Website chat for real-estate agencies
On a property website, the chat's job is not to sell the flat: it is to collect four facts (area, budget, rent or buy, and move-in date) and get the enquiry to the right agent while the visitor is still interested. Questions about a listing's published details can be answered in a line from what you published; anything about contracts, fees beyond your published list, or whether a deal is a good idea goes to a licensed agent. Here is how an agency sets that up with a shared inbox, so leads stop living on agents' personal phones.
The four facts before any call
Ask these in the first two messages, politely and in this order:
- [ ] Rent or buy?
- [ ] Which area or community?
- [ ] Budget (yearly rent or purchase price) and number of bedrooms
- [ ] When do you need to move?
Collecting leads without being pushy has more on the tone.
Switch on "Ask for name and email before chatting" in the widget so every lead has contact details. With those four facts in the conversation, the agent who picks it up can call with two or three matching listings instead of starting from zero.
Twelve questions property seekers type
| Visitor asks | Answer pattern you fill in | Agent takes over? |
|---|---|---|
| Is this property still available? | "Let me check with the listing agent. Rent or buy, and when would you move?" | Yes |
| What is the rent / price? | "It is listed at [published price]. The agent confirms the current figure." | Yes, for anything not on the listing |
| How many cheques do you accept? | "The landlord's terms on this listing are [published terms]. The agent can ask about others." | Yes |
| Can I see it this weekend? | "Which day and time suit you? The agent will confirm the viewing." | Yes |
| What are your agency fees? | "Our published fee is [your published fee]." | No, if published |
| Is the building pet-friendly? | "[As stated on the listing]" or "The agent will check with the landlord." | Yes, if not on the listing |
| Is parking included? | "[Parking details from the listing]." | No |
| Do you have something cheaper in [area]? | "Share your budget and bedrooms, and an agent will send matching listings." | Yes |
| Is it furnished? | "[Furnished / unfurnished, as listed]." | No |
| Can I buy as a non-resident? | "Our agent will explain the options that apply to you; rules depend on the emirate and the property." | Yes |
| What documents do I need to rent? | "Usually [your published checklist]. The agent confirms for your case." | Yes |
| I have a problem with my landlord / deposit | "I'm sorry. One of our team will contact you to understand the situation." | Yes, always |
Lines the chat never writes
- Legal opinions on contracts, disputes, deposits or eviction. The chat says a person will reply and suggests checking the rule for the emirate.
- Investment views: "is this a good buy", expected returns, future prices. Those are for a conversation with an agent, not a chat line.
- Prices or terms not on the published listing, including "the landlord will accept less".
- Complaints about agents, landlords or fees: a manager answers.
Fees can be stored as published price records; if you later add AI, it quotes only from those. The answer mode is set per channel (off, drafts only, or answer), and complaints and refund demands go to a person in every mode.
Three welcome lines
- "Looking to rent or buy? Tell us the area and your budget and an agent will send you options."
- "Hi, ask about any listing on this site. We reply in English and Arabic."
- "Welcome to [Agency]. Want to book a viewing? Send the listing and the day that suits you."
Starter questions: "Book a viewing", "Rent in [area]", "Buy a property", "Talk to an agent".
Outside office hours
The widget sends nothing automatically today, so put your reply hours in the welcome line ("Agents reply 9 am to 7 pm, Monday to Saturday") and give overnight leads the first call of the morning:
"Good morning, thanks for your message last night. I'm [name], the agent for [area]. Two flats match your budget; when can you view?"
A lead that goes quiet after that gets one follow-up (how to follow up).
Weekend viewings and launch days
When a new building launches or viewings stack up on Saturday, the inbox fills quickly. Route it like this in the shared inbox:
| Chat type | Goes to |
|---|---|
| New, unqualified enquiry | Coordinator, who collects the four facts |
| Qualified rental lead | Rental agent for that area |
| Purchase enquiry | Sales agent |
| Viewing changes | The agent who booked the viewing |
| Complaint or deposit problem | Manager |
Each conversation has one owner, internal notes stay inside the team, and presence shows if a colleague already has the chat open. When an agent leaves, the leads stay in the agency's inbox, not on their phone. A shared inbox or personal phones sets out why.
The first week
- Day 1: create the workspace and invite the coordinator and agents with roles.
- Day 2: publish your fees, your documents checklist and the twelve answers.
- Day 3: publish the widget on listing pages, with your site in the allowed origins.
- Day 4: welcome lines and the after-hours message in both languages.
- Day 5: test a rental lead, a purchase lead and a complaint; check each lands with the right person.
- Day 6: agree the routing table above.
- Day 7: read every lead; add the questions agents answered by hand.
When this is not for you
If your leads arrive mostly on WhatsApp: web chat is the channel you connect today, and WhatsApp is coming soon (see channels). StayReplied is not a listings portal; it holds the conversations and a simple sales pipeline. Starter is AED 70 a month plus 5% VAT for 2 seats, Team AED 210 for 5; see pricing.
Questions and answers
Can the chat answer questions about a listing?
Yes, from the details you published. Anything beyond them goes to the agent.
Does the chat give legal or investment advice?
No. Those questions are handed to an agent, and legal questions to the reader's own adviser or the official rule for their emirate.
What happens to leads when an agent leaves?
They stay in the agency's shared inbox, with the full conversation and notes.
Is AI needed to qualify leads?
No. Your coordinator asks the four questions. No plan includes AI today; AI drafts need your own Anthropic key.
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