The short answer
A buyer consultation real estate agents run is a 20 to 40 minute meeting before the first showing. You cover who you are, why representation matters, the path to the keys, eight questions that become the search, money in plain English, how you get paid, and next steps. Then the buyer agreement gets signed.
Below: the ten steps, a checklist of what to bring, the eight questions, a worked example and the watch-outs.
Step by step: how to run a buyer consultation
Twenty minutes now saves you months. Your job isn't to sell. It's to explain. The buyer who understands the process stops being afraid of it.
- Sit next to them with a laptop or tablet. Not across the table. Don't read slides out loud. Talk, and let the pictures do the work.
- Who you are. A short, honest picture of your experience and your team. Proof beats claims: real reviews, track record.
- Why they need representation. On their own, buyers risk overpaying, missing problems they can't see, losing the house to a weak offer, paying costs a seller might have covered, and signing contracts nobody explained.
- The path to the keys. Six steps: meet, get pre-approved, search, tour, offer, close.
- The eight questions. Write the answers down in front of them. They become the saved search.
- Money in plain English. Loan types at a high level, down payment help that may exist, closing costs, and why seller concessions matter. Send the real numbers to a lender.
- How you get paid. In writing, before you show homes. Explain how compensation works and that you may ask the seller to cover it in the offer, per current rules and your brokerage policy.
- What a showing with you looks like. Comps pulled before you go, an expert eye during, and a score after every home.
- Next steps. Sign the buyer agreement, book the lender, turn on the search, tour this week.
- Log it the same day. Appointment held, agreement signed, search built, lender task set.
Buyer consultation checklist: what to bring
| Bring or prepare | Why it matters | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| Short intake form sent a day ahead | They show up having thought about it | Answers in hand before you meet |
| Your buyer agreement, filled in | It gets signed in the room | Signed copy saved |
| One-page path to the keys | Shows the whole process at once | They can say the six steps back |
| Recent sales in their target area | Sets realistic price expectations | They've seen what homes actually sold for |
| A list of lenders they can choose from | Gets pre-approval moving | Lender call booked |
| Closing cost overview | No surprises later | They know the lender's estimate is the real number |
| Your reviews and track record | Proof, not promises | They've seen real client words |
| A blank page for the eight answers | Builds the saved search | Search turned on before they leave |
Which questions should you ask in a buyer consultation?
Ask everyone the same eight. It's fair, and it's faster.
| Topic | Ask |
|---|---|
| Location | Which cities or neighborhoods? How long a drive to work is OK? |
| Budget | What monthly payment feels comfortable, not just possible? |
| Timing | When do you want to be moved in? Lease ending? |
| Must-haves | Bedrooms, bathrooms, garage, yard, main-floor bedroom? |
| Nice-to-haves | What would you love but could live without? |
| Deal-breakers | What makes you walk out the door? |
| Home type | House, townhome, condo, new build? |
| Who decides | Who else needs to see the home before you offer? |
Also ask: "Are you working with another agent, or have you signed anything with anyone?" Ask it first. For phone qualifying before the meeting, use LPMAMA.
Buyer consultation vs. buyer presentation: what's the difference?
People use both words. The way I teach it, the presentation is the part where you talk: who you are, the process, how you get paid. The consultation is the whole meeting, and most of it should be them talking while you write. If you talk more than half the time, it turned into a pitch.
Closing costs, said plainly
Closing costs are real, and many are negotiable. Their lender's written Loan Estimate is the real number, not yours. Then show how you can shrink them: seller-paid concessions written into the offer, down payment programs that may also cover costs, lender credits where they make sense, and shopping title and inspection. See seller concessions explained.
A worked example (illustration only)
A couple renting, lease up in five months. Eight answers written down: two suburbs, a payment they're comfortable with, five-month timeline, three beds, yard, no HOA, house, both decide. The agent books a lender call for the next day, signs the buyer agreement in the room, builds the search before they leave, and schedules a Saturday tour.
Illustration only.
How to explain it to your client
"Before we look at a single house, let's agree on the plan. Twenty minutes now saves you months of guessing. I'll explain every step, every cost and how I get paid, in writing, so there are no surprises. Then we'll find your home."
Watch-outs
- Agents don't quote rates or tell anyone they qualify. "Your lender will give you the real number." See what agents should never say about loans.
- Payment examples need care. If you show one, label it an illustration with the assumptions, and have the lender run the real numbers.
- Buyer agreement before touring. Follow current rules, your state's law and your brokerage policy.
- Lender referrals. Buyers can use any lender. Follow RESPA and disclose any relationship.
- Fair housing. Ask everyone the same eight questions. Talk about homes and money, never about who lives where. Never steer.
Keep going
- All buyer pages: Buyers training
- Next: LPMAMA buyer questions, qualify a buyer before the lender, how to run a buyer showing tour, first-time home buyer steps
- Practice it first: the AI Role-Play Coach includes practice for buyer consults, on your phone.
- When you're ready to write: the Buyer's Advantage Report lays out three offer strategies for one home, with the numbers behind each.
This is training for real estate agents. It isn't legal or lending advice. Follow current buyer-agreement rules, RESPA and your brokerage policy.
Questions
What is a buyer consultation in real estate?
A first meeting between a buyer and their agent, before showings, to set goals, explain the process and costs, and sign the buyer agreement.
How long should a buyer consultation take?
About twenty to forty minutes. Longer if it's their first home.
What should I bring to a buyer consultation?
Your buyer agreement, a one-page process map, recent sales in their area, a list of lenders they can choose from, a closing cost overview and your reviews.
Can I do a buyer consultation virtually?
Yes. Share your screen and walk the same plan, then send the agreement for e-signature.
What if they won't sign the buyer agreement?
Ask what's holding them back, explain it plainly, and follow your brokerage policy on touring.
Should a lender be at the buyer consultation?
It can help, but the buyer chooses their lender. Disclose any relationship and follow RESPA.
Brian Lee Burke is the founder of PadLeaders, a Colorado real estate broker licensed since 2003, team leader of The Kenna Group at Keller Williams DTC (formerly Kenna Real Estate Group) and the author of Mastering Real Estate and The Real Estate Playbook. More about Brian.