03 Questions You Should Always Be Asking Your Clients

Have the “First Phone Call” jitters? These are three excellent ice breakers I ask in every single prospecting call to cover my behind AND pre-qualify clients. 

• Are you currently working with any other realtors? 

This question will help you establish agency and begin building rapport with your client. This is one of the most important questions and will set the expectation that this is a professional business call that you should be asking this question every time, every time, every time. 

 Even if they say “no” the follow up should be: 

• Have you signed any agreements or disclosures with any other realtors? 

This will help cover your behind from getting sued. It will keep you out of commission disputes, and most importantly, establishes a sense of professionalism. Keep in mind, sometimes they either don’t know if they’ve signed agency or they aren’t being totally honest with you. Trust me, been there, done that. 

And finally,

• Have you spoken to a lender about getting pre-qualified?

I have a personal rule for both myself and my agents: if they haven’t spoken to a lender, we absolutely won’t be stepping foot into any homes until they have been prequalified.

How are you supposed to know what they can afford if they haven’t met with a lender?

Once your client gets pre-qualified, it makes going “under contract” happen seamlessly because you won’t have to wait for the green light from their lender.

For example, we had a gal that was ready to roll and write up a contract on a home, but she had not been pre-qualified yet. After meeting with a lender, getting prequalified, and writing up the offer, another buyer who was already prequalified snatched it before we even had a chance to compete.

Lesson learned: be ahead of the game.