Once you complete your 90 hours of pre-license education at a quality real estate school, you will be ready to sit for your state exam. After passing the test, you'll apply for your real estate license. After obtaining the license, you'll be eager to start showing homes. Real estate agents should always be well-prepared for a showing.

There are several tips to keep in mind that can help you create a pleasurable home-tour experience for your clients. Agents who are organized, confident and efficient are more likely going to get closings and referrals than those who are haphazard about their job. Consistently following the ideas included in this post will keep you on top of your game when you start showing houses.

Always know where the lock box is located

You might assume that every lock box will be installed on a front door of a home that is for sale. In reality, lock boxes are sometimes on a back door or basement door or other area of a home. The last thing you want to have happen when meeting buyers at a home for a showing is to appear awkward as you wander around a property, searching for a lock box.

Always check the location of a lock box ahead of time. You also might want to arrive a few minutes early in case you have trouble opening a lock box, especially if it is the kind that uses a combination lock.

Have a clipboard and pen ready for each client

Whether you're showing one house or several, you will always want to print out an MLS sheet for each house, giving a copy to each client and keeping one for yourself. If you provide a pen and clipboard to your clients, they can make notes on their sheets as they walk through a home or write down questions that they want to ask you later.

Do your homework on every house and neighborhood before a showing

If your clients ask how many square feet are in a home or when a house was built, you won't be able to answer them if you haven't done adequate research ahead of the showing. To be a profitable real estate agent, you want to establish yourself as a go-to for information on your South Carolina sales region as well.

The more you know about local history, amenities the area has to offer, local schools, taxes, health care, public transportation or any other topic relevant to your buyers, the more street credibility you will gain. Clients will tell others about your business when they walk away satisfied with your service.

Get a list of must-haves from your clients ahead of time

You are wasting valuable time if you show houses to clients without first gaining a clear understanding of their needs and preferences. For instance, why bother showing a house with one bedroom to clients who need at least three bedrooms to accommodate their family?

Consider printing out a questionnaire and asking clients to fill it out before you start touring homes together. Ask questions, such as what special features they most desire in a home or whether on-street parking would be a problem for them. The more you learn ahead of time, the better you will be able to streamline the home search.

Recommend that your clients get pre-approved for a mortgage loan

This helps you prepare for showings because not having pre-approval can delay the closing process if your clients want to make an offer on one of the homes you show them. Having pre-approval also comes in handy if your clients wind up bidding against other buyers for the same house.

Earning your real estate license is merely the first step of your career. Being well-prepared for showings can give you an edge against your competitors and help you build a successful business.