The real estate market is grappling with a shortage of independent data concerning property-related enquiries made outside normal business hours. Currently circulating figures, based on proprietary data collection by providers, vary considerably, ranging from 26% to 91%. These widely divergent values point to an inconsistent data situation and, consequently, potential service gaps.
A detailed analysis of frequently cited portal statistics shows that these are often misinterpreted. While operators of property portals publish their own surveys, there is a lack of a valid, industry-wide foundation that would allow for an objective assessment of demand outside core hours.
Discrepancy between enquiry times and availability
Independent research and studies have shown that the peak of enquiry activity from prospective clients occurs in the evening hours, more precisely around 20:48. This time falls significantly outside the regular office hours of most real estate agents and agencies. This discrepancy between peak customer demand and agent availability leads to inefficient processing of potential business opportunities.
The consequence of this information gap is that property professionals may not be optimally attuned to their clients' needs. An improved data foundation could enable agencies to adjust their staffing levels or more effectively deploy technical solutions, such as automated response systems or chatbots, to respond to enquiries even outside traditional business hours.
The investigation suggests that a more precise collection and evaluation of enquiry data outside normal business hours would be of high strategic value for the entire real estate industry. By better understanding the actual usage behaviour of their target groups, agencies can operate more competitively and increase customer satisfaction. This underscores the need for robust, independent data collection to make informed decisions regarding service optimisation.
