A first call with a buyer often starts with ten minutes of basic questions. Ask them before the call instead, and you can spend the call on homes that fit. Here are the questions worth asking, the ones to leave out, and a simple way to ask them on video.
In short
Ask about the move, not the person: where they want to live, when they want to move, what kind of home they need, their price range, whether they have spoken to a lender, and whether they already work with an agent. Ask every buyer the same questions.
Why ask before the first call
Buyers reach out at very different stages. Some want to move next month; others are a year away and just browsing. A few quick answers up front tell you who to call first, which listings to send, and what to open the call with.
Asking on video helps the buyer too. They hear from you before they share anything, so the questions feel like the start of a conversation rather than paperwork.
The eight questions that matter most
- Where do you want to live? The areas or neighborhoods they are considering, so you know which listings to send.
- When do you want to move? For example: within 3 months, 3 to 6 months, later this year, or just looking. This tells you who to call first.
- What kind of home are you looking for? House, condo or townhome, the number of bedrooms, and one or two must-haves.
- What price range are you considering? Offer a few ranges to tap, and keep it to the price of the home.
- Have you spoken to a lender yet? Pre-approved, talking to one, not yet, or paying cash. It tells you whether to suggest a lender, nothing more.
- Are you working with another agent? A polite way to avoid stepping on someone else’s client.
- Do you need to sell a home first? If so, there may be a listing conversation too.
- How would you like to hear from us? Call, text or email, and the best time to reach them.
Questions to leave out
Keep every question about the home and the move. Some topics are off limits for good reason, and others simply put people off before you have even met.
- Family, children, marital status, age, religion, nationality, disability or any other personal detail.
- Who lives in an area, or anything that steers a buyer toward or away from a neighborhood because of who lives there.
- Income, savings or credit. Leave money questions to the lender.
Ask every buyer the same questions, and check your brokerage’s guidance and your local fair housing rules when you write them.
How to ask without a long form
Eight questions on one form feels like paperwork. On video, the same questions take a few taps, a couple at a time:
- Start with a 15-second hello. The welcome video script guide has a real estate example.
- Ask one easy question first: “Are you buying or selling?”
- On the buyer path, ask about area, timing and the kind of home, each with answers to tap.
- Then ask about price range, the lender and other agents.
- Finish with name, email and phone, plus a calendar to book a call or a showing.
The answers arrive with the lead, so you never ask twice. The real estate guide shows where these funnels fit: open houses, listings and your website.
How to use the answers on the first call
- Call the soonest movers first. Someone moving within 3 months needs a call today; someone just looking may prefer listings by email.
- Open with what they told you. “You mentioned [area] and a move before [season]. Here is what I would look at first.”
- Send listings that fit their area, type and price range before the call, so there is something real to talk about.
- Offer new listings by email to buyers who are not ready yet, and keep in touch without chasing.
Turn on lead alerts so you hear about each buyer the moment they finish.
Met them at an open house? See how to follow up with open house visitors.
A sample buyer funnel
- Welcome video (15 seconds): who you are and what happens next.
- Question: Are you buying or selling?
- Buyer path: area, timing and the kind of home.
- Price range, lender and other agents.
- Contact details and a calendar to book a call.
Keep it to five or six taps before the contact details. You can always ask more on the call.
More ideas for agents are on the real estate page.