Market Moves ETX with David McAtee

Here's a truth most agents won't tell you: not every client is the right client, and saying "no" the right way is one of the most important skills in this business. I'm David McAtee with Realty One Group Rose here in Tyler, Texas, and in this episode I'm going to walk you through how I professionally, honestly, and respectfully turn down a client when it's just not the right fit — without burning a bridge or being a jerk about it.

I serve, I don't sell — and part of serving people well is being honest enough to tell them when I'm not the agent for them. In this episode I talk about the "perpetual needers," the folks who want you to blow smoke and tell them what they want to hear, and the clients who just aren't ready to do things the right way. I'll share how I have that hard conversation with grace, why radical honesty protects everybody in the room, and how walking away from the wrong client actually frees you up to serve the right one. I don't have a crystal ball, but I do have four-plus years of hard-learned lessons in East Texas real estate to pull from.

If you've ever felt stuck in a relationship — business or otherwise — that just isn't working, this one's for you. Grab a cup of coffee and pull up a chair. When you're ready to work with someone who'll give you the honest truth, call me at 903-216-6885 or find me at marketmovesetx.com — and when we close, the ribeye's on me.

Show Notes

Here's a truth most agents won't tell you: not every client is the right client, and saying "no" the right way is one of the most important skills in this business. I'm David McAtee with Realty One Group Rose here in Tyler, Texas, and in this episode I'm going to walk you through how I professionally, honestly, and respectfully turn down a client when it's just not the right fit — without burning a bridge or being a jerk about it. I serve, I don't sell — and part of serving people well is being honest enough to tell them when I'm not the agent for them. In this episode I talk about the "perpetual needers," the folks who want you to blow smoke and tell them what they want to hear, and the clients who just aren't ready to do things the right way. I'll share how I have that hard conversation with grace, why radical honesty protects everybody in the room, and how walking away from the wrong client actually frees you up to serve the right one. I don't have a crystal ball, but I do have four-plus years of hard-learned lessons in East Texas real estate to pull from. If you've ever felt stuck in a relationship — business or otherwise — that just isn't working, this one's for you. Grab a cup of coffee and pull up a chair. When you're ready to work with someone who'll give you the honest truth, call me at 903-216-6885 or find me at marketmovesetx.com — and when we close, the ribeye's on me.

What is Market Moves ETX with David McAtee?

This podcast is for East Texans who want clear, practical insight into real estate - without pressure or hype. Hosted by David McAtee, a real estate agent with Realty ONE Group Rose in Tyler, Texas, the show focuses on helping buyers, sellers, and local residents better understand the East Texas market before making major decisions.

Each episode breaks down real-world topics like buying and selling homes, local market trends, land and acreage considerations, and common mistakes to avoid. Whether you’re planning a move now or just learning for the future, this podcast is designed to give you clarity, context, and confidence - one conversation at a time.

Good morning, my name is David McAtee, and I'll be straight with you: I've never sold a piece of property in my life. I serve, I don't sell, and around here we celebrate every closing over a ribeye. Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and let's talk real estate the honest way.

Now, today I want to talk about something a lot of folks in my business don't like to admit, and that's how you professionally turn a client away. It's not fun, and it's not comfortable, but it is one of the most important skills you can ever learn.

Here's the thing people don't understand about me: I don't put up with a lot of crap, but I don't mean that in a mean way. What I mean is, I've learned over these years that not every person who walks through the door is the right person for me to serve, and that's okay.

When I first got into this business back in early 2020, I said yes to just about everybody. I thought that was what you were supposed to do, take every call, chase every lead, bend over backwards for anybody who'd talk to you. And I'll tell you, that just about wore me out and about made me quit.

The truth is, some people don't want a serving agent, they want somebody to blow smoke. They want you to tell them their three hundred thousand dollar house is worth three hundred and fifty, and when you tell them the honest number is closer to two hundred and sixty-five, they get upset with you.

So how do you turn that person down without being ugly about it? You do it the same way you do everything else, with honesty and with respect. I'll look somebody square in the eye and say, I don't think I'm the right agent for you, and here's why.

I tell them plainly, I serve, I don't sell, and if you're looking for somebody to tell you what you want to hear, that's just not me. I'd rather lose your business today than take you on and disappoint you six months down the road when your house is still sitting there.

And you know what? Most of the time, people respect that. Sometimes that same person calls me back a month later and says, David, you were right, I want to work with you now, because you were the only one who told me the truth.

I've learned there's a certain kind of client I call a perpetual needer. That's the person who talks in circles, never makes a decision, and just wants somebody to spin their wheels with them, and I don't have time for that.

I don't say that to be harsh, I say it because my time is how I serve the people who really need me. Every hour I spend going nowhere with somebody who won't be helped is an hour I can't spend loading up a truck of food for a neighborhood, or finding the right home for a family who trusts me.

So when I turn somebody down, I try to do it with grace. I thank them for their time, I tell them the honest reason, and if I can, I point them toward somebody who might be a better fit for what they're looking for.

That's the part a lot of folks miss, you can say no and still send somebody off feeling served. You're not slamming a door, you're just being honest that this particular door wasn't meant for the two of you to walk through together.

I'll be honest, patience is the thing I still work on to this day, and turning people away tests that patience more than just about anything. But I've come to believe that saying no to the wrong client is how I say yes to the right one.

Because at the end of the day, I want meaningful, purposeful relationships, not somebody I'm just tolerating to make a dollar. I've seen God bring the right people to the right property at the right time, many, many times, and that only works when I keep my yes honest and my no honest too.

So if you're a fellow agent listening, or just somebody trying to do good work, hear me on this: it's okay to turn somebody down. Do it kind, do it honest, and do it because you respect them enough to tell them the truth.

Thanks for spending a little time with me today. I don't blow smoke and I don't have a crystal ball, but I'll always put you first and give you the honest truth. When you're ready to buy or sell in Tyler and East Texas, give me a call at nine zero three, two one six, six eight eight five, and when we close, the ribeye's on me.