The best part, 10+ is establishing a trusted relationship with my clients, guiding them, helping them, listening to them, and proving over and over again they are more to me than a paycheck. 

Many clients become friends. I did not have this experience working for Corporate America. 

As for the least satisfying ... no reason to go there. I do not see how doing so would create balance.  I prefer to focus on all the good and positive. 

Closing an escrow is simply what we are here to do. Lather rinse repeat. 

There are quite a few satisfying experiences I can think of, some should not be posted for the sake of propriety. LOL

Least satisfying is when 2 snowbirds occupy the aisle at grocery store with their social hour and no one can get past.

Satisfaction for me is knowing that loyalty exists in the industry which has resulted in trust relationships and repeat business. Love my clients!

The end result of all of those closings is retirement which is even more satisfying.

All are satisfying yet some are more satisfying than others.  Achieving a score of "10" may occur because of the sheer joy experienced during the transaction or because it's finally over.  

To be honest, I'd put closing an escrow/finishing a deal as a 7 or 8.  A simple transaction, like my investor buyers, maybe even a 5 or 6 since they're short and simple.  A closing that was more difficult, that would be the 7 or 8.

The post sale interactions, the Christmas cards of the remodeled home moved in and the family enjoying it, the totally unexpected and unsolicited epic novel of a review from a client, the invite to the housewarming party... those I rank up in the 9 and 10 range above a closing.

My least satisfying experiences usually involve transaction coordinators and "those agents".  To be honest, I think transaction coordinators should all be fired and that position closed down.  I've only dealt with ONE in six years that was worth her salt, the rest try to practice real estate (or even law) without a license and insert themselves into conversations without any authority.

I'm sure some people will say "clients that didn't turn into a transaction" as a low experience, but not me.  I've never worked more than one day with a buyer or seller I didn't like.  The last buyers that didn't buy I had a bunch in common with them to the point where we probably would have hung out after closing, if they didn't have to move to the other coast for work.

I haven't been able to actually go to closing with clients since I moved here since all my sellers have lived somewhere else and closed remotely, and my buyers all lived elsewhere and closed remotely. So closing day has just been me running to Title to pick up my check. Otherwise, that day is no longer as fun as it had been.

So my favorite part of the real estate journey now is the day we have the property under contract. The least satisfying is time in between clients.

I agree with Roy Kelley. Closing enough so you can retire when you are ready. 

As you know, I own a real estate school and teach pre-licensing classes.  Closings are satisfying for sure, but what is even more satisfying is when an former student calls and tells me they had their first closing.

We are not an escrow state, so I can't join you in your joy of that experience.  While I do enjoy a round-table-closing, accompany a buyer or seller to their closing, and finalizing their transaction, I can't really assign it a number, as they are all very different.

Some are simple and offer very little difficulty.  Some are incredibly difficult and represent very difficult times for all concerned.

Trust is the best feeling...and balance is not necessary, it can all be good.  Focusing there for me is a waste of time.  A

Closings are satisfying when it is meaningful for the client. What is most satisfying to me is when I win something for my client such as a contract (these days), a negotiation, an appraisal rebuttal, etc.

COE is definitely a 10 and it rarely comes quick enough for some transactions, haha.

Couple of different experiences: Closing a short sale that took 6 contracts & almost 3 years. I was going to close it no matter what & I did.

Closing a home where you know that if you weren't in the room the young couple would be dancing in the kitchen.

Solved big problems - intrigue in a family that put them in deep debt with the county tax board. I helped them get out before a tax sale. 

Closings are definitely up there, but developing long-term relationships with clients is very good.   The least satisfying is working with a difficult client, and nice when you see the change to cut the cord!  

My most satisfying close was with a first time buyers. When I met him at the house to give him his keys, the opened the door, walked in and his jaw dropped open in wonder that he could have possible achieved home ownership. I get emotional every time I think of that event.

My worse escrow was a short sale. My sellers lost the home they loved.

It is a pleasant part of the process, though I dont get too excited about it as I am moving on quickly to the next one.

eh 8.  My most satisfying closing was one that took 10 months.  I worked for the buyer and the listing was an REO.  There was a form that had to be signed by the owning government agency.  They refused because it wasn't on their "approved" form list.  So after many many months of calls and letters to my Senator and Representative, as well as my buyer's representative we got it done.  That buyer has gone on to send me additional clients that have become friends.  Very rewarding to fight and win for a client.

The worst.... my seller who didn't comply with doing the repairs agreed to do.  It was a long and painful closing and in the end I "chipped in" and gave up some commission to get everyone to just finally go and end the pain.  Those sellers moved out of state and as it turns out... had a warrant against them.

Every completed transaction is satisfying, we are often even willing to forget some of the difficulties encountered during the journey. Not feeling too daring today Richie, sorry, no personal stories.

Keeping this to real estate my most satisfying was testifying in Federal court against an investor committing fraud over and over, that I had turned into the FBI five years earlier.  She went to jail for five years.  That one is hard to beat.

The least satisfying, implies I still got some amount of joy from it.  I would say that would be helping very picky tenants get into rentals.  They made it a major decision and I was losing my patience.  Was happy to get them off of my roster and get the job done.