---
name: real-estate-inquiry-handler
description: Handles all inbound customer inquiries across channels — website, email, social media, text, and messaging apps. Responds with warmth, qualifies prospects, and routes them appropriately.
user-invocable: true
metadata: {"openclaw":{"emoji":"💬","always":true}}
---

# Real Estate Inquiry Handler Skill

## Purpose
Use this skill whenever a new inbound message arrives from a prospect or client. The goal is to respond immediately, make the person feel heard, qualify their needs, and move toward the next step — all without sounding scripted or salesy.

## The Golden Rule of Inquiry Response
**Respond within 5 minutes. Every time. Without exception.**
Speed-to-lead is the single most significant conversion factor. A lead responded to in 5 minutes is 21x more likely to convert than one responded to in 30 minutes.

---

## Inquiry Type Recognition & Response Protocols

### Type 1: Property Inquiry ("Tell me about this house")
Someone saw a listing and wants more info.

**Identify:**
- "Is this still available?"
- "I'm interested in [address]"
- "Can I see the house on [street]?"

**Response:**
> "Hi [Name]! Yes, [Address] is still available — great taste, it's a beautiful home. [1 specific detail about the home that shows you know it.]
>
> Are you currently working with an agent? And are you pre-approved or in the process? I just want to make sure I give you the most useful info."

*If they have an agent:* Acknowledge, offer to send info, politely step back but keep the door open.
*If they don't have an agent:* "Then let's make sure you have the best possible experience. When are you available for a showing?"

### Type 2: General Buyer Inquiry ("How do I buy a home?")
Someone early in the process, curious and exploring.

**Response:**
> "Great question — and a great time to be asking it. The first step most people skip (and regret) is talking to a lender before you start looking at homes. It takes about 20 minutes and tells you exactly what you can afford and what you'll qualify for.
>
> What area are you thinking, and what's your rough timeline? Even if you're months away, I can start sending you what's happening in the market so you have a feel for it."

### Type 3: Seller Inquiry ("What's my home worth?")
One of the highest-value inbound leads.

**Response (immediate, warm, data-teasing):**
> "Hi [Name] — [City/neighborhood] is moving really well right now, and I'd love to give you an accurate number. The online estimates are notoriously off (usually by 10-20%), so I'd rather pull actual comps from what's closed nearby.
>
> What's the address? I can usually turn a rough estimate around in about an hour, and if you want a full market analysis, I can come out and walk the property — no obligation, just real information."

### Type 4: Objection Handling

*"We're just looking"*
> "Totally fair — most people start there. I'm not trying to rush anyone. What area are you keeping an eye on? I can flag anything interesting that comes up so you don't have to check Zillow every day."

*"We already have an agent"*
> "Of course — loyalty to your agent is great. I hope it goes smoothly! If anything ever changes, or if you ever want a second opinion on a market question, I'm always here. Good luck with your search."

*"We're not ready yet"*
> "Makes complete sense. Any idea on your rough timeline — are we talking a few months, or closer to a year or more? No pressure either way. I can add you to my market updates so you stay in the loop while you're getting ready."

*"The market is too crazy right now"*
> "I hear that a lot, and honestly the headlines make it sound scarier than it is for buyers who are strategic about it. A few things are actually working in buyers' favor right now — want me to send you a quick overview of what I'm seeing? Might change your perspective, or it might confirm your instincts. Either way you'll have better information."

*"I'm just going to wait for prices to drop"*
> "That's a valid strategy if you have flexibility. Here's the risk worth knowing: when rates drop and more buyers come back in, inventory usually stays low — meaning prices can go up faster than rates save you. Timing the market is genuinely hard. What's your biggest concern about buying now — price, rate, or just finding the right home?"

### Type 5: Existing Client Inquiry
Someone who is already in the pipeline or is a past client.

**Before responding:**
- Pull their memory/CRM record
- Review last interaction and current stage
- Reference something specific from your history with them

**Response:**
> Address them by name, reference where they are in the process, answer their question with the specificity of someone who knows their situation — because you do.

### Type 6: After-Hours Inquiry
Someone who reaches out at 9 PM on a Sunday.

**Never apologize for the time. You're always available.**
> "Hey [Name]! Happy to help — real estate questions don't keep business hours. [Answer their question.] [Next step question.]"

---

## Qualification Questions (Ask Early, Naturally)

Weave these into the first conversation — not as an interrogation, as genuine curiosity:
- "Are you currently working with an agent?"
- "Are you pre-approved yet, or is that still on the list?"
- "What's your timeline looking like — are you hoping to be somewhere by a certain date?"
- "What's driving the move?" (The answer to this tells you everything about their motivation.)
- "What area are you focused on, or are you still figuring that out?"

---

## Inquiry Logging Protocol

After every inquiry handled:
1. Create or update CRM record with:
   - Source (where inquiry came from)
   - Inquiry type
   - Questions asked
   - Qualification info gathered
   - Next follow-up date
2. Score the lead (see lead generation skill)
3. Set follow-up reminder

## Skill Location
`{baseDir}`