Buyer Lead Call Script: 20 Questions for the First Conversation

Scripts
Written By Shawn Cunningham

Twenty questions, with follow-ups, for the first call with a buyer. The goal is to find out why now, how they will pay, and what the home has to do for them before you set up a single showing.

Before you dial

  • Check what the lead already told you (source, search, any saved homes) and any notes. Do not ask what you already know.

  • Fair Housing: ask about the home, the price, the location and the timing. Never ask who will live there (family, children, age, religion, race, national origin, disability). Do not steer toward or away from an area. For schools or crime, point to official sources. If the buyer volunteers personal details, write down only what they need from the home.

Goal of the call: find out why now, how they will pay, and what the home must have. Do not promise rents, returns or values. Do not set up showings until Questions 4, 7, 11 and 12 are answered.

A. Open and frame

1. Tell me what has you thinking about buying right now.

  • What changed? Anything driving the timing, like a lease ending, a move, a sale of another home, or an investment plan?

  • What would you like to be different about where you live or what you own?

2. What does a great outcome look like?

  • A home you love, an investment, a second home, a specific return?

  • What would make you say this went wrong?

3. Have you worked with an agent or looked at homes already, and how did it go?

  • Have you signed a buyer agreement with anyone? If so, stop. Do not step on it.

  • What did you like and not like about the experience?

B. Purpose and plan

4. Is this to live in, a second home, or an investment?

  • If an investment: long-term, mid-term or short-term rental? How long do you plan to hold?

  • If a second home: how often will you use it, and would you rent it out when you are away?

5. When do you want to be in, and is anything firm?

  • Lease end, a sale that has to close first, a relocation date, a 1031 deadline?

  • What happens if the right home takes longer than planned?

6. Where are you looking, and why those areas?

  • Open to nearby areas? Commute, lifestyle, amenities, investment demand?

  • Do not describe an area by who lives there.

C. The home

7. What must the home have?

  • Size and layout, lot, garage, pool, view, single story?

  • Which of those are deal-breakers and which are nice to have?

8. What do you want to avoid?

  • HOA, busy street, older systems, a project, new construction?

  • Anything from past homes you never want again?

9. How do you feel about condition: move-in ready, some updates, or a project?

  • Budget and time for repairs? Done yourself or hired out?

  • Comfortable with an older roof, HVAC or pool equipment?

10. Is the HOA a factor?

  • Dues and rules you can accept? Gated, amenities?

  • If renting it out: are 30+ day or short-term rentals allowed? Confirm in the CC&Rs before you promise anything.

D. Financing

11. How are you planning to pay: cash, a loan, or a mix?

  • Are you pre-approved? With whom? Offer a lender introduction. Do not give lending advice.

  • Do you need another sale to close first?

12. What price range are you comfortable with, and what monthly payment?

  • Does that include taxes, HOA and insurance? Where did the number come from?

  • Have you set aside earnest money, down payment, closing costs and a cushion?

13. If this is an investment, what do you need it to earn?

  • Cash flow, appreciation, cap rate? What rent are you assuming, and where did it come from?

  • Would you like a rent comparison for LTR, MTR and STR, and a management proposal? Do not promise income. Check the HOA and city rules first.

14. Is there anything that could slow down financing?

  • New job, self-employment income, a recent large purchase? Do not collect details. The lender does that.

  • Would you like me to connect you with a lender now?

E. Process

15. How do you want to see homes, and how often do you want updates?

  • Alerts by text or email, weekdays or weekends, virtual tours?

  • Only homes that match, or a wider net?

16. Who else is part of the decision, and will they come on showings?

  • A co-buyer, a partner on the purchase, an advisor such as a CPA, attorney or lender?

  • Do they need to approve before you offer?

17. What do you know about how buying works here, and what concerns you?

  • Competing offers, inspections, appraisal, timeline to close?

  • Offer to walk through the process and your buyer representation agreement before showing homes.

F. Decision and next step

18. What would make you ready to make an offer?

  • How many homes would you want to see? What would the right one look like?

  • What would stop you from offering?

19. What matters most in choosing an agent or team?

  • Responsiveness, market knowledge, negotiation, investment experience?

  • What would you not want me to do?

20. What is the next step, and what is the best way to reach you?

  • Lender introduction, buyer consultation, search set up, first tour date?

  • Confirm best phone, email and time. OK to text? Is there anything I did not ask that I should have?

Which way does this lead go?

  • Ready now. Pre-approved or cash, clear needs and timeline, willing to sign a buyer agreement. Set up the search and book showings.

  • Needs financing. Not pre-approved. Introduce a lender, set a date to reconnect, send matching homes.

  • Sell first. Must sell or end a lease first. Match the timeline to the sale. Connect the listing side.

  • Investor. Return-driven. Bring in an investment specialist. Build a comp-backed rent comparison and check HOA and city rules.

  • Second home. Wants personal use plus rental income. Check rental rules before showing homes.

  • Early or browsing. No timeline or pre-approval. Log it, set a follow-up date, and send alerts.

  • Not a fit. Signed with another agent, or the budget and area do not match. Log the reason and close out.

Red flags: wants to tour with no pre-approval or proof of funds. Already under a buyer agreement with another agent. Budget far from the area. Returns based on a listing page number. A decision-maker is not on the call.

After the call (within the hour)

  • Log a note in your CRM: why they are buying, timeline, budget and financing, must-haves, next step, in their words. Save your call notes or recording with it.

  • Update the lead status in your CRM. Do not leave it at consultation complete: set a clear next step or a follow-up date.

  • Set up search alerts, send the lender introduction, and book the buyer consultation. For an investment purchase, bring in an investment specialist.

Sending a client to Las Vegas? Refer them at cgvegas.com/refer.

Shawn Cunningham
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