First call script:four stages in eight minutes
The first call decides whether a lead becomes a client. Its goal is not to sell a property but to understand the request and agree on a concrete next step. Here is the conversation stage by stage, with timing and ready phrases.
A script is a support, not a text to read aloud. A client hears straight away when a broker reads from a sheet, and the conversation turns into a questionnaire. Keep the structure in your head and use your own words.
The whole conversation fits into about eight minutes. If it runs longer, it usually means you started talking about properties before you understood the request.
1. Introduction · 0–1 min
Introduce yourself, name the agency and the source of the inquiry. The client may have left several inquiries in one evening, so remind them what it is about and ask whether it is a good time to talk.
"Good afternoon, is this Anna? It's Omar from Demo Realty. You left an inquiry about a two-bedroom apartment on the portal. Do you have a couple of minutes to talk?"
If it is not convenient, agree on an exact time rather than "I'll call you later". Right after the call, send a short message with your name so the client saves your number.
2. The client's request · 1–3 min
Let the client tell you what they are looking for. Ask open questions:
- "What matters most to you in your next apartment?"
- "Which areas are you considering?"
Don't interrupt and don't offer properties at this stage. Write down the client's key words — you will need them when you put the shortlist together.
3. Qualification · 3–6 min
A lead is qualified when four parameters are known. Ask the questions calmly, one at a time:
- Budget: "What budget would you like to stay within, including fees?"
- Timing: "When are you planning to move or close the deal?"
- Purpose: "Are you buying to live in or as an investment?"
- Payment method: "Are you considering a mortgage, cash, or the developer's payment plan?"
If the client asks about the down payment on an off-plan property, first check the payment plan of that specific developer and the client's budget. Don't quote an "average market percentage" — every project has its own terms.
4. Next step · 6–8 min
A conversation without an agreement is a lost lead. Offer a concrete action with a date and time:
- a shortlist of 3–5 properties today before 18:00;
- a viewing on Saturday at a time that suits the client;
- a call with a mortgage broker this week.
Repeat the agreement out loud: "So, by six today I'll send you five options, and tomorrow we'll talk and choose what to view." Then confirm it in a message.
After the call
- Record the lead source in the CRM the same day.
- Fill in the four qualification parameters: budget, timing, purpose, payment method.
- Write down the agreement — what exactly you promised and by when.
- Set a task for the next contact with a specific date.
- If the client didn't answer, send a message with a specific question and try again in 1–2 days.
A good first call sounds like a conversation, not an interrogation. The client should finish it feeling heard and knowing there is a clear next step.
How to practise the script
Run the conversation with a colleague two or three times: one plays the client, the other the broker. Swap roles and try "difficult" clients: one who is in a hurry and one who won't name a budget. After a few rounds the structure sticks and you stop thinking about the order of the questions.
