Real estate is all about relationships. That's why it's important to spend just as much time thinking about how you'll close a deal as you did planning how to win their business in the first place.
One way you can close the loop is by giving your sellers a closing gift. It may seem more natural to give a closing gift to a homebuyer, since you helped them with their winning bid on that dream home, but your sellers are making a huge life change as well.
While some of the gift ideas for buyers can work for a seller, too, there are also some very thoughtful ideas for sellers that they will really appreciate. And, their gratitude might just inspire them to sing your praises to their friends and family.
Let's take a look at the best closing gift ideas for sellers and how much you should spend.
How Much Should You Spend on a Closing Gift?
There are a couple different ways you can plan how much to spend. Some agents have a standard closing gift ready to go for all clients. This keeps the gifts standardized, despite the size of commission, which works well if you end up having a lot of referrals.
Or, you can customize the gift based on the size of your commission. A good rule of thumb would be a gift worth about 2-3% of your commission.
Realtor Kyle Handy breaks it down like this, "On a $300,000 home at 3% commission, this equals $9,000 in commission. In this case, 1% would be around $90, and 5% would be around $450. I have always spent around 2-3% of the gross commission income on my clients." (source)
In either case, you may need a range of gift ideas ready to go for your clients. We hope this list will get you thinking and feeling inspired to look for new and creative ways to say thank you to the people that make your business possible.
5 Thoughtful Closing Gift Ideas:
Your sellers may have just sold the home where they raised their children or a home that has been in the family for generations. In the case that the home or property being sold was special to them, you may want to consider a gift that is thoughtful and sentimental.
1. Location Puzzle:
If you know they're leaving an area that they love, a sweet gesture would be to have a a custom puzzle made that becomes a map of where the sold home is located or makes a picture of their old home.
This puzzle comes in a luxurious box that doesn't give the final image away, creating a sweet reveal when they finish putting it together and seeing a detailed map of their favorite area.
Or, if you know they're moving somewhere they've always dreamed of living, use the map for the place they are excited to go.
2. Local Gift Basket:
Many people love a good gift basket. Consider what your area is known for and shop local to put together a thoughtful basket full of tasty gifts.
For example, is there a honey farm in the area where you can source local honey? How about fresh olive oil or even a baker known for their custom shaped cookies?
Use this opportunity to connect with local small businesses while putting together a gift basket that will remind your sellers about the place they called home as they embark on their new adventure.
3. Home Watercolor:
For clients who left homes that they were very attached to, consider having a watercolor portrait made of their home. To do this, you would need to get a picture of their home to send to the watercolor artist. One of the real estate photo of the exterior could work perfectly for this.
This is guaranteed to be a gift they will appreciate for many years to come and a definite conversation starter with their guests.
4. Candle Set:
Moving is a headache and it may be awhile before they feel settled in. Help them make that house a home with a customized candle set that will add warmth and good vibes to their new place. You could easily recreate this idea with candles and products from a local shop, too.
Plus, every time they light that candle, they'll think of the great realtor who helped them make the move.
5. Charitable Donation:
If your sellers are not sure where they'll be moving to yet, you don't want to give them more clutter. So, consider making a donation to a charity that they feel very passionate about.
The key to this is knowing them well enough to know which direction to go with your generous donation.
Then, be sure to give the donation in the name of your clients, print it out and then give it like a gift for them to open.
8 Closing Gift Experiences:
1. Restaurant Gift Card:
Well, they sold their home - so guess what? It's time to move! All that packing and unpacking is exhausting. Treat them to a free meal from a great local restaurant.
Bonus points for building a relationship with that restaurant and letting them know that you're exclusively partnering with them for your client gifts.
Make sure to share out posts on social media that share this partnership and tag the restaurant. Hopefully, they'll reciprocate, sharing on their platforms, too, and it'll be a win win for both of you.
If you don't have any local restaurants to recommend, gift them a DoorDash or food delivery gift card, so they don't even have to leave their new house!
2. Local Activity Gift Card:
Is there a fun place in the area that locals enjoy - such as a fun family game center or an activity like and escape room? Think about all of the places that make your area unique and consider gifting a gift certificate to one of those places. Your sellers will no doubt enjoy an opportunity to escape the packing and mounds of paperwork to have a little fun.
Then, remember to ask clients to tag you on social media when they use their gift, so you can share it out, too.
3. Spa Treatment Gift Card:
Was the selling process particularly challenging or grueling for your client? If you had a client that really went through the ringer to get their home sold, it may be time for a little R&R.
Pick up a gift card to a local day spa so they can relax together and let their stress melt away.
4. Local Hotel Gift Card:
You really get to know your clients during the selling process. If they let it slip that they may be in a transition home for awhile, you know they'll be living in a whirlwind of moving trucks and boxes.
Give them a weekend to get away and rest, away from all the stress, with a gift card to a nice local hotel where they can escape.
5. Gift a Class:
Help your clients settle in to their new area with a fun local memory. Look into a class option, such as a cooking class, a dancing class package, a painting class or even golf lessons at their new community golf club.
When you give the gift of a class, you are also giving your sellers a chance to experience something new - and they'll always remember your kindness when they reflect on that memory.
6. Movie Theater Gift Card:
Who doesn't love a trip to the movies? But, especially for a family with kids, all of the tickets and snacks can add up! Gift your clients a generous gift card to cover the costs of a family trip to the local theatre.
7. Send Them Wine Tasting:
Whether they are staying in town or moving away, you should easily be able to find a place where they can go to enjoy some wine tasting and celebrate their big life decision.
A gift card can be attached to a bottle of wine from said winery for a thoughtful gift almost anyone would enjoy.
8. Professional Services Gift Card:
Do you have connections with professional services in the area that you know your client will need? Keep those in mind if a client gift can be used to help them line up necessary services, such as painting, designing, cleaning, or even a gift card to a local home renovation store.
This is especially helpful if clients are moving in to a fixer upper that is going to need some work. The gift not only gives them access to a preferred vendor, but helps cover some of the costs.
5 Food Closing Gift Ideas:
1. Food Basket:
We have a client that has sold many properties with us. We are so grateful for their continued trust, but it makes it a little tricky with gifts, since you don't want to give the same person 15 cutting boards.
One way we have shown our gratitude is by choosing gourmet food baskets. You can find so many options in a a variety of price points, plus since these are consumable, you can use this idea with the same client down the road. Harry & David is a go-to, because their food towers are also beautifully wrapped.
2. Private Chef Experience:
A great client gift idea would be to pre-pay for a local private chef to go to their home and cook them a delicious meal suited to their preferences.
This is a beautiful way to commemorate moving into a new home and start making memories there. Plus, it's a cozier than going out to a restaurant and it's not something that the average person gets to experience very many times in their life.
3. Meal Kit Delivery:
Everybody has to eat. Meal kits makes it so easy - no grocery shopping required! Find one that you know delivers to your area and give them the gift of a food box delivery membership! You can choose how many months you want to gift when you purchase, allowing you to quickly and easily customize the gift to each client.
Here are just a few food box companies to get you started:
Hello Fresh
Blue Apron
Home Chef
Sunbasket
Green Chef
Freshly
Want more options? This post has 23 meal kit delivery boxes!
4. Coffee Delivery:
If you know they're coffee drinkers, this one will be a big win. Moving will absolutely kick their coffee drinking habits into overdrive. Show them that you support their need for coffee, with a coffee gift card to a local shop they may not have tried before. If you're in the Sacramento area, here are some great local coffee shops to consider.
Or, make it even easier, by gifting a coffee box or delivery service that will come monthly for a set period of time. Here are just a few to get you started:
Mistobox
Beanbox
Atlas coffee club
Trade Coffee
Need more? This post has 19 of the best coffee subscriptions available today.
5. Wine Club:
Did their love for wine come up in conversation? Now is your chance to show them how much you were listening. Give them the gift of a wine club membership or a beautiful sampling of wines from the closest winery.
You could take it to the next level and include some beautiful wine glasses, so they don't even have to unpack their own before enjoying a sip.
6 Technology Gift Ideas:
Everybody loves technology. Plus, if they just sold their home, they may have left some of their favorite technology behind. Here are some creative technology inspired gift ideas:
1. Ring Doorbell:
If they sold their home, they sold their Ring doorbell along with it, which means they'll need a new one. They run around $100-$200, so it's an affordable gift that will keep on giving them peace of mind.
2. Roomba Vacuum:
Nobody likes to vacuum, but everyone has to do it! Give them a new Roomba vacuum to do some of the work for them in their new home.
We've given Roombas as gifts and they are always a BIG hit! Such a simple idea that improves people's quality of life.
3. Amazon Echo:
If they don't already have one, the gift of an Echo or other device can be a great gift! Now, they'll have the ability to play music, check the weather, check the news, create a to-do list and much more, without lifting a finger.
Even better, if they already have one, you can always use a new one in a different room and sync them for whole house connectivity.
4. Pura Home Fragrance Diffuser:
Scent their new home with their very own Pura, a fragrance diffuser that plugs into the wall and can be controlled via an app on their Smartphone. The best part about this gift is if they already have one, they can add the gifted one to a different room and control them all on the same app!
Pura sends their sets in a beautiful gift box, too, that is perfect for gifting. If you're new to Pura, consider a set that has the iconic Capri Blue Volcano scent. It's one of the bestselling fragrances of all time.
5. Ember Temperature Control Travel Mug:
This might be the most expensive travel mug ever, but that's why it makes a great gift. If you're client is busy and on-the-go, give them a coffee tumbler that can keep up with them.
Ember allows you to set and maintain your desired coffee temperature while the leakproof lid keeps the coffee where it belongs.
6. Fancy Espresso Machine:
If you really want to impress your clients, choose one of these high-end, fully automated espresso machines that will allow your clients to be their own barista at the touch of a button. Many of these machines can even be controlled by a smartphone, so your clients can start brewing their perfect cup of coffee before they even get out of bed.
There are so many options in a variety of price points, so you'll be sure to find the right machine for your budget and clients.
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Do you have a go-to closing gift or do you like to mix it up? Either way, we hope these ideas have given you a lot to think about.
For more realtor tips, you may also like this post with 9 tips to grow your business.
If you're looking to join a successful team, maybe even switch brokerages, and see your business skyrocket - we are currently building our team at Enyart Homes and we would like to speak with you! Call me at 916.524.9733, tell me you saw this blog post and you want to know more about joining our team.
I hope to hear from you soon!
Russell Enyart and the Enyart Real Estate Group are top real estate agents serving serving West Sacramento, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay, Loomis, Rocklin, Roseville, and Sacramento County, Placer County, and El Dorado County.