5 Productivity Tips for Real Estate Agents

Real estate agents tend to have many irons in the fire. From scheduling showings to customer relationship management and being involved in real estate coaching, being a real estate agent means acting as a salesperson, consultant, administrator, and all-around Renaissance man or woman.

Staying productive is of the utmost importance, especially when running a real estate business from home. Here are five productivity tips for real estate agents looking to take their business to the next level.

Create a Morning Routine

The average day in the life of a real estate agent can get hectic in a hurry. Creating a morning routine is a fantastic way to transition into the day and start ahead of the game.

Your morning routine will ultimately depend on your schedule and goals. Generally, it should contain both elements of self-care and productivity. While it seems like the self-care aspect could be set aside, those small moments will contribute to your productivity throughout the day by aiding with stress management.

Start by outlining when you plan to get up and when you need to officially start the day. By getting up 30 minutes earlier, you could work in a 10-minute stretching session, a brief meditation, and a few minutes to sip your coffee while outlining the day ahead.

Set rules for your morning, such as no social media and no checking emails. Let this be a time to get a grasp on the day and set yourself up for success.

Use Time-Blocking

Time-blocking is an incredible strategy for staying on task and outlining your week while allowing for variability — a must for real estate agents.

Outline the categories of your personal and work schedules. This could include:

• Scheduling viewings
• Social media content creation
• Administrative tasks
• Family time
• Exercise
• Buffer time
• Meetings

Once you have your “blocks” identified, drop them into a calendar with a color associated with each block. You can do this in a planner with highlighters or by using Google calendar.

As a real estate agent, it’s essential to work in buffer time periods for when meetings and showings inevitably run too long. However, time blocking creates a strong framework for setting boundaries.

Put the Right Tools in Place

There are many tools available that can help you stay organized and on task. A simple note-taking app like Evernote can help you capture details about various clients and properties. Having a CRM tool like Salesforce can outline a funnel of leads and prospects while helping you stay on top of active clients.

It’s also important to consider tools for marketing automation. Having a social media scheduler can simplify your marketing efforts, allowing you to batch create content as needed.

Outsource Smaller Tasks

One of the best strategies for improving your productivity as a real estate agent is to outsource smaller tasks. Showings and navigating transactions will directly make you money. Scheduling and posting on social media are necessary, but not revenue-generating.

Working with a virtual assistant who specializes in real estate can help alleviate some of the daily work that makes your business move forward. As such, you can focus your productivity on the high-priority items without sacrificing the other moving parts.

Set Strong Boundaries

Like many entrepreneurs and business owners, realtors often struggle to set boundaries between their work and personal lives. This issue is often exacerbated by those who work from home, as you never really leave the office.

Start by setting working hours or time limits. Manage your clients’ expectations by letting them know when you’re online and available and when you’re not. You can be available to your clients and still set limitations.

For example, if you’re doing a showing with one client and another is calling, send them a text letting them know when you can call back and why you aren’t answering. This simple acknowledgment is enough to reassure clients while maintaining boundaries.

With these simple practices, you can organize the chaos of operating a real estate business from home.