This guest post was written by Lake Travis Real Estate Agent,
Sam Chapman.

I taught a regular class called Finding and Showing Homes for a long time.  My goal was to give practical and useful advice to new real estate agents. 

As part of the class, I talked about the things that real estate agents should keep in their cars.  Keep in mind that this is specific to the area I work in, which is a combination of urban and rural areas, with much of the area also being very hilly. 

Having said that, any real estate agent reading this should pick something up from it – it’s a great reminder for all of us.

Things a REALTOR® Should Always Have in the Car

1. A Flashlight With Charged Batteries – How many times will you walk into a home and see lights out in a closet, garage, crawl space or attic? 
2. Insect Repellant – You may not need it often, but you can be a hero if you run into an area with a lot of mosquitoes!
3. Cold Water Bottles In An Ice Chest – Texas isn’t the only part of the country that gets hot, and a refreshing bottle of cold water can make an impression on hot and thirsty clients.
4. Rough Terrain Footwear – How about sneakers or boots?  I don’t know how many times I have met an agent at a property only to find out that the landscaping was not in and the ground was muddy. Or how about when you need to walk a lot that has tall grass on it or is on rocky terrain?  Remember Austin being hilly?  It’s pretty difficult for a woman wearing heels to walk down a steep driveway.
5. Maps – GPS is great, but there is no substitute for getting a map out and showing people where you are going or where you have been.  Maps are also great for showing people a home’s proximity to shopping, medical care, schools and other things that are important to them.  By the way, have an extra so you can give it to your clients.
6. A Measuring Tape – I showed homes to one couple who always had to measure the dining room to make sure a certain piece of furniture would fit.  You may be surprised how many people will do this or something similar.
7. A Camera With Charged Batteries – Photos online might be good, and buyers may have a camera in a phone, but being able to take photos of anything that needs to be remembered is a great thing.   And it gives you a great reason to follow up the same day.
8. Whatever Opens The Lockbox – Sure it seems obvious, but whether it is a D Key, An ActiveKey, Smartphone or another device, make sure you have it and that it is fully charged.
9. A Charger For Your Phone – If you have a phone that uses GPS or other applications, you probably know that these can drain a battery faster than normal.  Don’t let yourself run the risk of having a dead phone.

What would you add to this list?