Category: Human Resources

Is it time to hire an assistant for your real estate business?

Marci Sepulveda Leave a comment

The real estate business never stops, and now that listings can be seen online 24/7, many brokers like to say they are also available 24/7. As technology allows customers access to more information though syndication sites like Zillow and social media platforms, brokers find that their time working these channels cuts into time working with clients. Perhaps that’s why more than 80 percent of agents report using an assistant, many after only working 1-3 years in the real estate industry.  

Hiring an assistant can help to ease some of the day-to-day burdens you face, allowing you to work more efficiently and be more accessible to your clients. An assistant who is well trained can help you maintain your schedule, as well as assist with a number of other tasks:  

  • Marketing your services 
  • Marketing your listings 
  • Helping to build your brand  
  • Lead generation  
  • Managing your social media 
  • Utilizing technology to support your success 

In other words, they can quickly become an invaluable asset to your team, helping your business to grow and allowing you to reach your goals.  

Among those agents who don’t have an assistant, Chicago Agent Magazine reports that the top four reasons for not hiring an agent yet are:  

  1. I have no time to train or manage them 
  1. Too expensive (perception) 
  1. I don’t know where to find one 
  1. I’m not sure what I need them to do  

While the benefits of hiring an assistant are clear, it can still be difficult for many agents to make the jump from working alone to hiring an assistant to help lighten their load. And it’s even more difficult to find an assistant who already has training and experience in the real estate industry. Once you’ve hired an assistant, it’s crucial that you train him or her properly so that they can become an integral member of your team. Unfortunately, many agents report not having this necessary time to spend with their assistants — or they simply don’t know where to start in the training process.  

Which type of real estate assistant is right for you?  

There are typically three types of real estate assistants: licensed, unlicensed, and virtual. The type of assistant you will want to hire largely depends on your needs, what tasks you want completed, and what the license law requires in your particular state. Simply put, if you want your assistant to be able to do many of the listing and/or selling activities that you currently do, you will need to hire a licensed assistant.  

If you plan to have your assistant simply helping with administrative tasks and duties, such as maintaining your schedule, setting appointments, sending out prepared, placing ads, updating and maintaining your databases, and other general tasks, you probably don’t need a licensed assistant. Keep in mind that many states also allow unlicensed assistants to add or remove information from the MLS, access property lockboxes, place signs on properties, and deliver documents pertaining to listings.  

Virtual assistants are growing in popularity in many industries, including real estate. Virtual assistants are typically based out of their home or remote office and use technology to carry out many of the same tasks your in-person assistant would do. There are also benefits to hiring a virtual assistant, which includes more hiring options and reduced overhead costs.  If you’re wondering what kinds of things an assistant can take off your plate immediately, we can help with that.

Want to learn more?  

Once you’ve hired an assistant, the next step is proper onboarding and training. While an assistant’s tasks and daily workload are often determined by the needs of the employer and can vary widely, there are steps and systems that you can put into place to help your assistant succeed and thrive as part of your team.  

To learn more about developing your own onboarding and training program, sign up for the courses in our Assistants and Team Building tracks. If you’re looking for common leadership pitfalls to avoid, see our post on why real estate teams often fail.

AgentEDU® is a platform where agents at every level can come to watch 10-minute video courses for the many situations that successful agents must master. From essential to advanced level and everything in between, AgentEDU® courses help agents become top producers with increased earnings and a plan for continued growth. 

AgentEDU® is an Agent Publishing brand. For 18 years, Agent Publishing has been committed to providing residential real estate professionals with the information and training required to build successful and meaningful careers in their local markets. Agent Publishing’s influence extends to every career stage and reaches agents across print, digital, events and online learning. 

AgentEDU® is an Agent Publishing brand. For 18 years, Agent Publishing has been committed to providing residential real estate professionals with the information and training required to build successful and meaningful careers in their local markets. Agent Publishing’s influence extends to every career stage and reaches agents across print, digital, events and online learning. 

How to Recruit the Best Agents for Your Firm

Anne Hartnett Leave a comment

Having a real estate brokerage that is both efficient and successful is essential in improving sales and generating leads. Recruiting top talent is one of the most helpful ways to both delegate work load in order to free up your own time, but also to build up your company’s reputation.

This blog will explain the best practices to take in recruiting agents to your firm. You’ll see report findings from Engel & Völkers on what agents like best about their brokerages as well as tips on how to make appropriate offers to your new talent.

Mostly Satisfied

In a survey done by Engel & Völkers Americas, agents expressed overall satisfaction in their current state of employment. The company’s State of Real Estate Recruiting report found that around 96 percent of agents are satisfied, with 94 percent stating that they would remain at their brokerage for another year. Furthermore, 90 percent of agents said they would recommend their brokerage to other agents.

However, even with satisfaction rates in the nineties, 35 percent of agents stated that they consider leaving their brokerage at least once a year. Some of the top reasons for leaving include searches for better commission splits, increased lead generation opportunities and greater benefits.

Indeed, 38 percent of agents say they would leave their current brokerage for better commission splits. These are agents who are looking for a way out, and could possibly make a great addition to your own firm.

How to Appeal to Great Agents

One of the first things a managing broker should do to recruit top talent is to conduct research on agents they want to target. This is key to attracting them as well as in sorting out any agents who do not fit your needs or may be underperforming.

#1. Do Your Research

The Engel & Völkers report suggests brokers “thoroughly research these agents, and certainly before meeting with them have an understanding of their production level, style of doing business and reputation in the industry.”

#2. Provide Support and Leads

Kelly Stephens, vice president and managing broker at Engel & Völkers Atlanta North Fulton and Engel & Völkers Buckhead Atlanta, found that the two main things agents are looking for are support and leads.

#3. Location Matters

Location also matters for agents, with 72 percent stating they prefer to work in a brokerage with a physical office space. The report also notes that it’s important for managing brokers to highlight some of the other benefits, aside from splits, that agents will receive or lose by switching.

#4. Be Transparent

Being both transparent and upfront about your offerings is key in appealing to the best agents for your team. The way that you personalize your recruiting efforts to match the profile of the agent you hope to attract is key.

#5. Craft the Right Message

The report goes on to state, “Recruiting top talent is not something that will happen without a brokerage’s concerted effort into reaching prospects with the right message that will resonate.” The way that you reach out to these prospective agents will show them that you are doing in-depth research in the effort.

To learn more about building an efficient and successful team of real estate agents and other fundamental skills on running your business, start your seven-day free trial of AgentEDU and gain access to our “Team Building” course.

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AgentEDU® is a platform where agents at every level can come to watch 10-minute video courses for the many situations that successful agents must master. From essential to advanced level and everything in between, AgentEDU® courses help agents become top producers with increased earnings and a plan for continued growth. For a 7-day free trial sign up here.

AgentEDU® is an Agent Publishing brand. For nearly two decades, Agent Publishing has been committed to providing residential real estate professionals with the information and training required to build successful and meaningful careers in their local markets. Agent Publishing’s influence extends to every career stage and reaches agents across print, digital, events and online learning.