When starting my real estate career, I was fortunate enough to briefly share an office with an excellent agent. She had a non-stop stream of clients and always seemed organized and well prepared. A technique that she absolutley espoused was the use of buyer packets. Hers were stuffed full with brochures and information about the area, along with some basics about real estate.
I've since developed my own version of a Buyer Packet and try to present it to every new client before we go out to view the first house. Inevitably, the time I forget to start out with a packet, the Buyer walks away to another agent as I was recently painfully reminded.
So ... here's a few of the things I include in my packet. I'd love to hear about yours!
- List and definitions of commonly used real estate terms
- A blank Purchase & Sale Form
- Agency booklet
- Buyer Agent Contract
- Map of area (I get these from the local Chamber of Commerce for free)
- List of area "departments" -- parks, schools, city hall, police department, Chamber of Commerce
- Home Warranty Plans
- Flow chart of a typical transaction
- Printout of a sample listing (so that we can talk about how to read it!)
- Where to go to find more information about a house
- What to expect from me (i.e., how I work)
- Stack of business cards!
I also include a Client Information Form that I ask them to complete so that I can start my file out right. They always fill it out without hesitation.

Your Dedicated Realtor & Active Rain Blogger, working the Auburn, Kent, Renton, Maple Valley, Federal Way, Covington, Puyallup, Sumner, Bonney Lake, Lake Tapps, and north/northeast Tacoma areas.
Wow! I do use a buyer packet, but mine is very different from yours. I got some ideas from your list. Thanks for sharing.