6 Best Answering Services for Real Estate in 2024

VoiceNation wins overall as the top answering service for real estate because of its flexible pricing plans for handling seasonal inquiries and personalized support. It has two subscription plans that allow real estate businesses to choose whether they need a basic answering service or a comprehensive plan with multiple service features like call dispatching and form population.

The Essential plan is best for small-scale real estate firms that simply need a basic answering service with message-taking capabilities. Starting at just $56 This VoiceNation landing page is exclusive to Fit Small Business readers, where you can get larger discounts on all VoiceNation plans. Prices are lower than those advertised on its main website. monthly, it offers an affordable way to keep your answering service in place even as the volume of inquiries decreases.

For larger real estate operations, the Personalized Plan offers tailored support for lead capturing and appointment scheduling. Although it is pricier than the Essential Plan, the extra features significantly reduce the administrative burden of managing realtor-client interactions. Your reception team will integrate directly with your customer relationship management (CRM) tool, efficiently storing information from potential leads.

Although VoiceNation offers cheaper monthly fees, it charges the highest overage fees ($2.99 per minute) than other services we reviewed. If you prefer to remain on an entry-level plan without incurring significant additional costs, consider Go Answer, with the lowest overage rate at only $1.10 per additional minute.

• Call dispatching: In emergencies, a live receptionist will gather all the essential information from the caller and reach out to you at scheduled intervals until they successfully make contact.
• Message taking: A live receptionist will take the caller’s message and send it to you instantly, whether via text, email, or both, based on your preference.
• Custom form population: Share a link to an online form that your receptionist can fill out while handling calls, along with instructions on when the form should be completed.

VoiceNation allows users to access usage reports through its mobile app. (Source: VoiceNation)

Davinci Virtual is our best answering service for real estate professionals needing specialized admin support so they can focus on high-value business activities. Aside from taking calls, your live receptionist also functions as a virtual secretary to whom you can delegate extra tasks, such as handling client inquiries, managing a calendar, returning calls, travel planning, and meeting assistance.

Virtual receptionists can assist you with advanced admin tasks related to property transactions. You can rely on them to handle property applications and process payment details for deposits. They can also assist with verifying client data or logging key details into your property management software.

Those needing 24/7 coverage for real estate call answering service may look elsewhere, as Davinci can only answer calls between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time on weekdays. If you need round-the-clock support with no additional fees, Go Answer has you covered and is available 24/7 to handle your calls.

• Order processing: A team of trained virtual agents will manage your ecommerce system, handling order placement and payment processing on your behalf.
• Outbound calling: Have a dedicated receptionist team to handle your outbound call campaigns, including lead generation, follow-up calls, and verification services.
• Voicemail management: Voicemails are delivered in a digital format to your email or as a text message. You can also personalize your greeting and forward messages as needed.

Configure your receptionist services within the Davinci mobile app. (Source: Davinci)

Thanks to its sophisticated lead capture system, PATLive’s real estate answering service ensures you get high-quality leads from your calls. Live receptionists follow a form-based approach for lead collection, which includes predefined form names and fields that they complete with the details you specify. Additionally, you get the flexibility to create multiple forms tailored to different lead capture types.

Receptionists will work directly with your CRM software to automatically input and update lead information in real time. If you don’t have a CRM tool, PATLive can host the lead form within its system and send the information by email. This streamlines the lead management process, reducing manual data entry and ensuring a more up-to-date database.

Unfortunately, PATLive doesn’t support outbound campaigns, as its receptionists can only handle incoming calls and chats from customers. If you need receptionists skilled in lead engagement, Smith.ai offers outreach campaign services along with sales development representative (SDR) support to help drive conversions.

• Flexible call screening: Prevent unwanted calls from reaching your number by having a virtual receptionist screen all incoming calls. They will follow a preapproved list of acceptable call types and only notify you if a call meets your criteria.
• Sales calls: Let PATLive receptionists act as an extension of your sales team, assisting with order processing and addressing inquiries from potential customers. They can either take written orders or work directly within your ecommerce platform.
• Mobile app: Stay in touch with your receptionist team wherever you are with the PATLive mobile app. Update your availability and get real-time updates with push notifications.

Visualize call trends within the PATLive web app. (Source: PATLive)

Go Answer is the best answering service for real estate firms that want to create personalized plans tailored to their requirements, whether it’s for part-time or backup support. This is particularly beneficial for those who don’t want the expense of full-time receptionists but still need a professional team to handle calls when necessary.

While scalable month-to-month plans are available, Go Answer provides the option to reach out to its sales team and get a personalized plan based on your call volume. This flexibility allows you to adjust the pricing based on the number of calls you anticipate and the custom features you need.

Signing up for an account with Go Answer can be pricey, requiring a one-time setup fee of $75. If you’re looking to cut costs, consider PATLive instead. It doesn’t charge a setup fee and offers a 14-day free trial period, allowing you to explore their services before deciding on a plan.

• Custom scripting: Get your phone scripts professionally written at no cost. Establish a unique brand identity and ensure your agents consistently deliver accurate information to clients.
• Real-time notifications: Keep track of your phone answering operations with instant updates on your mobile device. Get notifications for new calls, changes in call status, and message updates.
• Workflow integrations: Go Answer seamlessly integrates with third-party platforms commonly used across industries, such as finance, home service, small business, and franchise. Popular apps include Zapier, HubSpot, Google Maps, and Slack.

Go Answer has chat operators who will assist website visitors with their concerns. (Source: Go Answer)

AnswerConnect is a real estate call answering service that integrates with Setmore, an automated appointment scheduling software. Unlike most receptionist solutions that offer appointment scheduling as a complementary service, AnswerConnect enhances this by including premium access to a dedicated scheduling app at no extra cost.

By integrating AnswerConnect with Setmore, your receptionist can simplify the booking process and offer real-time updates through automatic calendar syncing. Customers can either book appointments directly through your receptionists or use a Setmore link to schedule on their own. As the appointment time approaches, you’ll receive email or SMS notifications to keep you informed.

AnswerConnect plans start at 200 minutes, which may not be ideal for businesses with a low volume of incoming calls. A better alternative would be VoiceNation, which offers an entry-level plan starting at just 20 minutes.

• After-hours answering: Divert your calls to a dedicated receptionist team after business hours. Trained receptionists will take all your calls until your team is available to take over again.
• Live chat support: All AnswerConnect plans bundle receptionist minutes and real-time chat services in a single subscription. Minutes are used when receptionists respond to messages on your website.
• Live relay: For urgent inquiries, a live receptionist will attempt to contact various members of your team, making up to five calls until someone answers and is ready to speak with the caller.

AnswerConnect integrates with Setmore for a seamless booking service. (Source: AnswerConnect)

While most answering solutions focus on handling incoming calls and chats, Smith.ai extends its receptionist services by offering 24/7 sales outreach support. With dedicated representatives handling your outgoing calls, you can effectively expand your client base, particularly through lead follow-ups, prospecting, and cold calling for listings.

Smith.ai assigns you a sales development representative equipped with the tools and skills to maximize your campaign outcomes. A team will help you craft unique outreach messages, refine FAQs, review your lead list, and conduct quality assurance tests on your live calls.

Note that Smith.ai specializes in creating sales opportunities rather than generating new leads. Monthly plans are also quite costly, with monthly fees ranging from $600 to $10,000. If you’re looking for a cheaper real estate live answering service focused on lead capture, consider Go Answer. This provider employs a form-based approach to collect lead information, ensuring you gather all the necessary details.

• Spam blocking: Smith.ai uses an automated spam blocking system that prevents over 20 million known spammers from reaching their live receptionists. You won’t be charged for incoming calls you didn’t want.
• Payment collection: Integrate your payment software with Smith.ai’s receptionist services to facilitate payment transactions during calls. Receptionists can call clients for overdue payments and ensure customers pay their consultation deposit upon booking.
• Warm live call transfer: Let a live receptionist gather caller information and transfer the caller to your internal team. Get notified of transfer requests through SMS or instant chat.

Access all the information you need from your receptionist service through Smith.ai’s dashboard. (Source: Smith.ai)