Now I know how this sounds! Negative, right? I lost a client, so there must have been something that went wrong. Not in this case!
I recently met with a wonderful couple. They are empty-nesters, had lived in the same house since the early 70's, and were ready to look at downsizing. However, they were very overwhelmed, almost panicked about what to do next. They had a wonderful realtor that was supporting them, but they had recently had a flood that caused damage to their investment. This was not helping their high stress levels.
We met for a couple hours. I talked about the different options, from aging in place, to a 55+ apartment, and Independent Living. We walked through a financial assessment to make sure they felt good about a budget. They also wanted a two-bedroom apartment-- a premium in Independent Living I explained, but I honor my clients' wishes.
I provided them a list of considerations. I echoed a previous statement I had made to them: I want all of my clients to be informed consumers.
I followed up immediately to explain. I knew they were going to get "sticker shock" as soon as they looked at the prices. The two bedroom apartments were well out of their desired budget. Others had a very long wait list, but were slightly less money each month. I went further to explore one bedroom, plus a den, very large one bedrooms, and the like.
My clients sent me a long email explaining how helpful my email had been. They changed their minds about what they wanted, based on the new information I provided. They signed a lease on a beautiful 2 bed, 2 bath apartment in a lovely 55+ community. They know that one day they may have to move for more care, but everything else is perfect for them now. They assured me that my help had been priceless, and they will certainly keep in touch because they might need help again in the future.
So, I didn't "lose a client", but rather Maintain Me gained another satisfied, informed consumer.
Thank you!
Morgan Leigh Jenkins, MA
Transition Director
Maintain Me