Our Approach
Real estate voice agent projects are fundamentally a lead-response-time problem with a showing-coordination mechanism layered on top. Our diagnostic quantifies the exact conversion rate decay curve for each hour of delayed lead response, then models the revenue impact of closing that gap. For Lakeview, the 4-minute Zillow response window and 2.3-hour average callback delay gave us a clear framework: the agent needed to provide meaningful engagement in seconds, not just take a message. We designed the qualification intelligence layer — buyer budget, timeline, financing status — to run in parallel with scheduling rather than as a separate step, because capturing that data during the scheduling conversation enables agent preparation that directly improves close rates. ShowingTime integration was the technical centerpiece, as booking capability is what differentiates this system from every virtual receptionist Lakeview had previously evaluated.
Challenge
Lakeview Realty Group's 16 agents were drowning in phone calls. Each agent received 25-40 calls daily from buyers wanting to schedule showings, sellers checking on listing activity, and leads from Zillow and Realtor.com who expected instant responses. Agents who were showing properties couldn't answer—and by the time they returned calls hours later, buyers had already scheduled with other agencies. The agency tracked their metrics obsessively: 62% of inbound showing requests went to voicemail during business hours, and only 18% of those callers ever called back. Zillow leads had a 4-minute response window before conversion rates dropped 80%, but average agent response time was 2.3 hours. The broker estimated they were losing 40+ showing opportunities per week across the team—at their 3.2% listing-to-close rate and $12,400 average commission, that translated to roughly $800K in annual lost commission revenue. They'd tried a virtual receptionist service, but it could only take messages—it couldn't check agent availability, access the MLS, or schedule showings. The result was an expensive intermediary that added another step without solving the core problem.
Solution
Real-Time Showing Coordination
The AI voice agent integrates with ShowingTime and the MLS feed to provide real-time property information and agent availability in a single phone conversation. When a buyer calls about a specific listing, the AI confirms the property is still active, describes key features from the listing data, answers neighborhood questions including schools and commute times, cross-references the listing's showing instructions (lockbox access, occupied vs. vacant, restricted hours) with the agent's Google Calendar, and books the showing directly in ShowingTime with automatic confirmation to both buyer and listing agent. This replaced the voicemail-callback loop that lost 82% of showing requests to competitor agencies who answered first.
Learn more about our AI voice agent services →Parallel Lead Qualification
During the showing scheduling conversation, the AI naturally gathers buyer qualification data including budget range, purchase timeline, must-have features, and financing status (pre-approved, exploring options, or cash buyer). This intelligence is logged to Follow Up Boss with a computed priority score based on urgency indicators like timeline and financing readiness. High-intent buyers are flagged for immediate agent follow-up. Agents receive a pre-showing brief via text that includes the buyer's complete qualification data, allowing them to prepare for every appointment with context they previously never had. This preparation directly contributed to the 58% increase in monthly closed deals from 12 to 19.
Learn more about our AI voice agent services →Multi-Call-Type Handling
Beyond showing requests, the agent handles four additional call types: listing status inquiries from cooperating agents who receive professional agent-to-agent communication, seller check-ins on showing activity and feedback summaries, new lead qualification from Zillow and Realtor.com portal sources, and general office inquiries. For portal leads where the 4-minute response window is critical before conversion rates drop 80%, the AI provides an 8-second average response time compared to the previous 2.3-hour agent callback delay. The agent distinguishes between call types through conversational context and adjusts its communication style accordingly. This response speed improvement alone accounts for a significant portion of the 218% increase in weekly showings booked.
Learn more about our AI integration services →Post-Call Automation & Agent Preparation
An n8n automation layer handles everything that happens after the call ends. Appointment confirmation texts go to both the buyer and the listing agent within seconds of booking. Automated reminder sequences fire 24 hours and 2 hours before each showing. The pre-showing buyer brief compiles qualification data, conversation highlights, and property-specific talking points into a single text message the agent receives 30 minutes before the appointment. For sellers, the system generates weekly showing activity summaries with buyer feedback aggregated across all showings, replacing the manual status update calls that consumed agent time. Cancelled showings trigger an immediate re-engagement workflow that offers alternative times, ensuring no interested buyer falls through the cracks.
Learn more about our AI automation services →Measurable Outcomes
+218%
Showings Booked Per Week
- Before
- 34
- After
- 108
-99.9%
Lead Response Time
- Before
- 2.3 hours
- After
- 8 seconds
+155%
Showing Request Answer Rate
- Before
- 38%
- After
- 97%
-80%
Agent Phone Time Per Day
- Before
- 3.5 hours
- After
- 0.7 hours
+58%
Monthly Closed Deals
- Before
- 12
- After
- 19
Key Takeaways
- Reducing lead response time from 2.3 hours to 8 seconds captured Zillow and Realtor.com leads within the 4-minute conversion window that agents physically cannot meet while showing properties.
- The pre-showing buyer brief transformed agent preparation: walking into appointments with budget, timeline, and must-have data increased close rates because agents could focus conversations on qualifying properties rather than qualifying buyers.
- Booking 108 showings per week versus 34 was achieved not by generating more leads but by answering the 62% of showing requests that previously went to voicemail during business hours.
- Monthly closed deals increased 58% from 12 to 19, demonstrating that showing volume and agent preparation compound to drive revenue beyond what either improvement delivers alone.
Why It Worked
Lakeview's results came from eliminating the fundamental timing problem in real estate: agents cannot answer phones while showing properties, but buyers expect instant responses. The AI voice agent bridged this gap by providing 8-second response times around the clock, capturing the 62% of showing requests that previously went to voicemail. The ShowingTime integration enabled immediate booking rather than message-taking, converting interest into appointments before buyers could call another agency. The parallel lead qualification during scheduling conversations was the unexpected multiplier. By providing agents with buyer intelligence before every showing, close rates improved because agents arrived prepared. The 58% increase in monthly closed deals reflects both higher showing volume and better conversion through preparation.
Implementation Timeline
Week 1
MLS & ShowingTime Integration
Built the MLS feed integration for real-time listing data, connected ShowingTime API for availability checks and booking, and mapped showing instruction rules for all active listings.
Week 2
Voice Agent Training & Call Flows
Trained the voice agent on property descriptions, neighborhood knowledge, and showing protocols. Built conversation flows for all five call types with natural transitions between scheduling and qualification.
Week 3
CRM Integration & Automation
Connected Follow Up Boss for lead logging and qualification scoring, built the pre-showing brief system, and wired up n8n workflows for confirmations, reminders, and agent notifications.
Week 4
Pilot & Full Deployment
Deployed to 4 agents for a one-week pilot, collected feedback on showing accuracy and call quality, then rolled out to all 16 agents with a training session on the new workflow.
Tools & Platforms
“The AI books more showings than our best agent's assistant ever did—and it works at 2 AM when someone finds their dream home on Zillow. The pre-showing buyer brief is the feature nobody expected but everyone loves. My agents walk into every showing already knowing the buyer's budget, timeline, and must-haves. Close rates are up because we're better prepared, not just busier.”
Jason Williams
Broker/Owner, Lakeview Realty Group
Frequently Asked Questions
- How does the AI check real-time property availability for showing requests?
- The agent connects to the MLS feed for listing status (active, under contract, pending) and to ShowingTime for showing availability windows. It cross-references the property's showing instructions (lockbox access, occupied vs. vacant, restricted hours) with the listing agent's calendar and the buyer's preferred times to find mutual availability, then books directly in ShowingTime.
- What information does the pre-showing buyer brief include?
- The text brief sent to agents before each showing includes the buyer's stated budget range, purchase timeline, must-have features, financing status (pre-approved, exploring, cash), and any specific concerns or questions raised during the scheduling call. A priority score flags high-intent buyers so agents can allocate their preparation time appropriately.
- Can the voice agent handle calls from other real estate agents about listings?
- Yes. Agent-to-agent calls represent one of five supported call types. The AI provides listing status, showing availability, seller instructions, and can book showings for cooperating agents just as it does for buyer calls. It distinguishes agent calls from buyer calls through conversational context and adjusts its communication style accordingly.
- How does the system handle Zillow leads that require a 4-minute response window?
- Portal leads trigger an immediate voice or text response within 8 seconds of inquiry submission. The AI qualifies the lead, answers property questions, and schedules a showing or agent callback during the initial contact. This 99.6% reduction in response time from 2.3 hours to 8 seconds captures leads that would have been lost to competitor agencies within minutes.
