Everyone knows that a person in charge of a real estate agency or an agent trying to sell an expensive property has so much on their plate. They barely get by with their core tasks (tasks that actually deal with clients), and wasting time on menial tasks like data entry and sorting emails could be an incredibly inefficient course of action. Why do that when you can hire a remote assistant - virtual assistant?
To help you understand why this is such a great idea, here are a few roles of a virtual assistant in real estate and how they can be useful to a real estate professional.
Table of Contents
1. Research
Finding a property on a listing is pretty easy. All you have to do is look it up on a site or an app, and there you have it. The problem lies in figuring out who the owners are and what kind of deed they have on it.
Then, there’s the job of checking the location and establishments in the vicinity. This may sound trivial to you, but the fact is that the seller slightly embellishes and omits facts depending on whether they’re in their favor. This is why you need someone independent and objective but, most importantly, someone looking out for your interests to do the research in question.
You also want them to look for properties with good pricing and upside potential. This is a bit more intricate; however, if you’re vigilant enough, you can check for future projects and then do your best to find properties with a good location.
Remember that all of these finds need to be entered into your database. Even the best analytical tool is only as good as the data you feed it. So, you need someone to put all the names, locations, addresses, prices, email addresses, etc. into the table.
This is a great job for a virtual assistant.
2. Handling paperwork
On paper, it may seem like paperwork is something that should always take place through a lawyer, however, this is usually not the case. The majority of these documents are boilerplates, and preparing them is really not that difficult; it’s just time-consuming.
Most of the time, you get templates and you just have to alter a few blanks - that’s it. Once you do it once or a few times, you understand it all. A virtual assistant for real estate is usually someone with a bit of experience in this industry, which means that this is likely a task they already had some experience with.
Now, with the majority of documents being in digital format and electronic signatures being legally recognized in most jurisdictions, this process is even simpler. Instead of having to memorize it all or depend on various organizers and scheduling apps, you’ll automatically receive notifications about documents that are signed or not signed.
You see, electronic signatures can minimize the number of necessary meet-ups between various parties engaging in this deal. An inspector can check out the place and sign a report, as well as put a signature on the work order, and you can have it in a matter of minutes. The problem with this speed is that a lot of busy real estate specialists can’t keep up with it. With the help of a virtual assistant, this should no longer be a problem.
3. Communication
Your assistants should be in charge of the initial steps of communication. In other words, they should be the ones in charge of outreach, cold calling, and scheduling.
Sure, the main role of a real estate agent is to communicate with clients and convince them to show more trust. The problem with this idea lies in the fact that not all communication requires their time. Sure, relationship-building can sometimes happen even through answering trivial questions, but what’s the problem with leaving customer support matters to a virtual assistant?
Keep in mind that having an assistant to handle this also boosts your reputation. Not having an assistant makes you appear less important and your timeless value.
A good assistant can also perform a sort of triage. In order to reach out to you, someone has to go through them first. Then, they either resolve the problem themselves or decide that the matter is worthy of your attention. In a way, they act as a filter.
Just remember that communication isn’t easy. This is why you need to be extra careful who you’re hiring. You need someone eloquent and responsible. You also want someone empathetic. Non-verbal communication matters even over email or the phone.
4. Handling online marketing
Previously, we’ve mentioned the importance of email communication, but what about email marketing? What about marketing in general?
You see, you want someone in charge of day-to-day marketing tasks, like updating content on your blog (perhaps even creating and curating content). Then, you need this content shared on your social media profiles and promoted this way.
Social media work alone can be quite exhausting. Not only do you have social media content to tend to, but you also need someone to answer questions in DMs, promote other people’s content, and even interact with people (partners and potential clients) in comment sections. In other words, social media content is as complex as it is.
With the help of modern analytical tools, you’ll have an easy job figuring out the success rate of your marketing activities. In fact, the latest analytical tools are powered with AI technology, which helps it generate insights in real-time (not just serve you raw data). Still, someone needs to use them, use these reports, and then send their summary to a real estate agent.
There’s no reason why this shouldn’t be a task of a personal assistant.
5. Managing Administrative Tasks
Virtual assistants play a crucial role in handling administrative tasks for real estate professionals. From research to paperwork, communication, and marketing, their support streamlines operations and enhances efficiency, allowing real estate agents to focus on core client-facing responsibilities.
6. Client Relationship Management
In the realm of real estate, maintaining strong client relationships is paramount. Virtual assistants can assist in managing client communication, scheduling appointments, and providing timely follow-ups, ensuring that clients receive exceptional service and support throughout their journey.
7. Market Research and Analysis
Staying informed about market trends and property insights is essential for success in real estate. Virtual assistants can conduct thorough market research, analyze data, and generate insightful reports to help real estate professionals make informed decisions and stay ahead of the competition. By leveraging virtual assistants' expertise in research and analysis, real estate agents can gain valuable insights into market dynamics and seize lucrative opportunities.
Wrap up
The last thing you need to understand is that you are the one who decides what tasks you delegate to an assistant and which of them you handle on your own. Our advice is to focus on money-making tasks, the creative process, and those scenarios where your personal representation is necessary. Still, you have full freedom to set this arrangement differently.