The questions that shape the search
A first meeting goes better when you ask more than you tell. This list covers timing, money, the home, the location and how you’ll work together, with extra questions for the buyer’s situation.
How to use it
- Send it ahead so the meeting starts from their answers.
- Or work through it together and write their answers where they can see them.
- Ask “what would rule a home out?” It often tells you more than a list of wishes.
- Ask permission to text. Written consent makes your later follow-up safer.
Questions to leave out
Fair housing law covers what you say as well as what you advertise. Ask what the home needs, such as bedrooms or a step-free entry, and not who will live there. Don’t ask about family plans, marital status, religion, national origin or disability.
If a buyer asks for “a good neighborhood” or “a safe area”, or who lives somewhere, don’t choose for them. Point them to school district sites, police department data and Census facts, and let them pick the areas. That keeps you clear of steering.
See how to run a buyer consultation for the meeting itself.
Questions agents ask
What questions should I ask a new buyer client?
Ask about timing and motivation, pre-approval and budget, must-haves and deal-breakers, where they need to get to, who else decides and how they like to communicate.
What questions should a real estate agent not ask buyers?
Anything about protected characteristics: race, religion, national origin, family plans or children, marital status and disability. Ask about the home’s features instead.
Should I send the questionnaire before the first meeting?
It helps. The buyer thinks about the answers ahead of time, and you can use the meeting to discuss them.