When Your Client is Also Your Business Partner: Lessons From the Other Side of the Table

As Realtors, we pride myself on guiding clients through one of life’s biggest financial and emotional decisions: buying or selling a home. But recently, Chris and Jennifer found themselves in a unique situation—helping our real estate business partner, Lila, sell her home and buy a new one right here in Nashville.

Sounds easy, right? After all, she knows the process. She understands the market. She can write an offer in her sleep. But this experience reminded us of something powerful: knowledge doesn’t cancel out emotions.

The Dual Role: Partner and Agent

When your client is also your colleague, the dynamic shifts. There’s trust, yes, but there’s also an added layer of pressure. We wanted her to feel taken care of—not as a fellow Realtor who “already knows everything,” but as someone who deserves the same full-service experience we give every client.

We had to remind ourselves not to skip steps just because she knows the contract inside and out. She still needed a CMA, professional staging advice, and a pricing strategy that fits Nashville’s competitive neighborhoods. She still needed reassurance when things got stressful—because even seasoned agents feel the pressure when it’s their own home on the line.

Selling in a Shifting Nashville Market

The Nashville market is always evolving, and 2025 is no exception. Inventory is still tight in popular neighborhoods like East Nashville, 12 South, and Sylvan Park, but buyers are more selective than they were two years ago. Pricing right and presenting the home beautifully are non-negotiables.

For her home, we leaned on professional photography, a fresh marketing plan, and strategic timing to hit the market with impact. Just because she’s an agent doesn’t mean she wanted to handle all the calls and showing requests herself—that’s what we were there for.

Buying with Intentionality

On the buying side, it was about keeping her grounded. It’s easy for Realtors (ourselves included) to go into “analysis mode,” overthinking every data point. But buying a home isn’t just about spreadsheets; it’s about finding the right fit for your life. Our role was to keep her focused on the big picture: What neighborhood suits her lifestyle? Which home checks the boxes without blowing the budget?

What This Taught Us

This experience reinforced something important: never assume what your client needs, even if they do this for a living. Our job wasn’t to “teach” her—she already knows the process. Our job was to make the process feel easier and remind her she didn’t have to carry it alone.

Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a fellow Realtor, the emotions of buying and selling are real. Having someone in your corner who knows the market, anticipates the challenges, and keeps you steady—that’s priceless.

If you’re thinking about making a move in Nashville, whether you’re brand new to real estate or you’ve been in it for decades, we’d love to guide you through it. Because no matter how much you know, having a trusted partner makes all the difference.

Living True in Nashville,
Jennifer and Chris (and new homeowner, Lila)