Every home builder knows the frustration of a promising display village visit that goes nowhere. The buyer seemed engaged, asked great questions, took the floor plan, and then... silence. Follow-up goes unanswered. The lead dies quietly in the CRM.
In most cases, this isn't a sales failure. It's a qualification failure — the buyer wasn't ready, and neither the builder nor the buyer knew it going in. The right preparation questions, asked before the display visit, change everything.
The seven qualification questions
1. Are you actively looking to build a new home right now?
This seems obvious, but the distinction between "actively looking" and "thinking about it someday" is huge. Buyers who answer "actively" have already done research, compared options, and are in decision mode. Everyone else is in awareness mode — and your display visit is just part of their general education, not a step toward a contract.
2. When are you hoping to start building?
Timeline drives urgency, which drives your prioritisation. A buyer who wants to be in their home within 18 months is meaningfully different from one who's thinking "maybe in 3–4 years." The practical cut-off for hot pipeline is 12–24 months — beyond that, nurture sequences are more appropriate than intensive sales focus.
3. What's your total budget for the land and build combined?
This is the question most buyers are reluctant to answer — and the most important one for you. If their stated budget is $450k and your starting price is $550k, no amount of display village charm will close that gap. Get this number early, and be clear about your product range in response.
4. Have you spoken to a mortgage broker or bank about your borrowing capacity?
This is your finance status filter. "Yes, and I have a letter" is a hot buyer. "Yes, I had a conversation" is warm. "Not yet" is nurture. A buyer who hasn't taken this step isn't committed to the timeline they've described — they're still in the dream phase.
5. Can you share your pre-approval letter or evidence of finance?
The willingness to share this document tells you as much as the document itself. Serious buyers understand why you need it and provide it readily. Reluctant buyers are often either not as far along as they claimed, or shopping multiple builders and not ready to commit to any of them.
6. Which suburbs or areas are you considering?
Location match is critical for builders with defined operating areas. A buyer who wants to build in North Brisbane when your stock is in Ipswich is going to waste both your time and theirs. This question also surfaces buyers who are flexible — "we'd consider Springfield if the value was right" — which opens up your full product range.
7. What type of home are you looking to build?
House and land, knockdown rebuild, custom build, townhouse, dual occupancy — these require very different conversations, timelines, and sales approaches. Knowing this upfront lets your team route the buyer to the right product specialist from the first contact, rather than discovering a mismatch at the contract stage.
The PreQual™ approach
These seven questions form the backbone of the PreQual™ qualification flow. Every buyer answers them digitally before any builder contact is made. The answers generate a lead score, and only buyers who meet the threshold across all seven criteria are released to your sales team.
The result: every buyer your team meets has already answered these questions honestly, and your team already knows their answers before the first call. Display visits are with prepared, qualified buyers. Conversion rates improve substantially. The sales cycle shortens.