04/29

Showing homes to your client is one of the more important things you do as a real estate agent. But when does walking through too many become too much?

Your work isn’t a typical 9 to 5 job – and showing homes is a section of a much larger piece of what your job entails. It’s critical that you stay organized and focused when you show homes to clients, because your time (and the client’s time) is valuable. You don’t want to keep all of your attention on one client when you have others that need your help.

While each buyer is drastically different from the next, it’s a good idea to have a rough number in mind when it comes to how many houses you can show a client – before wondering if your client needs to reconsider whether they’re ready to purchase a home.

So, what are some tips you can use when you show homes, and how many homes should you show before you suggest that your client comes back to you when they’re ready?

Stick to the Plan

Understanding where the buyer is financially – and knowing how much they’ve been qualified for – is a huge part of your researching. Clients can become frustrated when they’re shown homes out of their budget, in a location they don’t want to be in, or homes that simply don’t fit their overall needs.

While buyers should be a little flexible with what they’re looking for, try your best to stick to their needs. Don’t show them homes out of their price range or outside of what they are requesting – unless you talk to them about it first.

Schedule It out

Before hitting the road, plan out a schedule of days and times that best fit the buyer’s schedule and your own.

Set a limit on the number of homes you’ll show them each day. You won’t want to overdo it – do what feels right for yourself and the buyer. Just because one agent is showing 15 homes in a day, doesn’t mean you have to do that too (and maybe their buyer lives out of state and was in town only for the day!).

When to Say Goodbye

If you’ve found yourself in too deep with a client – you realize you’ve been showing home after home with no sign of closing – then it’s better for you to talk with your client and step away. Whether it’s an issue with the time frame, or a problem with the budget, sometimes it just isn’t in the cards. You have other clients you need to focus on, and maybe your client needs more time to sort things out.

Many experts agree that after showing 10 homes – with zero signs of a decision being made – it’s best to step away.

It’s important to remember that each real estate agent and client has their own limits to how many homes they’d like to be shown. But when you feel your time is being taken away from other pressing matters, it’s a good idea to step back and reflect.