Gifts For REALTORS®: How To Say Thank You After Closing

If you’re closing on a house, you might be wondering if you should get your real estate agent a gift. After going through so much together, you know your experience with your agent is invaluable. Your agent's expertise has made this process simple and smooth – you couldn’t have done it without them.

That said, how should you say thank you? Or is it enough to simply give your REALTOR^® their commission?

Read on for ideas of what to gift your REALTOR^® or real estate agent and when.

What Are Closing Gifts For REALTORS^®?

Closing gifts are simply a way to thank your REALTORS^® for their hard work during the home buying process. Agents will typically give their client a gift, but clients are not generally expected to give the REALTOR^® a gift in return. However, a personalized gesture of gratitude is a great way to show appreciation and will have a lasting impact.

Building A Relationship

A thank-you gift for your REALTOR^® at closing helps you maintain a relationship with your REALTOR^® after buying a home. Most people buy or sell several homes in their lifetimes, so it is advantageous to maintain a relationship with your agent.

REALTORS^® do a lot of work to advocate for their clients during the home buying process. They help educate their clients on the housing market, understand their clients’ needs and cater to them, and help them negotiate the cost of their homes, among other things. A REALTOR® provides invaluable services to their clients and a small gesture of thanks can go a long way.

What Is An Appropriate Gift For A REALTOR^®?

Gift-giving can be tricky for some, especially when trying to determine what an appropriate gift for a real estate transaction would be. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the process:

• Think about what your agent enjoys. You’ve likely spent a lot of time with this person and may have picked up in small talk that they enjoy cooking or want to learn to cook. You could give them a gift certificate to a local cooking class or give them a new cookbook.
• If you know your REALTOR^® likes to stay busy during their free time, you could give them something like tickets to a sporting event or a gift card for the local theater.
• Use what you know about their personality and interests to think of a great gift idea. For example, if you know that they enjoy taking their clients out for coffee to get to know them, you could give them a local coffee subscription or a gift card to a local coffee shop.

While these gifts are just a few ideas to start with, think about giving them a gift you would like to receive. Depending on how well you know your REALTOR^®, you could give them a gourmet gift basket, a nice bottle of wine or a gift card.

You should also consider how much you want to spend. Typically, the idea of receiving a gift at all is enough to warm an agent’s heart, but it’s important to avoid having the gift feel like an afterthought. The most important thing is that the perfect gift is thoughtful and appropriate, but as a general guideline, $50 – $100 is a good price range.

5 Gift Ideas For Your REALTOR^®

Everyone is different, including REALTORS^®. Try to personalize gifts based on their specific tastes and needs. Here are a few ideas to help you find the perfect real estate closing gift to thank your agent.

1. The Gift Of Gratitude

Every agent will appreciate positive social media posts, reviews, testimonials, ratings and referrals. This can be both an online review and in person. However, there’s something deeply personal about receiving a handwritten thank-you note. You could take this a step further and give both a thank-you note and a gift if you choose to spend the money.

2. Gifts For Their Desk

Your REALTOR^® likely spends a lot of time at their desk when they’re not showing houses and helping clients buy a new home. Even if you never see their desk or home office, you can consider their style to give gifts that inspire them while they’re working. Some ideas include:

• A high-quality paperweight or another decorative piece
• A small potted indoor plant set, like succulents or an orchid
• A high-quality pen, such as a fountain pen
• Personalized stationery
• Candles
• A desktop clock
• High-quality or designer tools like staplers or tape dispensers

3. Gifts For The Commute

Agents spend a lot of their time in cars. They travel from their homes to their offices to potential homes for their clients and more. You can make their car time more enjoyable with gifts like:

• Phone dock
• Audio AI for the car, such as an Echo Audio
• Driving gloves (if you live in a cold climate)
• Dash camera
• Jump starter
• Business card case
• Travel mug or cup

4. Gifts For Tech-Savvy Agents

If your REALTOR^® is tech-savvy or appreciates the latest technology trend, you could consider one of the following gifts:

• Portable battery or phone case with a battery extender
• GPS locator to pair with their phone, such as a Tile or an Apple AirTag
• High-quality headphones such as Apple AirPods or a headphone case
• Screen cleaners and protectors
• Tools to enhance their camera
• Phone tripod for taking pictures
• Laser distance measure
• VR headset

Tablets are popular in real estate, so similar accessories for a tablet might be handy for your REALTOR^® as well.

5. Gifts For The Home

You’ve likely spent a lot of time talking homes with your REALTOR^®, so you probably know what they like. Here are some interest-based gift ideas:

For An Agent Who Loves The Kitchen

If your REALTOR^® loves to cook or enjoys watching cooking shows, you could give them something for their kitchen such as:

• A coffee maker such as a Keurig or French press
• Tea and tea accessories
• Fancy spices or a spice rack
• A wine rack
• A cutting board
• Coffee mugs
• A local restaurant gift certificate

For The Interior Decorator

Does your REALTOR^® have a great eye for design? Perhaps they’re in the process of redoing their own home. Either way, you may want to consider a design or home improvement gift such as:

• A nice flower vase with fresh flowers for a personal touch
• A decorative plant such as a succulent, bonsai or orchid

For Other Clients’ Homes

Even if your REALTOR^® isn’t redesigning their home, gifts for their open houses might be the perfect way to say thank you. Here are a few ideas:

• Items that can bring any home staging up a level, or would also work well in your agent’s own home
• Wax melter or oil diffuser for an enjoyable scent
• Portable Bluetooth speakers that they can take with them to any showing
• Dustbuster or another portable vacuum
• Smart home technology like video doorbells, smart plugs or smart light bulbs

REALTOR^® Gifts To Avoid Giving

There are plenty of options for what to give your REALTOR^®. However, it’s important to know that there are also certain things to avoid and be aware of in real estate agent gift etiquette.

The first rule of thumb is to avoid giving anything that is too humorous, especially when targeted toward agents. You wouldn’t want the joke to be misunderstood and come across as disingenuous. Examples of this would be a REALTOR^® joke book, bobblehead or a joke nameplate.

Another guideline to follow is to not give a gift that they would prefer to pick out themselves. For example, most people are particular about the clothing items they choose and wear. So, it’s best to avoid gifting a piece of clothing or jewelry as these items aren’t always well received.

Finally, think carefully before gifting a piece of memorabilia or personalized items. The exception to this rule is if you know that the person is very interested in these items. For example, do not get your agent a customized photo frame unless you know that they wanted one. If you give a gift that they can’t use, while it might be thoughtful, it isn’t useful to them.

The Bottom Line: A Thoughtful Gift Can Go A Long Way

Giving gifts is one way to thank your REALTOR^® and tie a bow on the end of your home buying process. Your agent put in a lot of work behind the scenes. They aided you through one of the most important purchases of your life: your home.

After you buy with an agent, remember to thank them for their time, effort, attention and passion throughout the process.