How to Run an Effective Buyers Agent Discovery Call.

The purpose of a discovery call is not to explain everything you know about property or persuade every person to become a client.

It is to:

• Understand the buyer’s situation

• Identify what has prompted the enquiry

• Clarify their goals and priorities

• Assess their readiness to purchase

• Explore the proposed property brief

• Identify obstacles or unrealistic expectations

• Determine whether your service is suitable

• Explain the relevant parts of your process

• Agree on an appropriate next step

This distinction matters. When a buyers agent treats the call as a sales presentation, they often speak too much and learn too little.

A good discovery call is buyer-centred. The service explanation comes after you understand what the buyer is trying to achieve.

The buyer should know what the call is for, how long it is likely to take and what they may need to have available.

A simple appointment confirmation could explain that the call will cover:

• Their property goals

• Preferred locations and property types

• Budget and finance position

• Expected purchasing timeframe

• Challenges they have encountered

• The type of assistance they may require

• How your service works

• Possible next steps

For a substantial purchasing decision, allow enough time for a useful conversation. A call of approximately 30 to 45 minutes will often provide more insight than a hurried 10-minute discussion, although the appropriate length will depend on the enquiry and service.

Ask all relevant decision-makers to attend where possible. If a couple intends to purchase together but only one person attends, you may receive an incomplete version of the brief and need to repeat the discussion later.

Preparation demonstrates care and prevents the buyer from having to repeat information they have already provided.

Before the call:

• Review the original enquiry

• Confirm the buyer’s name and contact details

• Note any locations, budgets or property types mentioned

• Identify how the enquiry was received

• Review previous conversations with the buyer

• Research any unfamiliar location or property category

• Prepare relevant service information

• Consider which questions need clarification

Do not make assumptions from a short website form or referral introduction. A buyer who selects “investment property” may still be deciding between several strategies. Someone who requests help in one suburb may be open to surrounding locations once their priorities are explored.

Preparation should help you ask better questions, not decide the buyer’s answer in advance.

A useful discovery call can be divided into seven stages:

1. Open and frame the conversation.

2. Understand why the buyer has enquired.

3. Explore their goals and proposed brief.

4. Confirm finance, timing and decision-making.

5. Identify challenges and expectations.

6. Explain the most relevant service.

7. Agree on the next step.

You do not need to announce each stage. The structure is there to keep the conversation purposeful and ensure important subjects are not missed.

Begin warmly, confirm the available time and explain what the conversation will cover.

For example:

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. I have allowed approximately 40 minutes for our conversation. I would like to begin by understanding what you are hoping to purchase, what has prompted you to seek assistance and where you are currently up to. I can then explain the parts of our service that may be relevant and we can decide whether there is a sensible next step. Does that approach suit you?

This introduction does several things:

• Gives the call a clear purpose

• Reassures the buyer that they will be heard

• Establishes an expected timeframe

• Creates permission to ask detailed questions

• Reduces the temptation to begin with a lengthy business introduction

Keep your personal introduction brief. The buyer does not need your complete career history before being asked why they made the enquiry.

The reason a buyer contacted you often reveals more than the initial property brief.

Begin with an open question:

What prompted you to speak with a buyers agent at this point?

The answer may reveal that the buyer:

• Has been searching without success

• Is concerned about overpaying

• Lives interstate or overseas

• Has limited time to inspect properties

• Is unfamiliar with the location

• Has missed several properties

• Finds negotiation uncomfortable

• Wants independent research

• Is preparing to buy their first investment

• Needs help defining a realistic brief

• Has experienced a previous purchase that did not go well

• Has been referred by a trusted adviser

Follow the answer rather than moving immediately to the next question.

Useful follow-up questions may include:

• How long have you been considering the purchase?

• How long have you been actively searching?

• What have you found most difficult so far?

• Have you made offers on any properties?

• What happened with those offers?

• Why does purchasing now matter to you?

• What would you like professional assistance to change?

These questions uncover the gap between the buyer’s current position and the result they want.

A buyer may say they need access to more properties, but the underlying problem may be an unrealistic brief. Another may ask for negotiation assistance when their greater difficulty is assessing value. A time-poor buyer may initially enquire about property search but also need help with inspections, due diligence coordination and communication with selling agents.

Do not accept the first description of the problem without exploring it.

Listen for:

• What the buyer says they want

• What has prevented them from achieving it

• What they appear uncertain about

• What they have already tried

• What they expect a buyers agent to solve

• What may remain outside the buyers agent’s role

This is where thoughtful follow-up questions are more valuable than a prepared sales script.

A property brief should begin with the purpose of the purchase, not a list of bedrooms and suburbs.

For an owner-occupier, explore matters such as:

• Why they are moving

• Who will live in the property

• How long they expect to remain there

• Work, school and family considerations

• Preferred lifestyle

• Travel requirements

• Space and accommodation needs

• Renovation appetite

• Features they value most

• Compromises they may accept

For an investor, relevant subjects may include:

• The role of the purchase within their broader plans

• Preferred investment timeframe

• Available capital

• Borrowing position

• Income and growth priorities

• Desired level of maintenance

• Location preferences

• Property type preferences

• Existing property exposure

• Risk considerations

• Advice already received from appropriately qualified professionals

A buyers agent should not stray into financial, taxation or legal advice unless appropriately qualified and authorised to provide it. Where the client needs specialist advice, identify that requirement rather than attempting to fill the gap yourself.

Many buyers begin with a brief that contains more requirements than the budget can reasonably accommodate.

Help them distinguish between:

• Essential requirements

• Strong preferences

• Features that would be welcome

• Matters they would compromise on

• Clear reasons to reject a property

Questions could include:

• Which three requirements are genuinely non-negotiable?

• If the ideal property is not available within the budget, what could change?

• Would you compromise on the location, land size, condition or property type?

• Which feature matters more if you cannot have both?

• What would make an otherwise suitable property unacceptable?

• Are any of these requirements likely to change over the next few years?

This discussion is not about dismantling the buyer’s expectations. It is about understanding how decisions will be made when no property satisfies every preference.

A useful brief gives the buyers agent room to exercise judgement while protecting the client’s real priorities.

A discovery call is too early to make absolute statements about what the buyer can or cannot purchase. However, you should identify whether the proposed brief appears broadly consistent with the budget and current market.

If the expectations appear difficult, explain this respectfully.

For example:

Based on the properties you have described, the combination of location, land size and condition may be difficult within that budget. I would like to examine the recent evidence before giving you a firm view. If the research confirms that gap, we would need to discuss which part of the brief has the most flexibility.

This response is more credible than agreeing with an unrealistic brief to secure the client.

Be particularly careful about suggesting that you can find a below-market property, guarantee capital growth or obtain opportunities unavailable to everyone else. A professional buyers agent explains the process and potential advantages without promising a result that cannot be controlled.

The buyer’s budget should be based on more than an aspirational figure.

Ask:

• Have you spoken with a lender or mortgage broker?

• Has your borrowing position been assessed?

• Do you have written finance approval?

• When does that approval expire?

• What purchase price range has been discussed?

• Have purchasing costs been considered?

• Is the budget fixed, or is there an approved range?

• Will the purchase be subject to finance?

• Does another property need to be sold first?

• Are there any conditions that may affect timing?

You do not need private financial documents during an introductory conversation unless your process specifically requires them. You do need enough information to assess whether the buyer is in a realistic position to engage your service.

Do not describe a buyer as fully prepared simply because they have spoken casually with a lender. If finance is not sufficiently advanced, the appropriate next step may be for the buyer to clarify their position before a property search begins.

Ask when the buyer hopes to purchase and what is driving that date.

Their timeframe may be influenced by:

• A lease ending

• Relocation

• School commencement

• Finance approval

• A property sale

• Employment changes

• Family circumstances

• Investment planning

• Taxation or legal advice

• Personal preference rather than a fixed deadline

Clarify whether the timeframe is essential or preferred.

A buyer who says they want to purchase within four weeks may believe a buyers agent has immediate access to a suitable unadvertised property. If that expectation is unrealistic, explain how searching, assessment, due diligence and negotiation may affect the timing.

The aim is not to discourage urgency. It is to prevent urgency from becoming a promise you cannot responsibly keep.

Property decisions can become difficult when the people involved have different priorities.

Ask:

• Who will be involved in selecting the property?

• Who needs to approve the engagement?

• Are there family members or advisers influencing the decision?

• Does everyone agree on the budget and broad brief?

• Will another party need to review the contract or finance?

• Who should receive updates during the search?

If key decision-makers are not present, propose a further conversation before the engagement proceeds.

This avoids building a proposal around one person’s preferences only to discover that another person expects something entirely different.

Past experiences influence how a buyer approaches the next purchase.

Ask whether they have purchased property before and what they found helpful or difficult.

You may discover concerns about:

• Trusting selling agents

• Understanding market value

• Missing suitable properties

• Auction bidding

• Building and pest issues

• Contract conditions

• Negotiation

• Making decisions under pressure

• Communicating remotely

• Paying for advice without understanding its value

• Receiving recommendations that appear influenced by commissions

Do not dismiss these concerns or respond defensively. Explain how your process deals with the relevant issue.

If the buyer had a poor experience with another buyers agent, ask what happened and what they would want handled differently. Avoid criticising the other professional when you do not know the full circumstances.

Buyers sometimes expect services that are not included or should be provided by another professional.

Ask:

What would you expect a buyers agent to take responsibility for during the purchase?

Their answer may include property search, research, inspection, appraisal, negotiation, auction bidding, due diligence coordination or communication with other advisers.

Clarify:

• What you will do

• What the buyer will still need to do

• Which services are included

• Which services attract additional fees

• Which matters require a solicitor, conveyancer, finance professional, building inspector or other specialist

• How recommendations and decisions will be documented

• How frequently the buyer can expect communication

Clear boundaries build trust. They also prevent disappointment after the engagement begins.

Once you understand the buyer, explain the parts of your service that are genuinely relevant.

A useful transition may be:

From what you have told me, the main challenges are narrowing the location, assessing value confidently and managing inspections while you are interstate. Let me explain how we would approach those three areas.

This is more persuasive than delivering the same service presentation to every prospect.

Explain the process in a logical order:

1. Confirm the strategy and purchasing brief.

2. Research appropriate locations and property types.

3. Search advertised and suitable industry-sourced opportunities.

4. Screen properties against the agreed brief.

5. Inspect and report on promising options.

6. Assess comparable evidence and potential concerns.

7. Coordinate appropriate specialist due diligence.

8. Develop the offer or auction strategy.

9. Negotiate or bid within the client’s authority.

10. Support communication through to the completion of the purchase.

Describe what the buyer will receive at each stage. Avoid relying on broad phrases such as “complete end-to-end service” without explaining what they mean.

Some buyers may ask immediately about off-market properties.

Be precise about what you can offer.

You may have relationships with selling agents and learn about properties before they are broadly advertised. This can increase the range or timing of opportunities considered. It does not mean every suitable property will be off-market or that an off-market property will automatically represent better value.

A credible explanation could be:

We maintain regular contact with selling agents and may hear about properties before public advertising. We assess those opportunities in the same way as advertised properties. The fact that a property is described as off-market does not make it suitable or well priced by itself.

This protects the buyer from a common misconception and positions your value around judgement rather than access alone.

Do not avoid the fee discussion or mention only a starting figure that does not reflect the likely service.

Explain:

• The recommended service

• The fee structure

• What the fee includes

• When payments are due

• Possible additional costs

• What happens if the brief changes

• The engagement period

• Any cancellation or termination provisions

• Whether you receive benefits or referral payments from other parties

• Where the buyer can review the full terms

If the final fee depends on the service or purchasing range, explain what information you need before confirming it.

You may say:

Based on the assistance you have described, our full search and acquisition service appears to be the most suitable option. I will set out the complete scope, fee and payment stages in writing so you can consider them properly before making a decision.

A discovery call should create clarity, not pressure the buyer into accepting terms they have not had time to read.

Not every enquiry should become a client.

The engagement may not be suitable if:

• The budget and brief remain significantly misaligned

• The buyer refuses to confirm finance

• Key decision-makers strongly disagree

• The desired property falls outside your area or expertise

• The buyer expects guaranteed financial performance

• The timeframe cannot be achieved responsibly

• The buyer wants you to conceal or misrepresent information

• The requested service falls outside your professional authority

• The buyer does not accept reasonable due diligence

• The working expectations appear unmanageable

• A conflict of interest cannot be appropriately addressed

Declining unsuitable work protects your reputation, time and existing clients.

Where possible, explain the reason respectfully. In some cases, the buyer may become suitable after clarifying finance, adjusting the brief or completing another necessary step.

A pleasant conversation is valuable, but rapport does not require you to agree with everything the buyer says.

Trust is strengthened when you can:

• Question an assumption respectfully

• Explain uncertainty

• Identify information that requires verification

• Acknowledge the limits of your expertise

• Describe risks as well as opportunities

• Say when a brief appears unrealistic

• Recommend pausing until the buyer is better prepared

Buyers are engaging professional judgement, not simply encouragement.

Active listening is more than allowing the buyer to speak.

Use techniques such as:

Summarising

It sounds as though location is more important than property size, but you would prefer not to undertake major renovations. Is that accurate?

Clarifying

When you say you want strong long-term potential, what does that mean to you?

Comparing priorities

If you needed to choose, would you prefer the smaller property closer to work or more space further away?

Testing assumptions

What has led you to focus on that particular suburb?

Confirming emotion without amplifying it

Missing those two properties has understandably made the process frustrating. Let us look at what happened and whether the strategy needs to change.

These responses demonstrate attention and reduce the chance of building a service around misunderstood requirements.

As a general guide, the buyer should do more of the talking during the discovery portion of the call. Your role is to guide the conversation, ask useful questions and explain matters when clarification is needed.

Avoid:

• Interrupting to demonstrate your knowledge

• Turning every answer into a story about yourself

• Listing recent purchases that are unrelated to the buyer

• Giving a long market lecture

• Criticising other agents

• Repeating promotional claims

• Answering questions you have not been asked

• Filling every pause immediately

A short pause often gives the buyer time to add something important.

Some buyers will ask only:

How much do you charge?

Answer the question, but first obtain enough information to avoid quoting an irrelevant service.

You could respond:

I am happy to explain our fees. They depend on whether you require a complete search and acquisition service, negotiation assistance or another defined scope. Could I ask a few questions about where you are up to so I can give you the relevant information?

Do not withhold all pricing merely to force a second appointment. Buyers should be able to understand the likely investment and what it covers.

If they are comparing several buyers agents, ask what else will influence their decision. Their priorities may include local expertise, communication, independence, service capacity or confidence in the process, not fee alone.

Before discussing the next step, summarise what you have heard.

For example:

You are purchasing an owner-occupied home for your family, ideally within the next four months. Your priorities are access to the school area, a quiet position and enough space to work from home. You are willing to compromise on the age of the property, but not on location. Finance has been assessed up to the range we discussed, and the main assistance you need is refining the brief, screening properties and negotiating confidently. Have I captured that correctly?

This gives the buyer an opportunity to correct anything you have misunderstood.

It also demonstrates that the proposed service is based on their situation rather than a standard sales process.

The next step should reflect the buyer’s readiness.

It may be to:

• Send a written service proposal

• Arrange a strategy meeting

• Include another decision-maker in a second call

• Confirm finance before proceeding

• Refine the location or property brief

• Refer a question to an appropriately qualified adviser

• Provide engagement documents for review

• Schedule a follow-up at an agreed future date

• Explain that the requested service is not the right fit

Be specific about who will do what and when.

For example:

I will send you a written summary of the full search and acquisition service tomorrow. It will explain the scope, fees and engagement process. If you are comfortable after reviewing it, we can meet on Thursday to refine the purchasing brief and answer any questions.

Avoid vague endings such as:

I will send something through. Let me know what you think.

A clear next step gives both parties direction without creating pressure.

After the call, send a concise personal summary.

Depending on the stage, it may include:

• A thank you

• Your understanding of the buyer’s goal

• The principal requirements discussed

• Important matters still to be confirmed

• The recommended service

• The agreed next step

• Documents provided

• The date of the next conversation

Do not send a generic brochure without connecting it to the discussion.

If the buyer is not ready, record an appropriate follow-up date. A person planning to purchase in nine months should not receive repeated messages asking whether they have made a decision.

Good records protect continuity and improve future conversations.

Record:

• Purchasing purpose

• Preferred locations

• Property type

• Essential requirements

• Flexible preferences

• Budget range

• Finance position

• Purchasing timeframe

• Decision-makers

• Previous search activity

• Offers already made

• Main frustrations or concerns

• Expected service

• Professional advisers involved

• Potential conflicts or suitability concerns

• Questions requiring follow-up

• Recommended service

• Agreed next action

• Follow-up date

• Outcome of the call

Keep notes factual and professional. They should be suitable for another authorised team member to read if they later assist the client.

A discovery call process should be measured by more than how many calls become clients.

Track:

• Enquiries invited to a discovery call

• Calls booked

• Calls completed

• Calls rescheduled or missed

• Suitable prospects identified

• Proposals sent

• Engagements signed

• Average time from call to decision

• Reasons prospects did not proceed

• Enquiry sources producing suitable clients

• Common questions and objections

A low conversion rate does not automatically mean the call needs a harder sales approach. It may indicate poor enquiry quality, unclear positioning, unrealistic prospects, weak follow-up or a service that is not being explained well.

The purpose of measurement is to improve decisions, not to pressure unsuitable buyers into proceeding.

Beginning with a long presentation

The buyer has little reason to care about your complete story before you understand theirs.

Using a rigid script

A checklist is useful, but reading questions in order without following the buyer’s answers makes the call feel transactional.

Accepting an unrealistic brief

Agreeing with the buyer may feel easier during the call, but it creates problems once the search begins.

Giving detailed advice too early

A discovery call is not a substitute for careful research, an agreed engagement or specialist advice.

Promising access or results

Avoid guarantees about off-market properties, purchase prices, competition, investment performance or the time required to buy.

Avoiding the fee discussion

Buyers should understand how your service is priced and what the fee covers.

Failing to involve all decision-makers

An incomplete discussion often produces an unstable brief.

Speaking more than listening

A polished explanation cannot compensate for a poor understanding of the buyer.

Sending generic follow-up

The buyer should be able to recognise their own circumstances in your written summary.

Treating every call as a sales opportunity

Sometimes the most professional outcome is to recommend preparation, further advice or a different service before proceeding.

Before ending the call, confirm that you understand:

• Why the buyer has enquired

• What they hope to purchase

• Why the purchase matters

• Their essential requirements

• Where the brief has flexibility

• Their budget and finance position

• Their preferred timeframe

• Who will make the decision

• What they have already tried

• Their main concerns

• What they expect from a buyers agent

• Whether the service is suitable

• Which professional boundaries need to be explained

• What fee information should be provided

• What the next step will be

• When follow-up will occur

An effective discovery call should not leave the buyer feeling that they have endured a sales presentation. It should leave them feeling understood, better informed and clear about what happens next.

When the conversation is well prepared, carefully structured and genuinely curious, it gives both the buyer and the buyers agent the information needed to make a sound decision about working together.