To follow up after a valuation or viewing with no reply, send a recap the same day with the next step in it. Two working days later send one useful thing. After a week ask one question they can answer in a word, such as what would decide it. Close politely at two weeks and put a date in your diary to try once more.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Same day | A recap and the next step |
| Day 2 and day 7 | One useful thing, then one easy question |
| Day 14 | A polite close and a date to look again |
The method
“Losing the listing to a competitor after going out to the Val”One of three problems offered to estate agents in a poll in a UK Facebook group. It is what this page is for.
- Send a recap the same day, while you are still fresh in their mind. Say what you saw, the figure or range if you gave one, and the next step with a date.
- Two working days later, send one thing they did not have: a recent sale on their road, a date for photography, or a viewing slot. Add one fact, not three.
- A week after the valuation or viewing, ask what would decide it. A seller may be comparing fees, a marketing plan or timing. A buyer may be unsure about one room or the price. One question, easy to answer.
- At two weeks, close the loop. Say you will leave it with them, ask if they chose someone else, and tell them when you will look again.
- Log each message and the date. Whatever happens, set the next date before you close the file.
3 messages to adapt
Replace every [BRACKET] with a real fact. If you cannot, delete the line.
- Same day, after a valuationSubject: Your valuation of [ADDRESS]Hi [NAME], Thank you for having me at [ADDRESS] today. As we said, I would market it at [FIGURE OR RANGE YOU GAVE]. Next step: [WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, WITH A DATE]. If you want to compare it with another agent, that is fine. Tell me what matters most to you and I will answer that first. [YOUR NAME]
- A week on, ask what decides itSubject: [ADDRESS]: what would help you decide?Hi [NAME], I have not heard since the valuation on [DATE], so I will ask. Is there something that would help you decide: my fees, how I would market it, or timing? A one word answer is fine. [YOUR NAME]
- After a viewing, a three-way questionHi [NAME], thanks for viewing [ADDRESS] on [DAY]. Which is closest: 1 = not for you, 2 = maybe, I would like to think, 3 = I would like a second viewing? Any answer helps.
When to send them
- Same day for the recap. Two working days later for the first nudge. A week after the visit for the question. Two weeks for the close.
- That is three messages after the recap. The free tool stops flagging after three chases so you do not keep going.
- If they ask for time, such as "after we have been away", put that date in "Don't chase before" and write on it.
What to avoid
- Writing "just checking in" and nothing else.
- Pushing a price cut or a fee cut in the follow-up. It undermines what you said in the room.
- Inventing interest: "I have another buyer who is keen" only if it is true.
- Calling every day. Silence for a week is normal while people compare.
- Skipping the same-day recap. It is the message most likely to be read.
Keep the messages about the property they asked you about. For anything that reads as a promotion, check the consent rules where you work. Not legal advice.
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See who is due today
Who to chase today
Paste the people you are waiting on, or type them in. It shows who to chase today, and why, and who can wait. It runs in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.
Prefer a spreadsheet? The free follow-up desk works in Excel and Google Sheets.
Questions people ask
How long should I wait before following up after a valuation?
Send a recap the same day. Then wait two working days for the first nudge. That is our advice, drawn from how agents describe doing it.
What if they have gone with another agent?
Ask them in the close message. Most will tell you in a line. Note the reason and the date, and try again after the other agreement would end, if you know it.
Should I call or text?
Use what they used with you. A call is fine for a seller you have met. After a viewing, a text with three options is easier to answer.
Is it pushy to ask why they chose someone else?
No, if you ask once, politely, and accept the answer. Many agents never ask, so you learn what they do not.