Real estate answering service for agents and brokerages
A real estate answering service picks up when an agent is at a showing, a closing or asleep, collects the caller's name, number and property, and passes it to the right agent. Published live bills range from $349 to $1,965 a month at 60 to 200 calls, assuming three minutes per call, with setup fees and taxes extra and a Ruby quote required above 500 minutes. Phoner is a cloud business phone system with no live answering service or AI receptionist. Team costs $68 a month for four users billed yearly to route sign calls to your agents or an outside service.
A buyer calls the number on a yard sign while standing in the driveway. If the listing agent is mid-showing, that call goes to voicemail and the buyer calls the next sign down the street. For a team of two to ten agents the question is practical. Can another agent pick up now, or should a receptionist take the details and have the right agent call back within minutes?
TEAM $17/USER/MO BILLED YEARLY · $35/USER/MO BILLED MONTHLY · YOUR AGENTS ANSWER OR YOU FORWARD TO A LIVE SERVICE
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02 · Your phone menu
03 · Incoming call
Press a key to answer the menu yourself
Voicemail to text
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Call sheet
Today
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$68
Per month for four users on Phoner Team billed yearly, with schedules, ring groups, forwarding, texting and voicemail to text
$349
The lowest published bill at 60 calls and an assumed 180 minutes, at PATLive and at AnswerForce before its $75 setup fee
3 minutes
Our assumed call length for the live price comparison, not a vendor figure or a measured brokerage average
Per call
Smith.ai bills by the call, so a long conversation with a serious buyer costs the same as a short one
Get the next sign call to an agent while the buyer is still outside the house
01
Sign calls reach a person or a clear next step
A ring group can reach the listing agent, then the team partner, then a live service. A receptionist can ask which property the caller is looking at, take a name and number, and tell the buyer who will call back and when. That beats a voicemail box no one checks until evening.
02
Portal and web leads are not left waiting
A buyer who clicked a listing wants an answer in minutes. When your agents cannot call back at once, a live service can confirm the property, the price range and the best time to call, then text or email that summary to the agent on duty. Set the speed target before you pick the plan.
03
Showing requests and open house questions get captured
Callers ask to see a house tonight, ask whether a listing is still available or want the open house hours. A receptionist can collect the request and pass it on. Anything about price negotiation or offers should go to a licensed agent.
04
Agents keep the calls they should answer
Use Phoner Team business-hours schedules, ring groups and cell forwarding so listing calls ring the agents first. Only the overflow goes to a live service, which keeps its bill tied to calls that actually need a receptionist.
How to set up real estate call answering
Give every listing number a destination and a backup
List who answers calls for each agent and each listing source: yard signs, portal leads, the brokerage main line. Name a backup agent for each. A listing agent at a showing needs another route that rings someone else or goes to the service.
Write the intake script around the property and the callback
Ask for the caller's name, number, the address or listing they mean, whether they are buying or selling, and the best callback time. Keep the script short. Tell the service which questions an unlicensed receptionist should pass to an agent, such as price negotiation and offers.
Decide what happens after hours and on weekends
Weekends are when many buyers shop. Choose whether the service answers every hour or only when agents are busy, and how urgent leads reach an agent by text. Smith.ai lets you set answering hours, and calls outside them can go to a number you choose.
Test with a sign call, a portal lead and a showing request
Call each number while the agent is busy. Check that the service reached the right property, the right agent got the message quickly, and voicemail to text arrives when no one answers. Fix the routing before you advertise the number.
Billing terms that change what a real estate team pays
Agents take short calls and long ones, mostly at odd hours. Published billing terms decide whether our assumed call volumes resemble your invoice.
Per call billing at Smith.ai
Smith.ai bills by the call, not by the minute, and says the price is the same whether it answers 24/7 or two hours a day. Spam and wrong numbers are not charged as long as the lines you forward pass caller ID. Its plans carry 30, 90 or 300 calls, with overage of $11.50, $10.50 or $8.50 a call.
Source: Smith.ai, plans and pricing
Routing numbers for agents in a firm
Smith.ai's own FAQ names real estate agents in a firm as an example of individual routing. The Basic plan includes two transfer destinations, Pro includes ten, and additional destinations are $15 a month. A brokerage with five agents on Basic would pay for three more.
Source: Smith.ai, plans and pricing
Intake questions and add-ons
Smith.ai lists up to five short intake questions per call, with an address for real estate as one of its examples. Booking an appointment is $1.50 a call, text and email follow-up and SMS or Slack notifications are $0.50, and call recording with transcription is $0.25. These add to the plan price.
Source: Smith.ai, plans and pricing
Short interactions and rounding
AnswerForce does not charge for the first 30 interactions under 30 seconds per billing cycle. Interactions are rounded up to the nearest minute, and English and Spanish are included on all plans. A mix of quick sign call hang-ups and long buyer calls prices differently from a flat average.
Source: AnswerForce, plans and pricing
Live receptionist time
PATLive bills only live receptionist time, rather than message write-up after the call. Ask how it treats transfers and time spent trying to reach an agent. Select a plan using calls actually forwarded to the service, excluding those your team answers.
Source: PATLive, published pricing
Abby Minutes and Ruby rounding
Abby Connect counts an AI minute as half an Abby Minute and charges overage at the plan's own minute rate. The comparison assumes live minutes. Ruby bills in 60-second increments rounded up and publishes no overage rate, so its 600-minute cell needs a quote rather than an invented charge.
Which real estate calls a receptionist should take and where they go
A receptionist can capture a request and hand it off. Negotiating price, advising on an offer or discussing representation belongs to a licensed agent. State rules vary, so have your broker review the script.
| Caller | What they need | What the receptionist can do | Where the call should go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buyer calling a yard sign | Price, availability and a showing | Confirm the property, take contact details and the best callback time | Listing agent now, or the agent on duty for a fast callback |
| Portal or web lead | A quick answer about a listing they just saw | Capture the listing, budget range and timing, then send the summary to the agent | Agent on duty, with a text alert so the lead gets a call within minutes |
| Showing request | A time to see the house | Collect preferred times and whether they have a lender letter, without confirming access | The listing agent or showing coordinator who controls the calendar |
| Seller asking about a listing | A valuation or a listing appointment | Take the address, contact details and timing, without estimating a price | Listing agent or team lead for a valuation call |
| Open house visitor | Hours and the address | Give approved hours and the address, then take a callback number | Agent hosting the open house |
| Another agent or a lender | A status update or a document | Take a message with the file number and the callback number | Transaction coordinator or the named agent |
| Past client or tenant | A repair contact or a referral | Take the message and route to the named contact | Assigned agent, or the property manager for a rental |
Swipe sideways for the full table
Reception can pass on a request but should not negotiate, advise on an offer or promise availability or access · This is an operational starting point, not legal advice, and rules vary by state and brokerage
Real estate answering service bills at 60, 120 and 200 calls
Cheapest published plan or plan plus overage, rounded to whole dollars. Three minutes per call is our planning assumption, not a vendor figure or measured brokerage average. Smith.ai live bills per call. Phoner Team supplies four users billed yearly, without receptionists. Setup fees appear separately.
| Calls a month | AnswerForce | PATLive | Moneypenny live | AnswerConnect | Abby Connect | Ruby | Smith.ai live | Phoner Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 calls, about 180 minutes | $349 plus $75 setup | $349 | $422 | $350 plus $49.99 setup | $592 | $720 | $645 | $68 |
| 120 calls, about 360 minutes | $500 | $592 | $728 | $506 | $1,078 | $1,725 | $1,125 | $68 |
| 200 calls, about 600 minutes | $854 | $938 | $1,152 | $888 plus $49.99 setup | $1,656 | Quote above 500 minutes | $1,965 | $68 |
Swipe sideways for the full table
AnswerForce Intro 200 min $349 plus $75 setup and $2 a minute after, 300 min $389 and Growth 500 min $669 with $1.85 a minute after, read October 23, 2026 · PATLive 200 min $349, 300 min $479 plus $1.89, 500 min $759 plus $1.79, read October 25, 2026 · Moneypenny live 200 min $422 plus $1.91, 500 min $985 plus $1.67, read October 15, 2026 · AnswerConnect 200 min $350 plus $49.99 setup and $2.50 after, 300 min $395 with no setup and $1.85 after, 550 min $795 plus setup and $1.85 after, read October 20, 2026 · Abby Connect 100 Abby Minutes $329, 200 $599, 500 $1,380, overage billed at the plan's own minute rate, read October 25, 2026 · Ruby 200 min $720, 500 min $1,725, no published overage, read October 25, 2026 · Smith.ai live 30 calls $300 plus $11.50, 90 calls $810 plus $10.50, re-read October 30, 2026 · Phoner Team is four users at $17 billed yearly and supplies the phone system, not receptionists · Taxes extra everywhere
When a live answering service is the better buy
Phoner is a cloud business phone system, not a live answering service, and has no AI receptionist. It routes calls to people you choose. Your phone-system bill does not include someone to take details while every agent is out.
A phone menu can lose an impatient buyer
An IVR phone menu can separate buyers, sellers and rentals, but a buyer at a yard sign may hang up before choosing. Keep the greeting brief and test direct ringing first. If callers need a person while every agent is busy, a live service can be a better fit.
Nobody can answer during showings and open houses
When all your agents are out at once, a live service is the better buy if you need someone to answer. Phoner can forward those calls, but the service's fee is separate from your phone-system subscription.
Phoner does not qualify leads or book showings by phone
Phoner does not interview callers, check a lender letter or book showings on a calendar. Voicemail to text transcribes what callers leave. Use staff or a live provider for guided intake and booking.
Phoner is not a CRM and does not post to your portals
Calls and texts are logged in Phoner, but lead routing from portals and your CRM stays in those tools. Decide who gets each lead first and what the phone does when no one answers.
Ways a real estate team can cover incoming calls
Agents share the sign call route
Ring the listing agent first, then the team partner, then the service. Put one number on every yard sign so the route can change without reprinting. Test the backup at a real showing time.
Real estate phone systemA coordinator takes the overflow
A team assistant can answer when agents are out and pass leads along. Use a ring group so the coordinator and one agent ring together, and send the remaining calls to voicemail to text.
Real estate phone systemThe solo agent buys showing-hour coverage
Forward to a live service only during showings and evenings, with the service told which questions to pass to you. Review the bill against the calls it actually answered.
Small business phone systemA brokerage uses one number per office
Give each office a local number and a schedule, and send after-hours calls to a service. Routing numbers for each agent may add cost at a service, so count destinations before you choose a plan.
Small business phone systemCompare a live real estate answering service with routing to your agents
Separate sign calls, portal leads, showing requests and seller inquiries. Each needs a different speed. A sign call needs an answer in seconds, a portal lead in minutes, and a seller inquiry the same day. An IVR phone menu can separate buyers from sellers, but test it as a buyer would. Every extra option is a chance for a call to end.
Three minutes per call gives plans a common comparison basis. It does not predict a long call with a motivated buyer. Ask providers to price your expected mix, including rounding, transfers, setup and attempts to reach an agent. Our answering service cost guide explains allowances and overage. A larger allowance can cost less than a smaller plan with excess minutes. Per-call services add feature charges on top, which our Smith.ai add-on costs breakdown works through.
Many real estate calls come in when agents are busy, not when the office is closed. For lunch or showing hours, business call forwarding can send only those calls to the provider you choose. The after hours answering service comparison helps with the evening and weekend case. Give the service your escalation list so urgent leads reach an agent by text.
For a routine message, voicemail to text helps agents read what was left and return the call from the car. Phoner Team includes business-hours schedules, ring groups, cell forwarding, texting, toll-free numbers and call recording. Provide any required recording notice. Team costs $17 per user per month billed yearly or $35 billed monthly. Starter costs $9 per user per month billed yearly or $19 billed monthly. Receptionists and lead qualification come from people you employ or engage separately.
Real estate answering service questions agents and brokers ask
Published live bills range from $349 to $1,965 a month at 60 to 200 calls, assuming three minutes per call. Setup fees and taxes are extra, and Ruby requires a quote above 500 minutes. Phoner Team costs $68 monthly for four users billed yearly and supplies the phone system, without receptionists.
Yes, but the plan matters. Smith.ai includes two transfer destinations on Basic and ten on Pro, with extra destinations at $15 a month. Other services route to a list you provide. Count the agents and teams you want reachable before comparing plans, because each destination can add cost.
Some services can book appointments on your calendar, usually for an added fee. Smith.ai lists appointment booking at $1.50 a call. Confirm access rules with the listing agent, because a receptionist should not promise a showing time that depends on the seller or a lockbox.
Forwarding works when someone can pick up within a few rings. A live service is better when every agent may be in a showing at once and callers need a person. Phoner Team supports the forwarding side, but it supplies neither receptionists nor lead qualification.
It should ask for the caller's name, number, the property or listing they mean, whether they are buying or selling, and when to call back. Keep it short. Negotiating price or advising on an offer belongs to a licensed agent, not the receptionist.
Yes, you can forward calls during those gaps and have your agents answer the rest of the day. Confirm the provider supports your schedule and price only the calls it will receive. Phoner Team includes business-hours schedules and forwarding. The service bills separately.
Each provider sets its own counted time and rounding rules. AnswerForce rounds up to minutes with a short-interaction allowance, while PATLive counts live receptionist time. Abby Connect uses Abby Minutes and plan-rate overage. Ruby rounds up in 60-second increments with no published overage rate. Smith.ai live bills per call.
Keep reading
AC-01
Answering service cost
Compare included minutes, setup charges and overage before choosing coverage.
Answering service costAH-01
After hours answering service
Price the evenings and weekends when your agents cannot answer.
After hours answering serviceAS-01
Phone answering service
Work out whether your team needs a receptionist or a route to staff.
Phone answering serviceRT-01
Call routing software
Assign sign, portal and showing calls a destination with a backup.
Call routing softwareIA-01
Insurance answering service
See how another licensed profession handles intake and handoff.
Insurance answering serviceCF-01
Business call forwarding service
Forward calls to available agents or your chosen live provider.
Business call forwarding serviceRE-01 Real estate · Your line is open
Give the next sign call a route to an agent
Ring your available agents, keep showing requests with the right person, or forward uncovered hours to a live provider. Phoner Team costs $17 per user per month billed yearly or $35 billed monthly. Your staff or the service you choose provide the human response.
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