When someone messages your agency on WhatsApp about a listing they saw on a property portal, the first reply can contain four parts: a greeting with your name, the status of the listing they asked about, one open question and a next step. A long introduction, price negotiation or the agency brochure may not fit into this first message; they belong after the customer has replied. Because the customer may have written to several agencies at the same time, a short, clear reply sent before the conversation cools down can help.
This article is about the first reply to a customer who saw a listing on a property portal and contacted the agency on WhatsApp. Below you will find separate example messages for customers asking about a sale, a rental or an investment, the order in which to ask for information, and common mistakes.
⚡ Example scenario: One evening a customer writes to the agency about a flat for rent they saw on a portal: "Hello, is this listing still available?" The message is seen the next morning, and the agency replies with its introduction text, website address and a list of other listings. The customer does not answer; that same night another agency had replied briefly, "Yes, the flat is available. When are you planning to move?", and the two had started talking about a viewing day.
What a Customer Writing From a Portal Expects
A customer coming from a portal does not know your agency; the only thing they know is the listing itself. Their message is often a single line: "Is this still available?", "Is that the final price?" or just the link to the listing. At this point the person has not decided to work with an agency; they are checking whether a listing is real.
That is why the job of the first reply is not to make a sale but to carry the conversation to a second message. When the customer writes a second time, the agency can become a name and a contact person.
Why the listing link matters
If the customer sent the listing as a link or a reference number, replying with the listing's name is the shortest way of saying "I have read your message". A sentence such as "You wrote about the furnished flat for rent in Kadıköy" can also help the customer remember which listing they asked about, since they may have looked at several listings that day.
Four Parts of the First Message
Greeting and name
"Hello, this is Sarah from X Estates." When the agency name and a person's name are written together, the customer can see they are talking to a person rather than an institution. Even when replying from a business account, the name of the person answering can appear in the message.
Status of the listing
This is often the customer's first question, and the answer can be given in the first sentence: is the property available, under offer or no longer on the market. If the status is unknown, writing "let me check and get back to you" can be more honest than a vague answer.
One open question
Asking several questions in a row in the first message can make the customer feel they are filling in a form. A single question, such as "Do you have a moving date in mind?" or "Would you like to see it this week?", is easy to answer and can keep the conversation going.
The next step
The message can end at a point where the customer knows what to do: suggesting a day for a viewing, sending the location or asking for approval to share a similar listing. When the step remains unclear, the customer may drop the conversation with a quiet "I will look later".
Example Messages for Sales, Rentals and Investors
The texts below are not meant to be copied word for word; they are written to be adapted to your agency's own voice. The parts in square brackets can be filled in according to the listing.
To a customer asking about a flat for sale
"Hello, this is [Name] from [Agency Name]. You wrote about the [number of bedrooms] flat for sale in [Area]; it is currently on the market. Are you looking for a home to live in or as an investment? Depending on that, I can also send you the title deed and service charge details."
To a customer asking about a flat for rent
"Hello, this is [Name] from [Agency Name]. The flat for rent in [Area] is available. When are you thinking of moving? If it suits you, I can arrange a viewing on [day] afternoon."
To an investor
"Hello, this is [Name] from [Agency Name]. The [listing] you asked about is for sale and currently tenanted. Would you like me to share the current rent and the end date of the tenancy agreement?"
If the property has been sold or let
"Hello, this is [Name] from [Agency Name]. Unfortunately the flat you asked about has been let, and we are removing the listing. We have a similar flat in the same area; shall I send you the details if you would like to take a look?"
This message about a closed listing can affect how much the customer trusts the agency. Saying openly that an old listing has stayed on the portal may do less harm than inviting the customer to a viewing and telling them at the door that the property has gone.
To a message received outside office hours
"Hello, your message has reached us. This is [Name] from [Agency Name]. I will check the latest status of the listing tomorrow morning and write to you. In the meantime, if you have a date in mind for moving or buying, feel free to let me know."
What to Ask Now and What to Leave for Later
Not all the information needed to get to know the customer is requested in the first message. The order can move forward as far as the customer is willing to answer.
- In the first message: the purpose (to live in or to invest) or the moving date. One of them may be enough.
- After the customer replies: budget range, preferred areas, number of bedrooms, furnished or unfurnished.
- When arranging a viewing: suitable day and time, who will attend, whether a mortgage will be used.
- Left for later: identity and document details, deposit and contract matters.
Asking about the budget in the first message may feel to the customer like "we are sizing you up first". The same question, coming after the customer has asked something about the listing, can read as a natural continuation.
Wrong and Right: Common First Replies
| Common first reply | What can be written instead |
|---|---|
| Agency introduction and website address | The status of the listing and one question |
| "Call us for the price" | Whether the listed price is still valid, stated plainly |
| A long list of other listings | The listing asked about, plus one similar listing if needed |
| A long voice message | A short written reply; a voice message if the customer prefers |
| "I will get back to you when I am free" | A sentence saying when you will reply |
| A string of questions in a row | One question that is easy to answer |
Reply Timing: Before the Conversation Cools
A customer writing from a portal is often looking at several listings and writing to several agencies at once. The conversation may start with the agency that gives the first meaningful answer; a late reply, even a well written one, may arrive just as the customer is agreeing a viewing day with another agency.
This does not mean someone has to wait by the phone to answer every message instantly. Two things can be agreed within the agency:
- During office hours: who looks at portal messages and how often they are checked during the day.
- Outside office hours: a ready welcome text saying the message has arrived and when you will reply.
A similar routine can be set up for incoming calls that could not be answered; we covered this in the article Is Every Call I Miss a Lost Customer?
Checklist for the First Message
| Check | Why |
|---|---|
| Are the agency name and your name included | The customer can know who they are talking to |
| Is the listing mentioned by name | The customer can see their message was read |
| Is the listing status in the first sentence | The customer's main question can be answered straight away |
| Was only one question asked | Replying can become easier |
| Is the next step written | The conversation may not be left hanging |
| Have closed listings been removed from the portal | Questions about properties that are gone can decrease |
Frequently Asked Questions
What should the first reply to a portal enquiry say
It can include the agency name and your name, whether the listing is still available and one easy question. The message can end with a next step, such as suggesting a viewing day or sending the location.
Should you ask about the budget in the first message
The budget can usually be asked after the customer has replied. In the first message, an easier question such as the purpose or the moving date can keep the conversation open.
What do you write if the property has been sold
You can say clearly that the property has been sold or let and, if appropriate, suggest one similar listing in the same area. Inviting the customer to view a property that is no longer available can damage trust.
How do you reply to a message sent outside office hours
A short welcome text can be prepared saying the message has arrived, who will answer and when. A question inviting the customer to share their own date can also be added to it.
Should the first message differ for sales and rentals
For a sale, the first question is often the purpose, to live in or to invest; for a rental, it is the moving date. A customer asking as an investor can be offered the current rent and tenancy details.
A customer coming from a portal can be welcomed at night too
The assistant in the Kılman Real Estate Automation System can welcome a customer writing on WhatsApp, ask what they are looking for, show suitable listings from your agency's own portfolio and add the viewing appointment to your calendar. It does not connect to portal listings; it only uses the listings you enter into the system. To discuss the setup that suits your agency, you can take a look at the Real Estate Automation System page.
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