Imagine you are a pilot flying a demanding route. While you navigate the skies, you have a skilled team helping you manage communications and monitor the instruments. They also make sure all the passengers are comfortable during the flight. This coordination allows you to focus on flying the plane safely to its destination.
In the real estate world, you can liken the skilled team to real estate virtual assistants (REVAs). Aside from helping you navigate the business with utmost ease, they also help you save money. In fact, a Deloitte survey indicated that 70% of those who outsource tasks to third-party providers do so to save on costs.
A Real Estate Virtual Assistant team from STAFFVIRTUAL takes care of tasks that bog you down. Entrusting these responsibilities to our experts frees up valuable time so you can focus on your core business objective: growing your real estate empire.
What is a Real Estate Virtual Assistant?
A real estate virtual assistant is a remote professional who specializes in providing support to brokers, property managers, and real estate agents. They handle various tasks that are essential to the real estate business – from administrative duties to client management.
REVAs handle a vast array of administrative tasks like coordinating meetings, organizing property showings, and scheduling appointments. They guarantee a smooth workflow by ensuring you don’t miss any important engagements. Essentially, they make sure communication channels are efficient at all times.
Real estate virtual assistants take care of transaction coordination and ensure all the paperwork needed is accurate and submitted on time. They keep track of important deadlines to ensure every phase of the transaction is completed on schedule. It is their responsibility to make sure the transaction goes on without any hitch.
These specialists also act as multifaceted support systems as they take care of routine (but important) tasks on your behalf. This gives you time to focus on key tasks like building client relationships and closing deals.
1. Managing Administrative Tasks Efficiently
REVAs manage administrative tasks by leveraging technological tools and specialized skills. Let’s take a closer look at some of the important administrative tasks they handle:
Scheduling and Calendar Management
Real estate professionals have a lot on their plates. For starters, they have client meetings, property showings, and other engagements. REVAs simplify the process by managing the calendar accurately and scheduling appointments using tools like Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar.
Example: A real estate virtual assistant schedules property showings for a busy agent. This ensures there are no overlaps in the showings and the agent has ample travel time between appointments. They also send reminders to clients and agents so everyone is on the same page.
Document Management
Managing documents is a vital component of real estate operations. For transactions to be successful, REVAs create, manage, and maintain important real estate documents. For convenience, they use cloud-based storage solutions such as Dropbox or Google Drive.
Example: When clients sign a contract, they upload it to a shared Google Drive folder. They make sure the documents have the correct labels. They also set permissions so that only authorized users have access to these files, enhancing the security of transactions.
Email Management
Emails are one of the key communication tools in real estate. However, managing overflowing inboxes is tedious and time-consuming. REVAs respond to email inquiries and flag important messages while keeping them organized and manageable.
Example: They create filters and labels to sort emails into different categories like “client inquiries” and “new leads.” They also take care of basic inquiries and send out important emails for the agents.
Billing and Invoicing
Real estate VAs take care of financials like sending invoices and billing clients. They also track payments and ensure all transactions are accurate.
Example: REVAs generate invoices for clients at the end of each month using savvy accounting software like QuickBooks. Furthermore, they send the invoices via email. They also send reminders for due payments to ensure timely collections.
Coordinating Communication
Real estate virtual assistants manage communication among everyone involved in the transaction, including inspectors, contractors, and lawyers. This guarantees all the concerned parties are on the same page and transactions proceed as smoothly as possible.
Example: When a property goes under contract, they reach out to relevant parties. For instance, they coordinate with lawyers to prepare the closing documents. This helps minimize the agent’s administrative burden while ensuring transactions are on track.
2. Enhancing Customer Engagement
REVAs enhance customer engagement by providing personalized interactions. They also ensure prompt communication and efficient handling of client needs. Below are various ways they enhance customer engagement:
- Prompt and Consistent Communication: Real estate virtual assistants respond to client inquiries through email or phone and they make sure no prospects get overlooked. Case in point: when a prospect inquires about a property, they respond within hours. They also provide detailed information and schedule viewings when needed.
- Social Media Engagement: They post engaging content and manage social media accounts. They also respond to messages and comments from clients and prospects. Case in point: they foster a sense of community with social media followers. They ask them about their preferences when it comes to properties and also respond to comments and inquiries right away.
- Content Creation: They send out newsletters that offer information about new listings. Newsletters also contain updates and important market tips. Case in point: real estate virtual assistants send out newsletters, highlighting new properties. They also provide updates on market trends and tips for first-time buyers.
- Event Coordination: Real estate virtual assistants can enhance client engagement through organizing virtual tours and open houses. Case in point: they set up virtual open houses using Zoom and send invites to prospects. They also manage the Q&A sessions during virtual events.
3. Boosting Marketing Efforts
Virtual assistants leverage their knowledge in content creation and digital marketing. Let’s examine how they help take your marketing to the next level:
Content Creation
They attract prospective clients by creating high-quality content. They establish authority by providing valuable information through blogs and articles. They also provide market updates and other beneficial tips through videos and infographics.
Pro Tip: You can ask your virtual assistant to write a post on the top tips for first-time buyers. The content can be shared on your website and social media channels to establish your authority. This also helps drive traffic to your website and establish your position as an expert in the industry.
Email Marketing
To inform and engage clients, virtual assistants manage email campaigns including drip campaigns and personalized emails. This is critical to nurturing leads and maintaining relationships with current clients.
Pro Tip: Your virtual assistant can create weekly email newsletters featuring listings and open houses. They can segment the email list to ensure the content is relevant to different clients. For instance, they can send different newsletters to investors, buyers, and sellers.
Website Management
Virtual assistants ensure the real estate website is up-to-date and user-friendly. They also ensure it is optimized for the search engines. To improve the website’s visibility, they create compelling landing pages with proven SEO strategies.
Pro Tip: Have your virtual assistant optimize your content. Let them use meta tags, keywords, and high-quality images. You can also ask them to keep the listings updated to boost your website’s visibility.
Graphic Design and Branding
REVAs are skilled at creating visually appealing marketing materials like flyers and brochures. They can also create social media graphics and other branded content.
Pro Tip: You can ask your VA to design an engaging brochure for your house event. The brochures can be distributed digitally as well, through email and social media.
4. Improving Data Management
One of the ways REVAs improve data management is through database maintenance. This means they ensure all important information is accurate and accessible. They also ensure transaction details and property listings are up to date. To keep track of interactions and monitor lead status, they use CRM software.
In addition to organizing the database, they ensure data accuracy and integrity by updating existing records regularly. This guarantees that the information available reflects the most current data.
Security and privacy are other key data management aspects they can handle. They use best practices to safeguard sensitive information like financial records and client information. Prioritizing data security also helps keep data breaches at bay. It ensures you stay compliant with industry and legal standards.
5. Supporting Transaction Coordination
Virtual assistants provide invaluable support in transaction coordination. They ensure the whole process is efficient and smooth. Below are other ways they provide assistance in this area:
Pre-Contract Stage
They prepare and manage the required documents including offer letters and purchase agreements. They also work with appraisers and inspectors to schedule inspections, making sure the schedules are convenient for all the parties involved.
Contract to Close Stage
Real estate virtual assistants track milestones and deadlines like inspection dates and contingency periods. Reminders are sent out to clients and agents so no deadlines are missed. They liaise with title companies and lenders so all the documents are submitted on time. They also address all issues related to property appraisals, inspections, and financing.
Closing Preparation
REVAs review for completeness and accuracy. This includes making last-minute corrections or changes. They also schedule closing appointments to ensure all the parties are available.
Post-Closing
After completing the transaction, REVAs conduct follow-ups to answer any questions. This warrants all parties are happy with the transaction. They archive transaction documents and store them for future reference.
Premier Talent for Your Real Estate Business from STAFFVIRTUAL
A real estate virtual assistant enhances your business by taking over administrative tasks so you can focus on core activities. This results in increased growth and productivity. Ultimately, leveraging the expertise of a REVA guarantees more success in the competitive real estate industry.
Take your realty business to new heights with a Real Estate Virtual Assistant team from STAFFVIRTUAL. Our skilled professionals handle administrative tasks and transactions for better business focus. This gives you more time to close deals and expand your business. Don’t let administrative tasks get in the way of your success. Delegate them to our dependable team and experience the difference we can make. With STAFFVIRTUAL’s tailored services, you will enjoy impressive business growth. Call us today and take the first step towards a more successful real estate business!
Sources:
Deloitte Global Outsourcing Survey 2022 | Deloitte
8 Real Estate Documents to Keep–And What Happens If You Don’t | Realtor.Com
What is Accounting? The Basics of Accounting | Forbes
What is a Virtual Assistant, and What Does One Do? | Investopedia