Earlier this year, we analysed hundreds of conversations between homeowners and Acaboom’s AI Concierge to understand what people were actually thinking after a market appraisal.
The findings challenged a few assumptions.
Rather than asking broad questions about estate agents, homeowners were primarily seeking reassurance. They wanted confidence in the asking price, a better understanding of fees, clarity around marketing and answers to practical questions about selling.
Since then, we’ve analysed a much larger dataset containing thousands of homeowner interactions.
The larger dataset confirmed our original findings.
Homeowners are still looking for reassurance more than information.
But it also revealed something we hadn’t previously measured.
It shows not only what homeowners are asking, but how AI is helping estate agents continue the conversation long after the valuation appointment has finished.
Homeowners are looking for reassurance, not another valuation
Questions such as:
- “Why have you recommended £675,000 when another agent suggested £710,000?”
- “Is this asking price realistic?”
- “Should we market slightly higher first?”
- “What happens if we don’t get any interest?”
- “Would decorating first increase the value?”
The questions aren’t really about property prices.
They’re about confidence.
Homeowners want reassurance that they’re making the right decision.
That suggests the most effective valuers aren’t simply recommending an asking price – they’re giving homeowners confidence in the strategy behind it.
Fees are about understanding value
Our earlier research found fees were one of the biggest discussion topics.
The larger dataset shows homeowners are rarely asking one simple question.
Instead, they’re asking things like:
- “What’s included in your fee?”
- “Do you accompany viewings?”
- “Who negotiates offers?”
- “What happens after a sale is agreed?”
- “Can fees be negotiated?”
Again, these aren’t simply attempts to negotiate.
They’re attempts to understand value before making a decision.
Timing may be one of the biggest hidden influences
One of the strongest new themes to emerge wasn’t valuation or fees.
It was timing.
Homeowners regularly said things like:
- “We’re not ready yet.”
- “We’ll think about it after the weekend.”
- “We’re waiting until the children finish school.”
- “We want to carry out some work first.”
- “We’ll probably market later in the year.”
These conversations reveal homeowners who have already engaged with an estate agent but haven’t yet reached a final decision.
That’s a completely different follow-up conversation from someone who isn’t interested at all.
The real insight wasn’t what homeowners asked. It was how AI responded.
Across conversations where homeowners raised objections, concerns or uncertainty:
- In more than 7 out of 10 conversations, AI reinforced one or more of the estate agent’s own recommendations or key selling points.
- It did this by drawing directly on information contained within the individual proposal, rather than relying on generic AI responses.
- Almost two-thirds of conversations naturally progressed into another meaningful discussion after AI responded.
That tells us something important.
AI wasn’t simply answering questions.
It was reinforcing the estate agent’s advice.
When homeowners questioned the asking price, AI explained the reasoning behind that particular valuation.
When they questioned fees, AI didn’t simply discuss commission. It highlighted the value of services such as marketing, negotiation and sales progression.
Every answer was designed to continue the conversation using the advice already given by the valuer.
That has implications far beyond AI.
Every conversation generates Behaviour Intelligence.
Agents don’t just know that a homeowner viewed a proposal. They know what the homeowner is thinking.
Are they uncertain about the asking price?
Concerned about fees?
Comparing another valuation?
Waiting until the autumn?
Planning improvements before marketing?
That allows agents to prioritise the right homeowners, with the right follow-up, at exactly the right time.