Source: Zoopla, What Today's Sellers Really Want From Their Estate Agent
Property has become a digital business.
Homes are discovered through portals. Valuations can begin online. Photographs, floor plans and virtual tours are available at all hours.
Yet when a seller wants to discuss one of the largest financial decisions of their life, the telephone still comes first.
How do sellers prefer estate agents to contact them?
Zoopla's research, conducted with YouGov among 1,000 recent sellers, found the following communication preferences:
- Phone calls: 63%
- Email: 56%
- Face-to-face meetings: 40%
- Messaging apps or SMS: approximately 25%
People could select more than one method, which reflects how property conversations actually unfold.
A seller may begin with a phone call, receive documents by email and discuss the valuation in person. Communication preferences concern the whole journey, rather than a single channel.
Why do sellers still prefer phone calls?
A property sale contains questions that rarely fit neatly into a form.
How much is the home worth? Is this the right time to sell? What work should be completed first? How long could the process take? What happens if the onward purchase falls through?
A phone call allows the seller to ask a second question based on the first answer. It allows the agent to hear hesitation, urgency and uncertainty.
It also creates a quicker sense of the person behind the agency.
This matters because sellers are usually choosing a professional relationship, alongside a marketing service.
Are WhatsApp and text replacing estate agent phone calls?
Messaging has a clear place in property.
It is useful for short updates, document reminders, viewing confirmations and quick questions. It is less popular as the main method of communication during a sale.
Only around a quarter of sellers in Zoopla's research selected messaging apps or SMS as a preferred option.
The lesson for agencies is straightforward. Convenience should be offered without assuming that every customer wants the same channel.
A WhatsApp-first process may suit one seller. Another may interpret it as distant or informal.
Do communication preferences change with age?
Yes.
Zoopla found that 44% of older homeowners preferred face-to-face meetings. Among sellers aged 34 to 54, that figure fell to 18%. Younger adults aged 25 to 34 also showed a stronger preference for meeting in person, at 33%.
Age alone cannot determine how an individual wants to communicate. It does show the risk of applying one process to every seller.
The simplest approach is to ask.
A valuation enquiry should record the seller's preferred channel and the best time to contact them. That small detail can make the first conversation feel considerably more personal.
Why does the first phone call matter?
Nearly half of sellers invite three estate agents to pitch before making their choice, according to Zoopla.
The first call therefore has two jobs.
It must deal with the immediate enquiry. It must also give the seller confidence that future communication will be prompt, clear and attentive.
A missed call introduces doubt before the relationship has begun. A rushed call can do the same.
A well-handled call collects the facts, understands the seller's position and agrees on what happens next.
How should estate agencies handle calls outside office hours?
Phone calls remain popular, yet sellers do not confine their property decisions to branch opening times.
An out-of-hours assistant can:
- Answer the initial call
- Capture the property address
- Ask why the seller is considering a move
- Record their expected timescale
- Note their preferred contact method
- Arrange a valuation request for the team
NeverMissed provides after-hours call coverage for estate and letting agencies. Your team keeps control of the valuation and the relationship. The seller receives a helpful first response while their interest is still fresh.
The telephone continues to matter. Being available to answer it matters just as much.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular way to contact an estate agent?
Phone calls are the most popular option among sellers. Zoopla found that 63% prefer telephone contact.
Do sellers prefer email or WhatsApp?
Email remains considerably more popular. Zoopla found that 56% prefer email, while around a quarter selected messaging apps or SMS.
Should estate agents ask for a preferred contact method?
Yes. Recording the seller's preferred method and contact time helps the agency provide a more personal and consistent service.