Answering overseas buyers as a Dubai agent
Many Dubai enquiries come from people in another country, often in another time zone. They message at night, they cannot visit, and they are talking to other agents at the same time. Here is how to win those leads.
Reply within minutes, even while you sleep, with an automatic message in your own words. Send one link that shows the property, the permit number and your BRN. Offer a video call or a recorded walkthrough in place of a visit. Then set a date to call back at a time that suits their time zone, not yours.
Why overseas leads are different
- They write in their evening. Buyers in the UK are three or four hours behind Dubai. Buyers in India are an hour and a half ahead.
- They cannot visit. Photos, video and your answers are all they have.
- They check you. Many scan the advert’s permit QR code or look up your BRN before they reply.
- They ask several agents. The first clear reply usually gets the conversation.
The first reply
The first reply should arrive within minutes, even at 2 am. It does not need to answer everything. It should thank them, name the property they asked about, say who you are and say when you will be in touch. An automatic reply in your own words does this while you sleep.
One link, not twenty photos
Twenty photos in a WhatsApp chat are hard to forward. Overseas buyers often share a property with a partner or family member before they decide. One link that opens quickly on a phone, with the photos, price, size, permit number and your BRN, is easy to share, and your name stays on it.
Replace the visit
Offer a live video call from the unit at a time that suits them. If they cannot join live, record a short walkthrough on your phone. Go room by room, show the view from the windows, and say what you are showing as you walk. Buyers trust a slow, plain video more than a polished one.
Follow up in their time zone
Write the buyer’s country and the best time to reach them in the lead notes. Then set a date to call back at an hour that makes sense for them. A message that lands at 3 am does not make a good impression.
How My Property Pages helps
Every enquiry lands in your lead inbox, and the buyer gets an instant reply in your words. On the Pages plan and above, follow ups go out on WhatsApp on day 1 and day 3 until you mark the lead contacted. Each property page shows the permit number and is built to load quickly on a phone. Every lead has room for notes and a date to call back.
More guides
- What a Dubai property advert must show
- How to present an off plan property in Dubai
- My Property Pages for agents in the UAE
At a glance
| First reply | Within minutes, automatic, in your own words. |
|---|---|
| The link | One page with photos, price, permit number and your BRN. |
| Viewing | A live video call or a recorded walkthrough. |
| Time zones | UK three or four hours behind Dubai. India an hour and a half ahead. |
| Follow ups | Automatic WhatsApp follow ups on day 1 and day 3, on the Pages plan and above. |
| Notes | The buyer’s country and best time to call, on every lead. |
Start free How the lead inbox works
Questions
How fast should I reply to an overseas enquiry?
Within minutes if you can. Overseas buyers often message several agents at once, and the first clear reply usually gets the conversation. An automatic reply in your own words covers the hours when you are asleep.
Should I send photos or a link?
A link. It is easier to forward to a partner, it keeps your name and BRN on the property, and the buyer can open it again later without scrolling back through the chat.
What should my automatic reply say?
Thank them, name the property, say who you are and say when you will be in touch. Keep it short and personal, and do not promise anything you have not checked.
How do I show a property to a buyer who cannot visit?
A live video call from the unit, or a recorded walkthrough if the time does not suit them. Show every room and the view, and talk as you walk.