If the schedule is tight and since I did the scheduling, I would know how vulnerable the agenda would be to a distraction, I will choose the restaurant and pre-order so we can be out fast. When you have a collaborative relationship with business owners you can actually do this. And then you get to introduce these 'New' residents to a local business owner.

I also keep a cooler in the back with fig bars assorted beverages, veggies and whatever energy bar was on sale last week and a roll of paper towels. In most cases, if the schedule ends at two or three pm, the cooler and visiting one of the areas best kept secrets works sensationally.

In particular, I like doing the cooler thing overlooking the Pinellas Trail on the Dunedin Causeway. Healthy eating. lots of people jogging, strolling, blading, big water views, inspires them to pursue the new way of living they are seeking.

It depends.  Usually we just plow on through until we have exhaused all showings!

It is a play by ear....they may wish to discuss what they have seen with each other....if it is a single person...l.unch on us !

I have taken them to lunch and at times I have had them take me to lunch.  Yes I let people take me to lunch.  Often I let them go to lunch and I go back to the office to check on things and pull up info for them.

My area has a lot of waterfront dining and I know most of the local owners and staff. If I am showing property to a customer and the time permits, I will  take them to lunch at one of those restaurants and I always pick up the tab. Sharing a meal is a great way to get to know the client and gain their trust.

Good question. Like a lot of people here, it depends. If it a marathon viewing day, and everyone is hungry, sure I'll take them out for lunch (or dinner). But maybe they do not want to go out. If so, then let them go on their own. It's too easy to make a pest of ourselves by wanting to be there all the time. They may want time to themselves to discuss what they saw, or just to talk about something else.

That rarely comes up these days.. My clients are in and out... send me the electronic contract for an offer to purchase RPA-CA and call it a day.

No time for lunch, and seldom have time for buyers.

Typically not - but there have been exceptions...

Most of the time I would say no as we have a small market and can show quite a few homes in 2 hours. 

Taking your clients to lunch is a great way to build rapport and establish trust and a relationship. It allows you to relax and have a free flowing non business approach to conversation. I feel that you get to know someone especially a client really well over a beer or lunch. I'll often meet clients at starbucks or someone local with good food. I'll usually ask them lots of questions unrelated to the transaction that end up allowing me to get to know them better, which means I can better help them!

I am getting a cooler tomorrow, ready for the summer. And the idea about making reservations in advance, awesome. We are usually going so fast, as I show them a lot of homes, that we don't stop but I am placing it in my thoughts.

My service area included beach towns and very few restaurants remain open.  During the summer, I offer to treat them to lunch!

My area is a beach town where restaurants are not open off season.  During the summer, if my clients have time, I offer to treat them to lunch!

On a long day, I will ask clients if they would rather pack their own lunch and snacks to bring with them or if they would like whatever I am planning on bringing that day. I also always keep plenty of nutrition bars and bottled water on hand. No need for a cooler as it is usually cool enough here in Vermont all but three months out of the year.  :)

I am more likely to have dinner with buyers than lunch as I arrange a tight showing schedule. When dining out, 90% of the time they offer to treat and I accept and pay the tip.

Many of my showing appointments are for one or two houses and we are done. There have been occasions where clients and I have spent much of the day together and showing started early and went through lunch. I have hosted the occasional lunch. Mostly, clients want to get the showings done.

I take my clients to lunch, if we are together for the whole day.  Lunch conversation is an opportunity to exchange valuable information.

Like many others I will say "it depends"  if they are out of town people and sure to buy plus we are on a marathon of showings I buy them lunch and plan it in the schedule. If I don't know them,  and first meeting I pass all together. 

It depends on the situation.  I try to finish up showings by lunch so I can get a break and get caught up!  But sometimes if you have a limited amount of time and a lot of homes, you have to take  a break for lunch...with the clients.

Push forward as fast as possible but sometimes 'I'm' the one that needs to stop for lunch. Like Alan said, if they have a toddler - no dice.

This question sparred a lot of conversation here and in my office when it comes up.

I personally set expectations upfront. I generally will run until 1 or 2 pm. Tell the clients I am taking a break in order to return calls and emails. If needed we circle back in about an hour or two.

Debbie - to be honest, it really depends. If I feel as though I've overloaded them and they are tired of my company (AMAZING I know) and just need time alone, I beg off. Otherwise, I use the time to develop more FORD or to close the deal. It's interesting, I had a former broker who said if THEY buy the lunch it means they have no intention of purchasing a property - if they let ME buy, they're serious and figure I'm making money on them - to be frank, I've never experienced that generalization to be true. 

It does depend on the client and the day's schedule.  Sometimes if I don't know someone I will ask for separate tabs up front.  I have purchased so many meals for people that I've never seen again.   Like let's find a realtor to give us a tour of the city type thing.

Just really depends on the situation. Kind of play it by ear. Done it both ways in the past.

If they offer to buy you lunch or dinner - run- they are going to dump you! Not often but happens.

Depends on the client and my time schedule. Most all of my investor clients take me to lunch or dinner after showings. BTW, I eat a lot.

Great question and I've often wondered what others did in this situation... Great answer Annette Lawrence sounds like a great plan!

I either start first thing in the morning and show homes until early afternoon or show homes after lunch .

Lunch or no lunch depends on the clients.  Have had one to teat me.  Offers to treat me,  but I declined because of schedule.  I will  and have treated,  but if there is a whole family, probably not.  Guess depends on how serious these buyers are and what price range.  Have showed homes all week to families.  Others make a decision the first time out.

Not usually an issue for me; however on the couple of occasions when it came up, my clients insisted on treating me!

Personally, I would rather just keep working but if my customers want to break for lunch either on their own or with yours truly, I am fairly flexible.  I do love the cooler idea.  I tend to skip too many meals and I think having snacks on hand is a great idea.  Great post and thanks for the cooler idea.

It definitely depends on the situation.  I have some clients that when we are out all day want to take me to lunch.  I have others that want us to go our separate ways so that they can discuss what they have seen and meet up again later. Whatever is convenient for them is easy for me.

Many of my clients come into town from the NORTH, So lunch on a Sunny Patio in the middle of winter helps them appreciate the lifestyle that we have here.. I sometime buy lunch the first day and they will buy mine on day two. I have found the lunch break is a good way to get to know each other better and maybe think and talk about what we have seen in the morning and maybe we need to adjust what we are going to see in the afternoon.  

Always depends on the schedule, the buyers, the weather and the mood. 

If i'm showing many homes (especially to re-lo's) with no lunch break I always bring a cooler with sandwiches and/or fruit, power bars and water just in case.

Depends on the people I am working with. And often times they offer to buy, especially if they are out of town and excited about the "local" place I am taking them to.

All of the above, Debbie. It depends on the situation. And often my clients take me to lunch!

It all depends on the clients. Some I will take out to lunch and have fun with. I've even had clients take me to lunch to thank me for my hard work and time. 

Depending on the client, and family situation, I usually do ask them out to share a meal. They usually pay for it though...

We basically fit lunch in whenever we can.  Most of our showings are after 3 pm when many clients get off work.

If I'm showing for long periods, I'll ask if they want to stop for a bite.  More often than not, they will offer to pick up the tab.

It depends on the client, but usually I have plenty of healthy snacks and keep going when we run through the lunch hour.

Like most I play it by ear. I prefer to push through the schedule but I accommodate client preferences.

Debbie --- Generally, I give them some suggestions for lunch and let them know I will use the time for follow-up/refining the rest of the day based on the morning's events.   

Hello Debbie , most of the time they take me out for lunch, have a great week comming up

We don't have much inventory to show here... so a marathon of tours isn't really happening.  If I had a relo client and we were going to be out all day, then absolutely stop for lunch.  Gives us a chance to regroup and discuss what they like/didn't like so far.  

I always ask them first and see what their schedule is. Some people are exhausted after 3 houses... others are fast and can keep on going.

So many factors....what if I have an Offer that has come in and we are taking an ambiguous "lunch break"?  In this area, in the summer, it can take 1/2 an hour to get a table for lunch!  If I have time, I will take them to one of our better, "quaint" restaurants that show them what Door County is all about. Al Johnson's is my favorite, with Grasse's being a close second, along with The White Gull and Wild Tomato.  It depends where we are looking, too.

Debbie, it is a good idea to take a serious client to lunch.

It depends on the situation. I have done it all ways mentioned. I personally am not a lunch eater and would rather knock it out but different circumstances  call for innovative thinking. I have had clients tell me they wanted to take a break and invite me to lunch. I usually get the chat time in if we are driving in one car. Good question Debbie.

I don't do special planning, workarounds or anything like that.  I offer to take the client(s) to lunch, for coffee or a snack so they're not in the position of having to ask.

If it's a long day, and I'm enjoying the clients, I will offer to stop for lunch... I usually build in some flux time around lunch, just in case.

But if they're not as enjoyable as I might like (a couple of crazed toddler can have that effect), I try to push through, and offer them some of the protein bars that I keep in the car, just for that purpose.

If it's a Relo client and we're showing many homes, we usually stop for lunch. If it's a local, we usually work around meals...