course, local business owners are incentivized to attend and pick up some new clients.
Think deeply about the needs of your market niche. For example, if your client base is NYC transplant millenials, it would be clever to invite your friend who owns a bike repair shop.
It helps to invite a few life-of-the-party types. It can also be smart to hire a professional babysitter who can take care of all of the children upstairs, freeing and encouraging the adults to attend and mingle.
Finally, encourage your new clients to invite friends of their own, which you can turn into leads.
Believe us, hosting a genuinely fun, casual networking event is addictively enjoyable and top-notch self-marketing.
Referral Tips
Asking for referrals is a matter of choosing the perfect moment. By inviting clients to a cocktail party or similar get-together, you show that you’re happy to form true connections with your buyers and sellers.
Put a drink in one client’s hand and a gift in the other, and you’ve created the optimal moment to encourage clients to spread the word about your (obviously) premium service. 😉
If one client bought a home for twice that of another client, and therefore got a pricier gift, you may want to deliver your gifts discreetly.
The Importance of Referrals
Conclusion
In conclusion, choosing the right closing gift for your real estate clients is a great way to leave a lasting impression and show your appreciation for their business.
A personalized and thoughtful gesture can make all the difference, especially when it comes to building strong relationships with your clients and securing repeat business and referrals.
Remember to consider your client’s personality, interests, and local community when selecting a closing gift.
A practical and unique gift can be a great idea for new homeowners, while a gourmet gift basket or a gift certificate to a local restaurant can appeal to those who enjoy dining out. Whatever you choose, make sure to add a personal touch that shows your clients you care about them beyond just the transaction.
By putting effort into selecting the perfect closing gift, you can help ensure a successful closing day and help your clients settle into their dream home with a smile.
Don’t forget to share your gift ideas on your social media accounts and with your real estate colleagues to help them succeed as well. Cheers to many successful closings and happy clients!
How InboundREM Can Help
The ultimate marketing strategy for real estate agents is a two-pronged approach that pivots around building genuine connections in your local community and leveraging digital marketing.
These methods not only bring leads to your doorstep, but they also have the best ROI.
InboundREM provides full-suite digital marketing services. We’re experts at the most important, effective, and cutting-edge aspects of online marketing. That includes lead generation technology, SEO, content marketing, video marketing, CRMs, and more.
Find out how we can provide some of the best long-term ROI in the market. Then get in touch to discover how we can deliver on our promises for you.
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This informative article on inboundrem.com discusses the importance of real estate closing gifts. It highlights how thoughtful and personalized gifts can leave a lasting impression on clients, fostering goodwill and referrals. The article provides creative ideas for memorable closing gifts, emphasizing the significance of client appreciation in the real estate industry.