In real estate, missed calls translate to missed opportunities. Most prospective customers will head on to the next agent if they don’t get a prompt response. This is where professional answering services come into play. Whether you’re driving, showing properties, or on another call, it will keep clients connected, and you’ll never miss another call. To help you stay ahead of your competition and always maintain top-notch communication, I have curated a list of the top five best answering services for real estate professionals.
- PATLive: Best for free trial period
- VoiceNation: Best for 24/7 customer support
- Ruby Receptionists: Best for US-based virtual team
- Smith.ai: Best for live-staffed website chat
- AnswerForce: Best for on-the-go mobile application
The Close’s Top Picks for Best Real Estate Answering Services
| PATLive: Best for free trial period | |||
| VoiceNation: Best for 24/7 customer support | |||
| Ruby Receptionists: Best for US-based virtual team | |||
| Smith.ai: Best for live-staffed website cha | |||
| AnswerForce: Best for on-the-go mobile application |
Features & Benefits of a Real Estate Answering Service
Before diving into the best property management answering service, let’s do a quick breakdown of this software’s features and how they benefit your business. Below are the main features you want in your answering service and how they will up your real estate game.
| 24/7 Availability | This ensures no missed calls or opportunities and provides 24/7 support to capture leads anytime. |
| Custom Call Scripting | Personalized responses clinch brand consistency and tailored communication. |
| Call Recording & Summaries | Detailed call records and summaries keep agents in the know for effective follow-up. |
| CRM Integration | Smooth integration with operational CRM software allows seamless operations and data management |
| Lead Capture & Follow-Up | This captures essential client information and establishes follow-up for increased chances of closing deals. |
PATLive: Best for Free Trial Period
Why I Chose PATLive
PATLive is an established answering service for real estate, offering businesses professional and reliable phone answering solutions. The biggest draw is that it provides a 14-day free trial, sufficient to decide if PATLive is the right tool for your business. During the free trial, agents can explore some of the most essential features of PATLive, such as 24/7 live answering, custom call scripting, and real-time message delivery. This trial allows agents to test how well the service handles client calls, sets appointments, and captures leads at no upfront cost.
Additional PATLive Features
- 24/7 live answering: This ensures agents have a professional team to handle calls day and night so no lead is left unanswered.
- Messages: The receptionist will accurately relay detailed messages to agents when they’re unavailable.
VoiceNation: Best for 24/7 Customer Support
Why I Chose VoiceNation
One of the best answering services for real estate, known for its robust and scalable solutions fitted to businesses of all sizes, is VoiceNation. The company gains a spot in our top five with its 24/7 customer support. This feature is critical in real estate, where the best opportunities and clients don’t keep to standard business hours. Whether this is fielding inquiries at night or addressing calls over the weekend, the agent’s around-the-clock availability makes sure no crucial call gets missed. This level of support is essential to retain client satisfaction and gain their trust.
Additional VoiceNation Features
- Real-time reporting: Once the call comes in, agents have instant access to the call data to keep them current and responsive to leads.
- Bilingual support: Spanish-speaking agents allow real estate professionals to capture more leads and serve more clients.
Ruby Receptionists: Best for US-based Virtual Team
Why I Chose Ruby Receptionists
Ruby Receptionists is one of the most exquisite realtor virtual receptionist services, known for its friendly US-based team that offers personalized professional support. In an industry driven by relationships and first impressions, understanding the nuances of the US market inside and out can make all the difference in high-quality service. Real estate professionals can rely on Ruby’s dependable, friendly service, knowing their clients will be greeted by a pro who understands their unique needs.
Additional Ruby Receptionists Features
- Appointment making: Scheduling directly with the receptionist saves agents time as they can schedule meetings without any hassles.
- Mobile app: This feature allows agents to handle calls, messages, and communications with clients on the go, always keeping them in control of communication.
Smith.ai: Best for Live-staffed Website Chat
Why I Chose Smith.ai
An adaptable communications platform that provides virtual receptionist services and live website chat solutions is Smith.ai. The company is an excellent fit for businesses connecting with clients on multiple touchpoints. Smith.ai is one of the few firms specializing in live-staffed website chat, and agents can talk with future clients online in real time. As more buyers and sellers start their search on the web, this service can help make sure website visitors can get answers to their questions quickly to capture leads that may otherwise be lost.
Additional Smith.ai Features
- AI-powered receptionist: AI technology alongside the work of human agents answer frequently asked questions and speed up agent response times.
- Call summaries: Detailed call summaries ensure no agent misses anything concerning client communication after each interaction.
AnswerForce: Best for On-the-Go Mobile Application
Why I Chose AnswerForce
AnswerForce’s main strength is its powerful mobile app, making it a perfect solution for busy real estate professionals. The application provides agents with easy call, message, and lead management options from their smartphones. This feature allows seamless contact with clients from anywhere. Users will find its interface friendly, with quick responses to inquiries, reviewing the details of calls, and capturing leads using a desktop. This mobility is essential to busy real estate agents who require flexibility and the ability to manage communications while juggling property showings and meetings.
Additional AnswerForce Features
- Multichannel support: This provides support to agents via phones, emails, and live chat so no question goes unanswered.
- Lead capture: This feature takes care in gathering contact information for each call to convert an inquiry into a real estate opportunity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do answering services in real estate handle calls after business hours?
Real estate answering services provide 24/7 support to ensure the business is always professional, even after hours. If the client calls in after working hours, the answering service will record a detailed message, answer some of the frequently asked questions, or even set appointments. This way, one will never miss a potential lead or an urgent matter through direct contact, especially in the real estate business, where seconds may mean closing or losing a deal.
Does an answering service book appointments with a real estate agent?
Yes, most answering services have an appointment setting. Agents can integrate their calendars into the service, allowing the team to directly book appointments for property showings, consultations, and follow-up meetings. This frees agents by automating part of their workflow, efficiently handling client bookings without direct intervention, and avoiding potential leads slipping through the cracks.
How would the answering service ensure the professionalism of a real estate agent's brand?
Answering services can allow real estate agents to tailor call scripts and a set of instructions on how calls should be handled. That means greetings, responses, and even tones of communication can be tailored in such a way as to resonate with their brand image. Further, the service is meant to act like an extension to the agent’s business in ensuring that all interactions with clients are consistently delivered in quality to reflect the agent’s professionalism, be it a routine call or a first contact with a new lead.
Methodology: How I Chose the Best Answering Services for Real Estate
The team of real estate professionals, writers, and editors at The Close developed a comprehensive methodology based on a weighted rubric that measures each realtor answering service. With in-depth research and careful analysis, we developed weighted criteria to help identify which platform offers the most support to real estate agents in their daily work. Our criteria concentrated on crucial features that directly affect an agent’s capacity to handle communication without ever missing a lead.
Specific criteria guided our review of the answering service in real estate:
- General Feature (35%)
- This category examined the comprehensive range of services provided, from call handling to lead capture capabilities.
- Pricing (20%)
- We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the services, considering trial offers and various subscription levels to fit diverse budgets.
- Customer Rating (15%)
- Direct user feedback and the popularity of the service provided us with insight into customer satisfaction.
- Service Evaluation and Quality Assessment (10%)
- A focus on the user experience, including ease of use and support, was key in assessing each service.
- Help & Support (10%)
- The accessibility and quality of customer support channels like phone, chat, and email were crucial for ongoing assistance.
- Expert Score (10%)
- An evaluation of unique features, overall value, and user-friendliness gave us a professional perspective on each service.
Your Take
Success in real estate relies on staying in touch with prospective clients. Answering services ensure that agents will never miss a call or a lead, no matter the time or circumstance. These services handle after-hours calls, provide appointment setting, and deliver professional branded communications that will keep agents in good graces with their clients while saving time for more important matters. Whether it is call volumes in high season or response times, answering services allow the real estate professional to concentrate on what he or she is good at—closing deals and building relationships.
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