{"id":918,"date":"2023-03-24T08:44:17","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T08:44:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.socialintents.com\/blog\/?p=918"},"modified":"2024-05-15T11:39:36","modified_gmt":"2024-05-15T11:39:36","slug":"real-estate-live-chat-tips-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.socialintents.com\/blog\/real-estate-live-chat-tips-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use Live Chat for Real Estate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Have you seen other real estate agencies using live chat and wonder how you could do the same? Looking for advice on how to use live chat for real estate?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, you\u2019re in luck, then. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is a complete guide to using live chat in the real estate industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And let\u2019s start with this\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is live chat so important to the real estate industry today?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a realtor, you know this already: Real estate is huge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In September last year, the homeownership rate in the US rose to 66%<\/a>. 79.5% of people 65 years or older owned their homes. Of those between 35-44, 62.5% owned their homes, and so on.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, we prefer to buy homes, and that’s great news for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there is more\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly half of the buyers search online before contacting a real estate agent. Only 18% of buyers started their search for a home by contacting a realtor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this is, probably, the most important data point – 86% of buyers consider real estate agents to be a very useful source of information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This suggests that buyers do use the Internet to look for properties. But they still want to chat with a real estate agent before making any decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s this got to do with live chat?<\/strong> Well, live chat combines both aspects. It forms part of an online search experience and connects buyers with agents WHILE they are going through that experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Live chat allows you and your colleagues to have real-time conversations with potential buyers who are currently viewing your site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conversation happens through a small live chat widget that you place on your site. Customer can post their questions there and connect directly with a realtor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Example<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But unlike with phones, with live chat, buyers can converse with you wherever they are, and no one around them would even know they\u2019re doing so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is an important factor, as many buyers would look at properties while at work and would prefer not to be discovered for doing so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But such convenience is only one of many benefits of using live chat in real estate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s go through all of them in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of using live chat in real estate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Higher customer engagement<\/strong>. One of the major challenges realtors face is that although customers search for properties online, they often leave the website without taking any action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For some, it\u2019s simply too early to book an appointment. They haven\u2019t gotten to that stage in their buyer journey yet. Others, on the other hand, might prefer to get more information first before deciding to schedule a viewing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Live chat helps bridge those situations. It offers customers an easy way to connect with your agents and ask whatever questions they have without making any major commitment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Convenience.<\/strong> With live chat, your real estate agents can discuss a customer\u2019s needs, find out what they\u2019re looking for, and recommend homes or other properties to them. They can discuss all ins and outs of each suggestion and book those viewings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s important, all of this can happen regardless of where the customer is currently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More leads. <\/strong>Pre-chat forms and surveys allow you to set up a lead generation funnel with live chat and convert visitors into new potential buyers. You can, then, use other channels like email to engage them and stay on top of their mind as they hunt for a new property. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me show you how to do it all in practice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s exactly how to use live chat for a real estate business<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The main benefit of using live chat is that it allows you to give customers a new and real-time channel to connect with your business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But naturally, there is more to it than just the widget potential buyers can use to chat with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, let\u2019s discuss how live chat helps you engage potential buyers and connect them with your real estate business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. With live chat, customers can ask questions and get advice in real-time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By far, this is the most obvious use case for live chat across any industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Live chat gives customers direct access to your agents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that customers no longer have to call or visit your agency to ask questions, find out whether you have any properties that match their expectations, and get advice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Live chat helps realtors build better rapport with buyers and sellers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are several ways by which this happens, actually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For one, with live chat, your realtors can connect with potential buyers early in their buying process. This can happen as early as during their first visit to your site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, your realtors can proactively display welcome messages<\/a> and triggers<\/a> to entice visitors to start live chat conversations.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Proactive<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

#3. Your agents can use live chat to suggest properties and book viewings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The whole purpose of using live chat for a real estate agency is to connect with potential buyers faster. What would normally require them to at least call and, ideally, visit your offices can now happen instantly online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This also means that your agents can use live chat to discuss customers\u2019 needs. They can suggest properties and even explain the benefits of each option while the buyer is viewing the property\u2019s information and pictures online. At the end of the conversation, they can schedule viewings for those properties that caught the person\u2019s interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#4. Chatbots can help you process inquiries outside of office hours<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chatbots, like the name, might suggest, are automated bots that can process some basic live chat interactions and engage customers when your agents are busy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naturally, this doesn\u2019t mean those bots will do everything a real person could. Far from it. But you can set them up to process some basic interactions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n