Client Onboarding Checklist for Real Estate Sales

In real estate, it can be tough to hold on to long-term customers. The truth is the average real estate client sells once every seven years, which means it's easy for working relationships to fade out and for retention to be poor in the long term.

In light of the fact that it costs, on average, five times more to obtain a new customer than it does to retain an old one, the importance of a good onboarding process for new real estate sales customers becomes clearer than ever.

With a solid process for onboarding your new clients, you'll be able to automate and streamline the task of preparing new clients to work with you in full capacity; gathering their information, answering common questions, giving them "homework" to bring to your next meeting, and ultimately keep the momentum going from their initial decision to work with your real estate agency.

Basically, if you’ve ever had a client ask for a status update when they're not clear about what's going on, even when you're hard at work trying to solve their problems, then you need this checklist.

Ready to cement the long-term working relationship with your new real estate sales client by providing value and making them feel fully welcomed? Let's go.

First of all, fill out some basic details about your client using the form fields in this task.

Automatically pull information from your CRM to fill out this task with one of our 1000+ app integrations.

Determine which documents you will need from your client so they can be requested in the next task.

Using the email widget below, request the documents specified in the previous task from your client. 

The email has been prepared for you; just check it looks good before hitting send.

Find out how you can streamline and automate your client onboarding process with Process Street:

Search your Multiple Listing Services databases to see if there is any information stored on the property in question.

You may be able to use this information to inform your analysis or gain valuable insight into the property's valuation.

Welcome your client with an email letting them know you appreciate them and express your eagerness to serve them as best possible. 

Make the value clear - offer the support and knowledge of your brokerage, and provide engaging and relevant content for them to look over.

The point of a welcome email like this is to add value to the onboarding process while making the client feel appreciated.

Here is a list of content you might consider incorporating into your welcome email:

If you don't already have a welcome email prepared, use the forms below to construct one and move on to the next task.

Edit the email widget below as you see fit, then hit the send button when you're ready.

Prepare a package of marketing material showcasing some past listings. 

Use this opportunity to dazzle your client with your most impressive content and get them excited about having their property listed with you.

Upload the content to the form field below as a .PDF document.

Send the bundle you prepared in the previous task with the email widget below.

Link your client to an FAQ where they can address common concerns and learn more about your agency.

Just edit the URL in the email widget below to your own and send the email if everything is to your liking.

Arrange a date that you'll visit the property for a viewing, during which you'll be able to take notes and gain insight to provide your client with suggestions and feedback ahead of the listing.

The email below is ready to go; just hit send when you've checked the contents and are happy with it.

Once you've received a reply from your client, make a note of the confirmed date in the form field below.

This should be completed during or after (using field notes) the viewing itself. Use the form fields to fill out the information and propose improvements that will help increase the valuation of the listing.

Insert a link to access images from the recent inspection (e.g. Google Drive, Dropbox, Google Photos).

Conduct a comparative market analysis of local properties in order to gain insight into price brackets and standard rates ahead of the listing.

Check out this video for a brief overview of how to approach a comparative market analysis:

Once you're done with that, upload your report in the form field below.

Now you're ready to share your findings with your client.

Send a relevant case study; preferably one that supports a real estate decision you have proposed to the client (for example, statistics showing that cleaner homes are more likely to sell). 

The email below contains a placeholder link: replace it with your own and hit send once you've checked the contents.

Consult with your client and, considering all information gathered thus far, agree on a listing price.

Property information

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Address line 2: {{form.Address_line_2_(apartment,_suite,_unit)}}

Property images: {{form.Property_images}}

Location: {{form.Location}}
Condition: {{form.Condition}}
Floor plan: {{form.Floor_plan}}
Functional features: {{form.Functional_features}}
Disfunctional features: {{form.Disfunctional_features}}
Additional notes: {{form.Additional_notes}}

Copy and paste the info above into your MLS.

Upload the unsigned listing agreement below with all the client's information.

Use the email widget below to send the listing agreement to the client. 

Once you have received the signed listing agreement, upload it in the form field below.

You're legally obligated to provide your client with a copy of the signed agreement. 

Check the contents of the email below and if it looks good, just hit the send button.

Consult with your client and work out a schedule for providing summary reports for the listing, and specify the frequency in the form field of this task.

Send your client a link to your scheduling tool of choice so they can choose a date for your next meeting.

Edit the text of the email template below to include your own scheduling tool, and send it off once everything looks good.

Having visited the property and made thorough assessments, including recommendations for listing improvements, present your thoughts to the client.

If the property could benefit from landscaping work, suggest a local contractor that they might enlist to do the work for them. 

Use the email widget below to send the recommendation quickly. Of course, you will need to edit the placeholder field for recommended cleaning services.

Be sure that you have thoroughly researched the landscaper before recommending them.

Perhaps the property could do with a professional cleaning; if this is the case, send your client a recommendation for a local cleaning service.

Use the email widget below to swiftly send the recommendation. You will need to edit the placeholder field for recommended cleaning services.

Be sure that you have thoroughly researched the cleaner before recommending them.

• The Balance SMB - Real Estate Agent Preparation for a Listing
• SmartSheet - Definitive Guide to Client Onboarding
• Realtor.com - Real Estate Documents
• verloop.io - 14 Proven Customer Retention Strategies From Our Real Estate Clients
• agent36 - Real Estate Sales- Reaping benefits of Customer Retention

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