5 AI Buyer Inquiry Responses for Real Estate

Generic AI vs. Context-Powered AI

The difference between a prompt with no context and a prompt built with a Context Card.

Before Generic AI Output

Hi! Thanks for your inquiry about 123 Main Street! I'd love to help you with your home search. When would be a good time to chat? I'm available anytime! Looking forward to connecting with you!

After Context Card Output

Hi Sarah—saw your inquiry on the Fieldstone Farms listing on Zillow. Quick answer to what you're probably wondering: yes, it's still available. The seller just reduced by $15K last week, and there's one other showing scheduled for Saturday. The lot backs to the common area (no rear neighbors), which isn't obvious from the photos. Also worth noting: Williamson County Schools, and the HOA covers the community pool. Want to see it this week? I have Thursday at 4 or Friday at 10 open. Reply with what works and I'll confirm.

The 'Before' could be sent to any lead about any property. The 'After' answers the implied question, adds insider info, and offers specific time slots. The agent loaded the listing details into the Materials step so the AI could respond with substance, not filler.

Full Examples with Prompts

1

Zillow Inquiry: First-Time Buyer with Questions

An agent receives a Zillow inquiry from a first-time buyer who asked 'Is this home still available? What are the HOA fees?' The agent wants to respond quickly with answers and move toward a showing.

H - Hero

You are a buyer's agent responding to an online inquiry. Your tone is helpful, knowledgeable, and moves the conversation toward an in-person showing. You answer questions directly before asking your own.

O - Outcome

Write a response to a Zillow inquiry that answers the buyer's questions and offers specific showing times.

M - Materials

Buyer name: Jessica. Inquiry: 'Is this still available? What are the HOA fees?' Property: 3BR/2BA, $385K, Lenox Village, Nashville. HOA: $175/month, covers pool, gym, exterior maintenance. Property is active, one offer fell through last week. 5 minutes from I-65. Agent has Thursday 3 PM and Saturday 10 AM available.

E - Execute

Answer both questions in the first two sentences. Add one piece of insider information the buyer can't get from Zillow. Offer exactly two showing time options. Under 100 words. No exclamation points.

Prompt

You are a buyer's agent responding to a Zillow inquiry.

Write a response answering the buyer's questions and offering showings.

Buyer: Jessica. Questions: 'Is this still available? What are the HOA fees?'
Property: 3BR/2BA, $385K, Lenox Village, Nashville. HOA: $175/month (pool, gym, exterior maintenance). Active listing—one offer fell through last week. 5 min from I-65.
Available times: Thursday 3 PM, Saturday 10 AM.

Constraints: Answer both questions first. One insider detail. Two time options. Under 100 words. No exclamation points.

AI Output

Hi Jessica—yes, the Lenox Village home is still available. HOA is $175 per month and covers the pool, gym, and all exterior maintenance. Something worth knowing: an offer fell through last week over inspection items that the seller has since addressed. That puts you in a stronger negotiating position than buyers who saw it the first time around. Want to see it in person? I have Thursday at 3 PM or Saturday at 10 AM open. Let me know which works and I'll get it confirmed. Looking forward to it.

Why It Works

The response answers both questions immediately (as the Execute step required), which builds trust before asking for anything. The insider detail about the failed offer gives the buyer strategic information she can't find on Zillow—and positions the agent as someone with real market access.

1

Realtor.com Inquiry: Relocating Buyer

An agent receives an inquiry from a buyer relocating from Chicago who's asking about the neighborhood and school district. The buyer hasn't visited Nashville yet.

H - Hero

You are a relocation specialist agent responding to an out-of-state buyer's inquiry. You provide the local context they can't get from a listing portal. Informative, warm, and organized.

O - Outcome

Write a response to a relocation buyer inquiry about a Nashville-area property, focusing on neighborhood and school context.

M - Materials

Buyer name: David and Maria. Relocating from Chicago. Inquiry: 'We're moving to Nashville for work. What's the neighborhood like? How are the schools?' Property: 4BR/3BA, $495K, Brentwood TN, Owl Creek subdivision. Brentwood High School (9/10), Owl Creek Elementary. Neighborhood: established, low turnover, community pool, 20 min to downtown Nashville, 10 min to Cool Springs retail. Agent has virtual tour available and can do a FaceTime walkthrough.

E - Execute

Address the relocation context first. Answer neighborhood and school questions with specifics, not generalities. Compare to Chicago where relevant. Offer a virtual showing option since they're out of state. Under 150 words.

Prompt

You are a relocation specialist agent.

Respond to relocating buyers' inquiry about neighborhood and schools.

Buyers: David and Maria, relocating from Chicago. Questions about neighborhood and schools.
Property: 4BR/3BA, $495K, Brentwood, Owl Creek. Brentwood High (9/10), Owl Creek Elementary. Established neighborhood, low turnover, community pool. 20 min downtown, 10 min Cool Springs.
Virtual tour and FaceTime walkthrough available.

Constraints: Address relocation context first. Specific neighborhood/school answers. Chicago comparison. Virtual showing offer. Under 150 words.

AI Output

Hi David and Maria—welcome to the Nashville search. Moving from Chicago, you'll find Brentwood is the equivalent of Naperville or Hinsdale: excellent schools, established neighborhoods, and a reasonable commute to the city. Specifics on Owl Creek: it's one of Brentwood's most stable subdivisions. Homes rarely turn over, which tells you what you need to know about how much residents like living there. Community pool, quiet streets, and families with kids at every age. Schools: Brentwood High is rated 9/10 and consistently ranks top 5 in Tennessee. Owl Creek Elementary feeds into it. Both are public. Since you're in Chicago, I'd suggest starting with a virtual tour of the home (link below) and then a FaceTime walkthrough with me so I can show you the details the camera misses—closet depths, street noise level, the actual view from the backyard. When's a good time this week for a 20-minute FaceTime call?

Why It Works

The Chicago-to-Nashville comparison (Naperville/Hinsdale) immediately gives the buyers a mental framework—something the Execute step specifically requested. Offering a FaceTime walkthrough (not just a virtual tour link) demonstrates personalized service and creates a real appointment, which is the conversion goal.

1

Website Lead Form: Vague Inquiry

An agent receives a lead from their website contact form with minimal information: just a name, phone number, and the message 'interested in buying in Nashville.' The agent needs to respond and extract useful information without overwhelming the lead.

H - Hero

You are a buyer's agent skilled at qualifying vague leads without being pushy. You ask smart questions that feel like a conversation, not an interrogation.

O - Outcome

Write a response to a vague website inquiry that begins qualifying the buyer through conversation.

M - Materials

Buyer name: Marcus. Message: 'interested in buying in Nashville.' Phone number provided. No property reference, no budget mentioned, no timeline given. Agent: handles all Nashville metro areas, specializes in first-time buyers and relocation.

E - Execute

Keep the initial response short—under 75 words. Ask exactly 3 qualifying questions that feel conversational, not clinical. Don't ask about budget directly—find a softer way. Offer to text since they provided a phone number. Warm but not overeager.

Prompt

You are a buyer's agent qualifying a vague lead.

Respond to a vague website inquiry and begin qualifying.

Buyer: Marcus. Message: 'interested in buying in Nashville.' Phone number provided. No other details.

Constraints: Under 75 words. Exactly 3 qualifying questions (conversational, not clinical). Don't ask budget directly. Offer to text. Warm but not overeager.

AI Output

Hi Marcus—thanks for reaching out. Nashville's a big market, so a few quick questions to help me point you in the right direction: 1. Are you already in Nashville or relocating from somewhere else? 2. Any neighborhoods or areas you've been looking at, or still exploring? 3. Is this your first home or are you selling one to buy the next? Happy to text if that's easier—I have your number. What works best for you?

Why It Works

The three questions extract timeline (relocating vs. local), area preference, and buying stage (first-time vs. move-up) without asking about budget directly. Question 3 indirectly reveals budget context: a first-time buyer has a different range than someone selling a home to buy up. The Execute step's 75-word constraint prevents the over-explaining that kills vague-lead responses.

1

Social Media DM: Instagram Listing Inquiry

A potential buyer DMs the agent on Instagram saying 'Love this house! Is it still available?' about a listing the agent posted. The response needs to match Instagram's casual communication style.

H - Hero

You are a real estate agent responding to Instagram DMs. Your tone matches the platform—casual, friendly, conversational. You're responding the way you'd text a friend, not the way you'd email a client.

O - Outcome

Write an Instagram DM response to a listing inquiry that confirms availability and moves toward a showing.

M - Materials

Buyer name from profile: Taylor. DM: 'Love this house! Is it still available?' Property: 3BR/2BA, $415K, East Nashville. Listed 3 days ago, strong interest, showing Saturday already booked. Agent has time Wednesday evening and Friday morning.

E - Execute

Match Instagram DM tone—short sentences, casual language. Confirm availability immediately. Create soft urgency with showing activity. Offer two times. Under 60 words. Okay to use sentence fragments.

Prompt

You are an agent responding to an Instagram DM.

Respond to 'Love this house! Is it still available?' about a listing.

Buyer: Taylor. Property: 3BR/2BA, $415K, East Nashville. Listed 3 days ago, strong interest, Saturday showing booked. Available: Wednesday evening, Friday morning.

Constraints: Instagram DM tone. Confirm availability immediately. Soft urgency. Two time options. Under 60 words. Sentence fragments okay.

AI Output

Hey Taylor! Yes, still available. Listed three days ago and already getting solid interest—Saturday showing is booked with another buyer. Want to get in before the weekend? I have Wednesday evening or Friday morning open. Let me know and I'll lock it in for you.

Why It Works

The response matches Instagram's casual DM style (sentence fragments, 'lock it in') instead of sounding like an email pasted into a DM. Mentioning the Saturday showing creates urgency without being pushy. Under 60 words respects the platform's quick-response culture.

1

Referral Lead: Introduction from Past Client

A past client refers a friend to the agent with an email introduction. The agent needs to respond to both the referral source and the new lead, acknowledging the relationship while positioning themselves professionally.

H - Hero

You are a relationship-driven agent who values referrals above all other lead sources. Your tone when responding to referrals is warm, personal, and acknowledges the trust being extended.

O - Outcome

Write two responses: a thank-you to the referring client and an introduction to the new lead.

M - Materials

Referring client: Jennifer Martinez (sold her home 8 months ago, stayed in touch). New lead: Her colleague Alex, looking to buy first home in Nashville, budget around $400K, no specific timeline. Agent: worked with Jennifer on a home sale, knows her communication preferences.

E - Execute

Thank-you note to Jennifer: under 50 words, genuine, mention you'll take great care of Alex. Introduction to Alex: under 100 words, reference Jennifer naturally, ask one low-pressure question, don't mention budget (Jennifer shared it privately). Keep both responses separate.

Prompt

You are a referral-focused agent.

Write two responses: thank-you to referrer and intro to new lead.

Referrer: Jennifer Martinez (sold her home 8 months ago). New lead: Alex, Jennifer's colleague. First-time buyer, Nashville, ~$400K (shared privately). No timeline.

Constraints: Thank-you under 50 words. Intro under 100 words. Reference Jennifer naturally. One low-pressure question. Don't mention budget. Keep separate.

AI Output

TO JENNIFER: Jennifer—thank you for sending Alex my way. That means a lot, and I don't take it lightly. I'll make sure the experience is as smooth as yours was. I'll reach out to Alex today. --- TO ALEX: Hi Alex—Jennifer Martinez suggested we connect, and I'm glad she did. She mentioned you're thinking about buying your first home in Nashville, and I'd love to help when you're ready. No pressure on timing. My first question is always the same: are you in the early exploring phase, or have you started looking at specific areas and properties? Either way, I'm here whenever you want to start the conversation. Looking forward to it.

Why It Works

The thank-you to Jennifer is brief and specific—acknowledging the trust, not just the referral. The introduction to Alex references Jennifer naturally without making Alex feel like a transaction. The single question ('exploring or specific?') qualifies without pressuring, and respecting the private budget information builds trust with both parties.

Pro Tips

1

Build a Context Card for each lead source (Zillow, Realtor.com, Instagram, referral) with source-specific response templates. A Zillow lead expects different communication than an Instagram DM.

1

Use the HOME Framework's Materials step to load listing details before responding. The difference between a generic 'thanks for your interest' and a substantive response is the property information you give AI to work with.

1

Apply the 5 Essentials to every lead response: Task (respond and qualify), Audience (buyer type and source), Channel (email, DM, text), Materials (property + showing availability), Style (platform-appropriate tone).

1

Run your response through the OODA Loop in 30 seconds: Observe the AI output, Orient it against what you know about this specific lead, Decide if the tone and content match, Act by sending or adjusting.

1

Always include specific showing times in your response. 'When would you like to see it?' generates fewer bookings than 'I have Thursday at 3 or Saturday at 10—which works?'

Learn the Frameworks

HOME Framework 5 Essentials Context Cards

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast should I respond to buyer inquiries?

Under 5 minutes is the gold standard—agents who respond within 5 minutes are 21x more likely to convert the lead. AI makes this possible by generating substantive responses in under 60 seconds. Load your Context Card, plug in the listing details, and send. Speed plus substance wins.

Should I use the same response template for every inquiry?

No. Use the 5 Essentials to customize: a Zillow lead who asked specific questions needs direct answers. A vague website lead needs qualifying questions. A referral needs a relationship-first approach. The HOME Framework structure stays the same—the content changes based on the Audience and Channel.

How do I prevent AI responses from sounding robotic to leads?

Two steps: load your Context Card with your actual texting/email voice (including contractions, casual phrases, and your real sign-off), and always specify the communication channel in your prompt. An Instagram DM response should sound like a DM, not like a formal email.

5 AI Buyer Inquiry Response Examples for Real Estate

Generic AI vs. Context-Powered AI

Full Examples with Prompts

Zillow Inquiry: First-Time Buyer with Questions

Realtor.com Inquiry: Relocating Buyer

Website Lead Form: Vague Inquiry

Social Media DM: Instagram Listing Inquiry

Referral Lead: Introduction from Past Client

Pro Tips

Frequently Asked Questions

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