Daily Responsibilities in the Life of a Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent really doesn't have a "typical" day. Each can be different, depending on the needs and demands of buyers, sellers, and other professionals they work with. The well-planned day you anticipate in the morning can turn on a dime, and this aspect actually appeals to many real estate professionals.

That said, most real estate agents begin their day by looking at a "hot sheet," which outlines the activity of the day before: what properties sold, new listings, price changes, and any other market activity. Regular office meetings can ensure that everyone is up to date and on the same page as well as the day kicks off.

Getting, Keeping, and Servicing Listings

Listings are the bread and butter of the real estate business, and they're available through Multiple Listing Service (MLS) databases. But an agent needs other leads, too, and they can get them from a variety of sources.

This aspect of the business can be pretty much a 24/7 job. It can involve cultivating word-of-mouth contacts with family, friends, neighbors, or other professionals, and even cold calling.

Working on Marketing

This could mean checking your lead stats or your website traffic statistics, or you might spend some time working up a new blog post topic. The key is never to set up some marketing and advertising strategies, then just forget about them. You must constantly monitor your marketing and the results you're getting.

Do your best to get your own expertise into your ads and internet campaigns. Showcase yourself, not just properties.

The Nuts and Bolts

Multitudes of action items, deadlines, and deliveries are involved when you're doing deals. A busy agent spends time each day getting paperwork to the right places, explaining contract items to clients, coordinating inspections, reviewing documents, and more.

If you don't like detail and long laundry lists of to-do items, you can find ways to streamline the process with technology, or you can hire an assistant. For example, with Evernote, a free website, agents can do task lists, maintain transaction folders, and accomplish many other things to simplify their work lives.

Working With Buyer Prospects and Clients

Working with buyer clients isn't just about driving them around, looking at homes or other properties. A great deal of preparation is involved in determining their needs, finding suitable properties, and gathering information to help your buyer clients make decisions.

And if you're listing properties? Be prepared to stage and show your properties, and to arrange and be in place for open houses. Many agents make it a routine to attend others' open houses and they take time to view each week's new local listings as well.

Some of today's real estate websites or third-party online sources can provide you with an IDX search solution tied to a customer relationship management system. When a buyer registers and uses the IDX, you can see the type, price range, and areas where the buyer is searching, as well as the homes they're viewing.

Keeping Up With Education

Continuing education to keep up with laws and the market is a big part of the life of a real estate agent or broker, and many states actually require that you attend ongoing continuing education courses to maintain your license. These designations and certifications can add the finishing touch to your reputation...and they'll look good in your ads and internet campaigns as well.