10 Great Client Interview Questions

“Remember you have two ears and one mouth,” is a good rule of thumb when meeting with potential clients. While you may feel anxious to explain why you’re the best agent to represent them and list their home, you’ll have a better chance of success if you use your mouth to ask questions and both ears to listen carefully to the answers.

Determining seller motivation is a key factor in ensuring that how you serve them will meet their goals. If you can determine their hopes, fears, and what drives them to make decisions, you’ll be able to build a working relationship which will contribute to a smooth transaction and future referrals.

Below are 10 great questions to ask during your first meeting with prospective clients. Truly listening to the answers will help you understand where they’re coming from and what they expect.

1. How many past experiences have you had owning homes and/or moving?
2. Why is now the right time for you to move?
3. How long have you considered this move?
4. How will this move benefit you (and your family)?
5. Are there any downsides to this move for you, or potential pitfalls you see?
6. Describe to me, in an ideal situation, the best possible experience you could hope for in the sale of your home.
7. If for some reason your home didn’t sell, how would it impact you (and your family)?
8. How will having a real estate agent benefit you? (Listen carefully to this one… it will hit on their expectations of you!)
9. What were your past experiences like with real estate agents? (Or, if they haven’t had one yet, ask them to talk about experiences they’ve heard about with friends / family. Let them know, good or bad, they won’t hurt your feelings with their answers.)
10. Are there any specific issues you’d like me to address or questions you’d like to ask me?

Don’t feel like you have to march them through every question. Don’t try to fix every fear or make every promise– listen and pause before you speak. Don’t try to finish their sentences for them. Follow their line of thought and move naturally with the conversation. Along the way, you may hit upon revelations that the client had not yet discovered on their own… make sure to give them ample time to reflect!