WhatsApp is steadily becoming the preferred method of communication when buying or selling a home

Estate agent, EastHaus, has reported that around 80% of offers made this year were over WhatsApp rather than a traditional telephone call

Related topics:  Business
Warren Lewis
23rd November 2017
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According to EastHaus, whereas even a couple of years ago they wouldn't have dreamed of taking an offer or putting it forward to the client without at least a telephone conversation, if not face to face, this is method has almost become extinct as Millennials become the prime demographic for property transactions in East London.

This form of communication has its pros and cons. Tone of voice can get lost in a written words, whether it be a message or email and this can lead to things being misconstrued. It is also true that a face to face conversation is a much better way of gauging emotion and sincerity which is hugely importent for building trust.

However with time being a big factor in most people's daily lives, messaging is a much faster and more efficient way to communicate. It is also recorded which avoids any confusion over what may or may not have been said.

95% of EastHaus clients work during the day and answering the phone is often not an option for them. In fact we regularly get emails enquiries for properties that state 'Do Not Call, email only'. So messaging or emailing is the only option.

This shift in the way business is being done should not however allow Estate Agents to become complacent or lazy. Estate Agents are paid a fee to provide service and that service should not slip just because traditional communication methods are not necessarily being used.

EastHaus run a traditional agency and have an exceptional track record with both our buyers and sellers because of the service we provide, changing to fit their needs. We have had circumstances where a whole group WhatsApp has been set up between the head of sales and the clients' entire family to be able to liaise re viewing times and ensure everyone is clear of what is going on.

One client even set up a Google calendar so that the family could enter their movements and we could add in viewings. We find its always useful to text or WhatsApp viewing reminder appointments, as on the occasion where someone needs to cancel, they are must more likely to respond to our message and let us know as its quick and easy to reply.

Phone conversations still very much have their place in agency and a traditional agency still very much has its place in the world of property but times are changing and as a famous American President once said “The price of doing the same old thing is far higher than the price of change.”

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