Messaging operators as a finder

Operators reach you in three places, depending on how they found you. Questions about your listings land in Messages. Conversations from operator demand (and public profile inquiries) live on the Operator demand lane in Opportunities. Bounty conversations live on each deal page. You get an email for new messages, and you reply inside Zi-Find.

Messages: questions about your listings

When an operator contacts you from one of your listings, the conversation appears in Messages in your sidebar (on a phone, the Messages tab).

1. Open Messages and pick the conversation.
2. Read the operator's message and reply in the box at the bottom.
3. They get an email about your reply, and you get one about theirs.

If your listing hides the street address, this is usually where an operator asks for it.

Sharing phone numbers, emails and links

Plain messages are always free to send. Sharing contact details — a phone number, an email address or a link — goes through when either person in the conversation is on a plan that includes contact sharing, such as Finder Pro or a paid operator plan. Otherwise the message is held with a note asking you to upgrade or remove the contact details, and nothing is sent until you do.

Operator demand conversations

When you Reach out on an operator's request, your message is delivered privately to the operator by email. Their reply comes back into the conversation on that request, and you get an email.

• Open Opportunities → Operator demand → My engagements to find it.
• Press Reach out again to follow up.
• Neither side sees the other's email address in these conversations; replies are relayed.

See Working operator demand for plan limits.

Bounty deal threads

Every claimed bounty has a deal page (Track this deal on the card). Its thread reaches the operator, and anything you send there reaches them by email too.

Email notifications

To change which messages email you, open Account and look for your notification settings — for example Operator messages. If you turn email off, new messages still appear in the app.

Tips for getting replies

• Be specific: the property, the rent, what the owner has agreed to, and when it is available.
• Answer quickly. Operators often talk to several finders at once.
• Keep your fee flat for the work and agree it directly with the operator. Never make it depend on a lease being signed — and Zi-Find never takes a cut.

Good to know

• Zi-Find staff can see message threads to help resolve problems.
• Never share anything you wouldn't want forwarded, such as bank details, in a message.
• Need help with a conversation? Sign in and use the chat bubble in the bottom corner.

Why was my message blocked?

It contained a phone number, email or link, and neither you nor the operator is on a plan that includes contact sharing. Remove the details to send it now, or upgrade to Finder Pro.