Saturday, 2:10 p.m. You're showing a semi-detached home in Laval to a young couple asking lots of good questions. In your pocket, your phone buzzes once, then twice. Your sign in front of a plex in Rosemont just did its job: someone drove by and dialled your number. You can't pick up in the middle of the sellers' kitchen, and that's perfectly normal. Real estate brokerage is made of showings, meetings, signings at the notary's office and driving between properties. Missed calls come with the job. The real question is what the person who just called experiences, and how to let them know they were heard even when you're busy with another client.
Why Missed Calls Are So Common in Real Estate
A broker spends much of the week away from the office. Weekend open houses, evening offer presentations, pre-purchase inspections, meetings with sellers who want a valuation: at each of these moments, answering the phone would be rude, or simply impossible.
On top of that, calls often come in waves. A new online listing, a freshly planted sign or a price drop can make the phone ring several times in the same hour. And since buyers mostly shop in the evening and on weekends, those waves land right during your showings.
None of this is an organization problem. It's the very nature of the job. So the goal isn't to answer everything in person, but to make sure no request falls through the cracks.
What a Buyer Experiences When They Reach Your Voicemail
Put yourself in the caller's shoes. They're often in their car, in front of the property or on their couch with a real estate app open. They probably have two or three other listings in mind, each with a different broker.
When they reach voicemail, several things can happen. Some people leave a clear message. Others hang up without a word, because they don't like talking to a voicemail box or because they'd rather write. Others still call the broker of the next property on their list, simply because they want an answer while their interest is still fresh.
It's not a question of loyalty: the buyer doesn't know you yet. For them, the first broker who replies often becomes the one the conversation starts with. A quick sign of life, even one that doesn't contain every answer, completely changes that first impression.
The Different Kinds of Calls a Broker Receives
Not all calls have the same urgency or the same potential. Recognizing them helps you prioritize your callbacks and prepare suitable replies.
A call that comes from a sign, for example, is often from someone who already knows the neighbourhood and wants to know the price or showing date quickly. A valuation request from a seller, on the other hand, can lead to a listing and deserves a deeper conversation. Knowing what kind of request it is before calling back saves you time.
- The buyer who saw a sign and wants the price or a showing.
- The buyer who saw an online listing and has specific questions.
- The potential seller who'd like to know what their property is worth.
- The cooperating broker who wants to set up a showing or send an offer.
- A current client with a question about their file.
- Suppliers: inspector, notary, photographer, mortgage broker.
Text Messaging, the Natural Channel for Buyers
Many buyers prefer writing to talking, especially for a first contact. A text lets them ask their question at their own pace, send the address or listing number and read your reply when it suits them, even at work.
Writing has advantages for you too. You have a record of what was asked, you can reply between showings without stepping away for a call, and you can share precise information without risking forgetting it. That's especially useful for details like a showing date, an address or the list of documents to prepare.
The phone remains essential for important conversations: presenting an offer, discussing strategy with a seller, reassuring a first-time buyer. Texting is mostly about never leaving anyone without news and preparing those conversations.
How Alloia Helps Brokers Leave No One Without a Reply
Alloia starts from a simple idea: when you can't answer, the caller immediately receives a text from you. That text is sent from your current number, the one on your signs, business cards and listings. There's nothing to reprint.
Technically, it relies on conditional call forwarding, a feature offered by most providers in Canada. Your phone rings as usual. If you pick up, the call goes ahead normally. If you're in a showing and the call isn't answered, it's forwarded, and the text goes out automatically.
The person can then reply by text: the address they're interested in, their availability for a showing, their question about the price. When you come out of your showing, you find conversations that already have context, instead of a list of unknown numbers. You're always the one replying, with your expertise and your tone. Alloia simply makes sure the conversation gets started.
Sample Texts for Real Estate Brokers
A good text after a missed call is short, polite and useful. It says who you are, briefly explains why you didn't answer and invites the person to clarify their request. No need to say too much: the goal is to open the conversation, not settle everything in one message.
Here are a few examples to adapt to your style, your agency and your area. Remember to include your name and title, as you would in any professional communication.
- General: "Hello, this is [First Last], real estate broker with [Agency]. I'm in a showing right now. Text me the address or listing number you're interested in and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."
- Sign: "Hello! Thanks for calling. If you're calling about a sign, send me the address and I'll send you the property details today."
- Seller: "Hello, this is [First Name], broker with [Agency]. If you're thinking of selling your property, tell me the address and the best time to talk, and I'll call you back."
- Weekend: "Hello, I'm at open houses all afternoon. Text me your question and I'll reply between showings or at the end of the day."
- Evening: "Good evening, thanks for calling. Text me your question and I'll reply tomorrow morning. If it's about an offer in progress, let me know and I'll get back to you first."
Organizing Your Callbacks Between Showings
An automatic text opens the door, but your follow-up is what makes the difference. Planning short moments in your day to pick up conversations keeps requests from piling up and saves you from spending your evening catching up on the day.
Many brokers use the few minutes in the car between two properties, once parked, to go through their messages. Others set aside one block late in the morning and another late in the afternoon. What matters is having a rhythm you can keep, even during busy spring weeks.
- Reply first to offers in progress and clients with an accepted promise to purchase.
- Then handle new buyers who gave a specific address.
- Suggest two or three concrete showing slots rather than an open question.
- Call potential sellers back: that conversation deserves a real phone call.
- Also call back people who phoned from a landline, since they couldn't receive a text.
- Note in your follow-up tool what you promised each person.
A Few Rules to Keep in Mind
Real estate brokers in Quebec are overseen by the Organisme d'autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du Québec (OACIQ). The ethics and advertising rules that apply to your listings also apply, in spirit, to your written communications: identify yourself clearly, stay accurate about properties and don't promise anything you can't guarantee. If you're unsure about some wording, the OACIQ is the best reference.
For texts, Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) governs commercial electronic messages. Replying to someone who just called you is a natural continuation of their request. If you then want to send them promotional messages, such as new listings, keep in mind that an inquiry generally gives implied consent limited to six months. For longer-term follow-up, simply ask for their permission, and always offer an easy way to unsubscribe.
Finally, in Quebec, Law 25 governs the protection of personal information. Phone numbers and conversations with your clients are part of it. Keep them in secure tools and avoid sharing them outside your team without a valid reason.
With a Team or an Assistant: Sharing Conversations
Many brokers work in teams or with an administrative assistant. In those cases, the challenge is often that every message lands on the lead broker's personal phone, who becomes the bottleneck for the whole team.
A shared inbox for texts changes that. The assistant can answer simple questions, like an open house address or the list of documents to bring, while the broker focuses on meetings. Everyone sees the same history, and nobody needs to forward screenshots.
This sharing also protects your balance. If you're away for a few days or a spring week gets too busy, conversations keep going without you having to hold your phone at all times.
FAQ: Common Questions from Brokers
Do I need to change my number to use an automatic text? No. With Alloia, the text is sent from your current number using conditional call forwarding. Your signs, cards and listings stay the same.
What happens if I answer the call? The call goes ahead as usual. The text is only sent when the call isn't picked up.
Does the text replace my callback? No. It confirms the call was received and gathers basic information. Important conversations, like an offer or a valuation, always happen with you.
Can I customize the message? Yes, the wording is yours. It's a good idea to include your name, your title, your agency and when you usually reply.
Do people calling from a landline receive the text? Generally, no, since landlines usually can't receive texts. The call stays visible in your history, and the best thing to do is call those people back during your callback time.
What about calls from other brokers? They receive the same text. Many cooperating brokers actually appreciate being able to confirm a showing in writing rather than playing phone tag.