Working Remotely as a Real Estate Agent: Is It Possible?

Real estate professionals haven’t always been tied to the office, simply due to the nature of their jobs. But when the pandemic required working from home, many real estate agents found that it worked better for them. In this guest post, Jess Cooper of Zoom Real Estate explores the possibility — and some practicalities — of working remotely as a real estate agent.

Traditionally, real estate-related jobs in the past had been mostly done in physical offices all around the globe. Before the pandemic, a small number of people working in real estate had started combining working from home and working in the office. They might have even been the first practitioners of the hybrid working model. 

However, the abrupt onset of the pandemic forced many people to start working exclusively from home, including those in the real estate industry. And now, due to the many benefits of working from home, many people are voluntarily switching to working remotely as a real estate agent. If you are considering a career as a real estate agent and wondering if you can do it remotely, keep reading to find out more.

Start with getting proper training and a license

You should start a career in real estate by getting proper training and a license. Use the internet and find some credible courses to take. Another great thing about this digital era we’re living in is the fact that you can take these courses and complete the training online. You can also get your license online, from the comfort of your home. Sign up for a course, study, and apply for the licensing exam when you’re ready.

Design your workspace or home office

You can start thinking about designing your practical workspace or a functional home office even while taking the course. The idea will probably pop into your head, as you’ll see that you also need a designated space for taking the course. It should ideally be a separate room you can use for a home office, but you can also use part of a room for the same purpose. Choose a space that has plenty of natural light, that is airy, and generally evokes positive and stimulating feelings. Get a spacious desk and a comfortable chair, and personalize your space with accessories. Your home office should be a place you like working in. Of course, you should also equip your home office with the necessary equipment and tools, which we’ll go over in the following sections.

Stay up to date with diverse communication tools

Working from home in the real estate industry can create more challenges when it comes to learning something new from your colleagues, as they are not physically present. However, you can get ahead of this potential issue and use different communication tools to keep up to date. There are plenty of video call tools you can use to schedule a virtual coffee with your colleagues. Consider investing in a more serious video conferencing tool, such as Zoom, to have meetings with clients. When it comes to replying to emails, you should find a way to keep track of whom you need to reply to. Some people use a virtual assistant to help them carry out certain tasks and stay organized.

Get familiar with distinct tech tools for showings and tours

The real estate industry is a highly visual industry and making a buy/sell/rent deal is always based on visually seeing the property. So having tech tools for showings and tours is crucial to doing your job well. 3-D property tours have been popular in recent years and they provide a great way for potential customers to examine the property virtually. From those tours, customers can conclude whether they’re interested in seeing the property in person or not. However, that’s not all. There are also showings through remote lockbox access. It is done via an access code, which you can set for a limited time period.

Think about the best ways to store all your documents

Another essential consideration when working remotely as a real estate agent is determining the best ways to store all your documents. Otherwise, you’ll end up in chaos. You should have a system and be very organized in order to be efficient. You’ll need a document-hosting service where you can store, draft, collaborate, and share files. Most people use Google Drive as they also use other Google platforms. Also, you’ll need a platform for synchronizing key listing-related documents such as inspection reports, floor plans, and seller’s disclosures. This helps you to be more efficient when closing the deal. Moreover, you can consider getting project management software, as well. Don’t forget that you also need an encrypted service that you’ll use for signing and sending official documents.

Have in mind all the benefits of working remotely

You can be just as successful working remotely as a real estate agent as anyone doing the same job in an office. For the majority of people, it’s even better to work from home due to the many benefits. For example, you save a lot of time by not commuting to the office. It gives you more time with your family and saves fuel. Plus, it’s more eco-friendly! Of course, you still need to meet with clients and show houses, but you can achieve a much better work-life balance when working from home. By being able to control your working hours, you can easily fulfill your other obligations. Working remotely as a real estate agent is great for people who are organized, who prefer flexibility, and who like being a bit more active when working remotely.

Have you ever considered working remotely as a real estate agent? Share with us! Connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube to share your thoughts. We’d love to hear from you!

Author Bio

Jess Cooper is a part-time journalist and blogger based in Sydney, Australia, working closely with Zoom Real Estate. She is an energetic, creative, and highly motivated person with plenty of interests, including careers and career advice, working remotely, and interior design. She is very organized, has her life fully under control, and likes sharing her insights with the rest of the world.