The Ultimate Listing Appointment Checklist (+ Tips & Scripts)

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Successful listing agents know that the key to securing a listing is preparation. Proactive agents do the work in advance and know what to expect before each listing appointment. Check out our comprehensive checklist, tips and scripts, and ten important questions. We’ll explain what you need to do before, during, and after your next listing appointment to help you list more properties!

10 important questions to ask your seller clients about the offer appointment

Whether you address these questions before or during your offering appointment, it is important that you know the answers so you can make an accurate assessment of the property, understand the seller’s unique circumstances and goals, and win the listing.

1. “Tell me about your situation and your goals for selling your home.”
2. “When would you ideally like to be moved out and closed?”
3. “Are there any improvements or renovations you have made to the house?”
4. “Will anyone else be involved in the sale?”
5. “What prize do you have in mind?”
6. “How did you find me/my team?”
7. “Is there anything you were hoping we would discuss that we haven’t discussed yet?” (ask this at the end of the appointment)
8. “I heard that you are interviewing several agents. What do you look for in a broker and what factors will help you make your decision?”
9. “What do you like best about living here?” (Use their answers in your marketing)
10. “Are there any lights, appliances, or window treatments that you are taking that we need to exclude from the listing?”

The ultimate checklist for the listing appointment

We’ve put together a handy checklist to help you prepare for the listing date. It contains elements that we believe are essential for an effective proposal presentation.

How to prepare for a listing appointment

• Give the sellers a quick call and ask them about their motivation, their schedule and the price they are considering. Do this before the appointment and review our list of questions for details.
• Prepare your first comparative market analysis (CMA). Before you arrive, it is important to familiarize yourself with the property as much as possible. Look at the old MLS listing and public records and check the assessor’s database.
• Confirm your ad appointment the day before by text message or telephone.

What to bring to your listing appointment

• A detailed list of recent comparisons (comparable properties that have sold), either printed or on your iPad or laptop.
• Your offer package, printed or electronic.
• A printed list of questions you definitely want to ask. This is to help you remember your presentation and have paper on hand for note-taking.
• Multiple pens.
• All contracts, disclosures and documents your lead must sign to hire you as a listing agent. You can send everything electronically if you prefer, but I always like to have hard copies on hand just in case it’s easier for the sellers.
• Business cards. If the salesperson asks you for your business card, be sure to have one on hand.
• A clipboard or binder, something to make writing easier while you walk around the house.

What to send after your listing appointment

• An editable net sheet (I like to use Google Sheets for this).
• A thank you letter, preferably handwritten, sent by post.
• Listing documents – unless you signed in paper form at the listing appointment.
• A Digital Comparative Market Analysis or CMA (after you have updated it to reflect the condition of the property in question).

We love Highnote for its elegant, beautifully designed list presentation features. Developed by Mark Choey, a highly experienced and successful brokerage firm, Highnote is the perfect drag-and-drop digital tool to replace all others (including PowerPoint, PDF files and printed presentations).

7 Tips to Win More Real Estate Deals

1. Arrive early. Don’t go to the door early, get to the street early. Drive around to get a feel for the neighborhood if you don’t know it well, and take a few minutes in the car to breathe and concentrate. You want to arrive at your front door calm and relaxed.
2. Practice and role play. The more you practice what you say and how you say it, the more entries you will win. I recommend setting up a role play at someone’s house and practicing as if it were a real appointment. Use a colleague or friend’s house!
3. Hear. Hear. Hear. Ask more questions and listen more. Contrary to what you might think, this is not a time to sell. This is the time to determine whether you and the seller are a good fit to work together.
4. Build a relationship and build trust as quickly as possible. Be cheerful, positive, friendly, and courteous (but err on the side of honesty; don’t gush too much)—and find common ground with the seller. Use clues around the house like sports paraphernalia: “Oh, my boyfriend is obsessed with the Patriots! He would love your framed photo of Gronk!”
5. Sit at the kitchen table, not on the couch. This may be an old wives’ tale, but I think it’s pretty accurate. The kitchen table feels more professional and formal, a better place for a business meeting. The few times I sat on the couch I lost the entry.
6. Be vague with your recommended pricing. Provide a range instead of an exact price or, better yet, encourage the seller to choose the price. Chances are, you won’t be listing the house again the next day. There will likely be at least a week or two between the date and the MLS going live, and the market changes daily. So provide a range and let sellers know that you plan a call the day before the listing to decide on a pricing strategy.
7. Take an exterior photo and an interior video. If the seller allows you, take photos and videos of the property so you can better prepare for any staging needs later. Once the seller commissions you, the outdoor photo can also be used in your pre-marketing campaign.

The big picture: Your next listing date is close

Appointments are an important part of our business and there is a lot that goes into it. However, if you plan and prepare in advance using our listing appointment checklist, your listing business will grow and your appointments will become easier and smoother. After all, salespeople are just people with a specific need that you can help them with!

About Ashley Harwood

Ashley Harwood began her real estate career in 2013 and built a six-figure business before launching as a solo agent Overcome extroverts in 2018. She developed training materials, courses and coaching programs for her fellow introverts. As of 2020, Ashley served as Director of Agent Growth for three Keller Williams offices in the Greater Boston area. She is now the lead listing agent for the Fleet Homes team in Massachusetts and is a regular contributor to Vetted by HousingWire. She created The Quiet Success curriculum and has taught thousands of real estate agents nationwide. She has also been a guest speaker at major industry events and has been recognized as a leading real estate coach by renowned industry publications.

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