Well hello! Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Working from home is such a hot topic these days. I have the luxury of working from my home office as a real estate agent. I get to set my own schedule and decide what type of work I want to do in real estate. Below are the 5 must have traits of a virtual assistant in real estate. These are just a few of the important qualities to possess.
If you want to earn extra money working from home then consider starting a Transaction Coordinator business.
But, let me introduce myself before we get into it all. My name is Joni and I have been a licensed real estate agent since 1987 so you could say I've been around for a while and I’m so happy you found me and are here today!
One of the reasons I started blogging about working from home in the real estate niche is because I believe that this can be a lifesaver in terms of legitimately making money from home for so many people. Whether you have a real estate license or not.
I see so many women looking for legitimate jobs they can do from home.
They are just trying to make ends meet and there is a lot of scammy (is that a word?!) stuff out there. Am I right?
Stay at home moms that want to earn extra money, single moms that HAVE to earn money to stay financially above water. Just to be able to take care of their children. Maybe someone that is sick of the 9-5 grind working for someone else and wants to launch their own business from home. Working from home as a virtual assistant in real estate is a great option.
Virtual Assistant work focused in the real estate niche is one of the little known specialized niche jobs with a huge customer base, which means a lot of potential.
The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO)(link is external) estimates that there are about 2 million active real estate licensees in the United States.
That’s a lot of customers to market to!
Even if you do find a legit job working from home it is something that doesn’t pay a lot of money for the time you have to invest in working. That’s where working virtually in real estate comes in. There are so many opportunities.
You can start out in real estate as a virtual assistant however I recommend you start out as a Virtual Transaction Coordinator first for many reasons. Check out the blog post What is a Virtual Transaction Coordinator to learn more about what a virtual TC is and does.
You can also check out my blog post Virtual Assistant vs Virtual Transaction Coordinator to read why I recommend starting out as a TC.
In this post, I am going to talk about the top 5 traits you should have in order to work as a virtual assistant to real estate agents.
5 Must-Have Traits of a Virtual Assistant in Real Estate
1. Know the lingo
As with many different industry’s they all have their own lingo and acronyms that are only understood by people in their industry. Real Estate is no different.
We as agents forget that we talk sometimes to clients like they know what the heck we are talking about. We start talking in terms like CRM or SOI, or pending inspection, closing, title, escrow, etc.
Having an understanding of all the terms that agents use will help you understand what they are talking about so you can be an asset for them in their business.
2. Have a basic understanding of what a real estate agents business looks like on the inside
They are a lot of internal workings of the job of a real estate agent. The different tech platforms that they use, transaction timelines, working with their leads etc, the paperwork they need to complete. You can help when you understand what needs to be done and how you can relate the value you can add to their business.
3. Know how to show the value you can add in their business, which will show the agent how they can make more money
Real estate agents really excel when they are working with clients. Showing houses and getting listings are where they make their money. Not all the other stuff. The paperwork details, transaction timeline, social media marketing, and lead follow up tend to get overlooked in their business.
Showing an agent how you can take all those details off their plate (and do it well) so they can focus their time working with clients. This is what will help show them the value of your services.
SIDE NOTE OPPORTUNITY! This course will get you prepared to work as a Virtual TC confidently!
*Get your FREE Download* Grab the Ultimate TC Checklist and Starter Kit
If you want to learn more about how to earn money working from home as a Virtual TC, then check out The Virtual Transaction Coordinator Bootcamp.
4. Be Tech-Savvy
Being tech-savvy is a must. Knowing how to manage all the new apps, social media platforms, CRM’s, the multiple listing services (aka MLS), digital signing platforms such as Dotloop is important. You should have some experience or be a fast learner when it comes to technology within the real estate industry.
The more you are familiar and can catch on quickly the faster you will gain clients.
5. Professionalism, positive attitude, and patience
I think this one goes without saying. Being an independent contractor such as a Virtual Assistant requires great customer service skills to gain and keep clients.
Knowing how to communicate professionally and friendly over the phone and in an email is a must-have trait. Above everything else, knowing what you do is time sensitive so it's important to respond to clients, other agents, & vendors promptly. The real estate industry isn’t uptight and stuffy but you definitely need to have excellent communication skills and patience.
So, there you have it. 5 must-have traits of a virtual assistant in real estate blog post. I hope you found this info helpful in pursuing your career as a virtual assistant in real estate.
If you want to earn extra money working from home then consider starting as a Transaction Coordinator.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this blog. Have you thought about being a transaction coordinator or a virtual assistant?
Share your thoughts or leave a comment below. If you want to get in touch with me directly please email me at hello@inspiredhouseandhome.com. I would love to hear from you and I will respond back!
