Ask for an offer at the end of every showing

This is the number one mistake agents forget to do during or at the end of every showing. Your preapproval letter should indicate who all the buyers are but its good to check if all "buyers with a say" in the purchase process are available. Sometimes a parent or gifter of purchase funds needs to give the ok to every purchase. It's good to know this prior to the first showing but sometimes the buyer keeps silent on this until you suggest writing up the offer. This can always be written in as a contingency but if multiple offers come in this may loss the property for a buyer. If you do need to put this in as a contingency you can always remove it as soon the step is comepleted. You will want to do this swiftly to avoid unnecessary delays in negotiation or inspection costs that should be delayed until after this party a has given thumbs up to the purchase.

I still remember one inspection I attended as a selling agent, that the parents or a buyer hired the home inspection for their children to kill ever purchase they were purchasing. During the inspection I over heard the buyers parents say to the inspector prior to the inspection thanks for killing the prior sale now kill this one so the kids buy the house down the street from us. Check to make sure the date of the rpeapproval is current. The other agent should have known this after the prior offer but never asked. I pulled her quickly to the side an asked her to check with teh buyers if the inspection was over before it was over for this and any other house except the one the parents where only giving a gift too the buyers if it was down the street from their home. What an unnecessary waste of time for all parties.

If during the showing the buyer indicates they are interested it ok to ask if this is a house they want to put an offer in on or think they have interest in putting an offer in on. Make sure you know all contingencies to a purchase.