Is it #Facetime for Estate Agents?

As consumers continue to rely more and more on their internet accessing devices, especially their mobile phones, should more estate agents be adopting #Facetime in how they showcase homes / offer viewings / open houses? Or would the industry see this as agents, especially if being used by ‘traditional estate agents’, being too close to ‘Online Estate Agents’ or ‘Hybrid Agents’?

“FaceTime is a videotelephony product—and from September 2013, also means a set of related protocols for voice over IP (VoIP) developed by Apple Inc. It is available on supported mobile devices that run on iOS and Macintosh computers that run Mac OS X10.6.6 onwards.” Quote from Wikipedia.

I recently was asked a few questions regarding estate agents and if they are adopting Facetime, most of what I say credits this form of showcasing property online and how it can help agents to attract more business and build stronger relationships with their clients and customers. Article can be read here.

If an estate agent offers consumers the chance to have a viewing via their mobile phones, then surely they have an edge over agents who do not offer this service (let’s face it that we take our mobiles with us practically every where we can to include our trips to the bathroom and I am sure many readers will have fallen asleep with their mobiles in their hand, right!?). Consumers lives are getting busier and the convenience of being able to view a house whilst at work or at home if you are looking after the children or haven’t got the use of the family car, maybe it is simply too far to travel to view that property or the ‘open house’ day you simply can not attend due to work commitments, then Facetime opens a whole new opportunity for the agent and the property owner / interested consumer.

It is a technology that is easy to use for the estate agent as you do not need a degree in marketing to use the App and neither do you need to be a Steven Spielberg to film a property – The consumer can likewise easily use Facetime as it only really requires them to answer their phone and view / ask questions such as can you go to the back of the garden to give me an idea of depth or would you mind walking around the kitchen again so I can get a feel for the size etc.

I would suggest that Facetime should be a standard option that all estate agents should offer, maybe just by a logo on their website? More and more businesses are using live streaming video, especially with the likes of Periscope, there is no reason why estate agency can not do the same. We have moved on a lot since YouTube came on the scene with our mobile phones becoming great image and video capturing devices and also they are entertainment  products as they nearly all have big colour screens that makes for easy viewing for not only videos we enjoy watching, but also for viewing property!

I was with someone just the other day who was watching something on their new Samsung watch so that is another avenue… You can literally have a viewing of a property on your wrist these days, search for the ‘right property‘ by watching it on your watch… If that makes sense!

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

How the Final Week Before Moving Day Makes or Breaks a Sale

If you’ve ever had a client who swore they dotted their i’s and crossed their t’s a week before moving day, you probably already know what this post is about. Most people think the hard part’s over once contracts are signed and moving vans are booked. But if you’ve been in this business long enough,…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Crafting Your Ideal Workspace: Desks and Chairs for Productivity

Creating a workspace that helps you stay focused and productive starts with the basics. The desk and chair you choose are not just pieces of furniture. They influence your comfort, posture, and ability to concentrate throughout the day. A well-planned setup can make a noticeable difference in how efficiently you work. Choosing the Right Desk…
Read More
Breaking News

New research spotlights AML compliance vulnerabilities for estate agents

This comes amid the news that almost 200 estate and lettings agents have been fined by HMRC for AML failings New research from client due diligence platform Thirdfort reveals that senior managers in estate agencies are not taking AML compliance seriously enough. Despite many taking the threat of money laundering very seriously, some 54% of…
Read More
Breaking News

House survey enquiries surge in 2025

Enquiries for house surveys have risen sharply in the first half of 2025, up over 83% compared to the same period in 2024. More buyers are taking the condition of a property seriously before committing, showing a clear shift towards due diligence.  Compare My Move’s research reveals that Level 2 and Level 3 house surveys…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Price is key as sellers compete for buyers with big July price drop

The average price of property coming to the market for sale drops by 1.2% (-£4,531) this month to £373,709. With the number of available homes still at a decade-high level, summer sellers are pricing even more competitively to attract buyer interest: London is the biggest regional driver of new seller asking price falls this month…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

5 Top Tips for Improving Your Home for Selling

Selling your home can be a lengthy process, often with a long wait for potential buyers to view and make an offer on your property. However, there are ways you can speed up the process and make your home appealing to the masses for a quick sale. If you’re hoping to create the vision of…
Read More