Natural disasters hit the real estate world hard. After one happens, homes are destroyed, people are looking for new ones, and they don’t know what to do with their demolished property… Essentially, it’s an emotionally devastating process for everyone involved. It’s hard to determine how you’ll react when handling a home damaged by a natural disaster until it actually happens. It is vital that you remain professional, but emotions will undoubtedly be involved in some way or another. Here are some tips to consider when handling a home in a natural disaster area:

Remain calm

You will need to do this for your clients, since they will not be able to. If an agent becomes emotional when talking about a damaged home, the negotiation is likely to get out of hand. If owners become angry at you over the buying process taking longer than anticipated, you will need to understand that they are going through a nerve-wrecking time and show compassion. Keeping emotions in check is a large part of real estate in general, but it becomes crucial when you have people going through a tragedy.

Relay any and all insurance options

The best way you can actually help is by researching home insurance claims for a client who feels hopeless. When a natural disaster hits, an insurance company will try to accommodate the price for damages for the client in need – but it is not always enough. Helping a client out will go a long way in letting them know every option imaginable that they have when dealing with a shattered home.

Market as best as you can

This goes both for the buying and selling processes. A client may feel apathetic when looking at new homes, missing their old one that they no longer have. It is important to do your best looking for a new house, so they know that you do care and want to find a home they will love. Eventually, you also may have to try and sell the home that was damaged. This will be even trickier, as it’s common sense that damaged houses or those undergoing repairs are far less attractive. In this scenario, you simply have to use the same skills you apply when selling any other home, and hope that there is someone out there interested in buying it.