The Reverse Interview: Flipping the Script
The best agents do not pitch. Instead, they audit. When you treat a buyer consultation as a reverse interview, you move from being a salesperson to a high level consultant. Most agents spend an hour proving their worth, but the top performers spend that time deciding if the buyer is actually worth their energy.
Start by asking the hard questions immediately. Ask them why they are moving now instead of waiting. Ask what their strategy is for winning a multiple offer situation. If they are not an eight out of ten on the readiness scale, they are a hobbyist, not a client. You are looking for motivation and realism, not just a wish list of granite countertops and hardwood floors.
Establish your boundaries before you ever open a lockbox. Explain that you work by appointment and that your fiduciary duty is to their bank account. When you frame your time as a limited resource, you become a prize to be won rather than a service to be used. Professionals select their clients; they do not beg for them.