Current data from the PropTech company LightWork AI demonstrates that a significant proportion of enquiries to real estate and letting agencies occur outside regular business hours. An evaluation of calls, emails, and portal enquiries between July and September 2026 found that 43% of these contacts did not take place between Monday and Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
This finding is of great importance to the real estate industry, as it indicates a shift in customer communication. Prospective buyers, tenants, and renters appear to be increasingly using flexible times for their property research and enquiries, which falls outside traditional office opening hours.
Implications for Real Estate Agencies
For real estate agencies, this creates the need to adapt their availability and processing procedures. Those who only respond during core working hours risk losing potential leads or responding to enquiries with a delay. The analysis shows that continuous or extended customer support could be crucial to securing competitive advantages.
- —43% of enquiries are received outside core working hours.
- —The analysed period covered July to September 2026.
- —The data is based on calls, emails, and portal enquiries.
Strategic Adjustments and Technology Adoption
The results suggest that the use of technology, such as AI-powered chatbots or automated email response systems, could be an effective solution for efficiently processing enquiries even outside regular office hours. This allows for initial information to be provided and contact details to be collected until a staff member can personally take over communication. Such a strategy ensures that no enquiry goes unanswered and that customer satisfaction is maintained.
The LightWork AI study thus highlights a clear trend in the property market: digitisation is not only changing how properties are searched for and offered, but also expectations regarding agents' service hours. Agencies that act proactively here can significantly increase their reach and efficiency and consolidate their market position.
