One-to-one consultation to understand their wants and needs.

Have them get pre-qualified so we are shopping in their price range, not above. If they don't know what area they prefer I suggest a driving tour with a few stops so they get a sense of different neighborhoods. then we talk about what they liked and narrow it down.

There is an order to these things... but the first and foremost truth of choosing a home to buy is this:  There is no such thing as the perfect home in the wrong neighborhood.

So while showing a few homes around town can be a useful excercise in terms of building a strong relationship with your clients, pretty early on, you will want to narrow down where in town they want to live.

Next, only look at homes your clients can afford to buy. Period.

Then, only look at homes that fulfill your clients' needs. (e.g. A single-bath home for nine-person family? Nope!)

And apply their wants (e.g. newer kitchen, stucco exterior)

Typically, applying these four criteria will winnow your Buyers' search to about 15-20 -- a totally manageable number.

Always meet in the office, veiw all properties on the computer first, and charge a steep showing fee.

I send them to preview the neighborhood and visit open houses.

Ask them to take a tour before you show.

I explain to them that after 3-4 homes they start to run together.   If  they won't listen I show them  a dozen listings on the computer and ask which they like...I usually get well, I don't remember what was what..  My response is...exactly!

If I know what they like, I can do a good job of weeding out the ones I think they wouldn't like.  Though, sometimes they still want to see these homes anyway.  Luckily, I'm in an area with fairly limited inventory so more often than not this isn't a big issue for us.