So you’re thinking about becoming a real estate agent? That’s great! But what does a real estate agent do all day? It can’t all be handing keys to happy new homeowners, right? Here’s what a typical day in the life of a real estate agent looks like.
Foundation Tasks
There are a number of daily tasks that make up the foundation of your real estate business. They may not be especially glamorous, but without them you’d never be able to close a sale.
Research: A real estate agent might start her day by reading up on the latest news and trends—both for the real estate industry as a whole and her regional market. She will also review MLS reports and stay informed about active, sold, and pending listings in her territory.
Communication: Next, she might tackle communication tasks. Emails, texts, and phone calls should be returned as quickly as possible—you never know where the next lead might come from!
Scheduling: She’ll also set up appointments and showings, plan open houses, and schedule meetings with both her colleagues and her clients. Calendar management is a big part of being a real estate agent!
Paperwork: Most people wouldn’t describe paperwork as their favorite part of the job, but it’s an essential task. A day in the life of a real estate agent is going to involve filling out agreements and records, and then filing them with the appropriate agencies.
Social Media & Marketing
Social media is a major part of the modern real estate agent’s business. Most people first see the homes they eventually purchase online, so our typical agent will spend some time updating her blog, loading pictures of new listings onto her website and Facebook page, and managing her Instagram account.
She will also work on her marketing plan and send her latest open house brochures to the printers. Although she works with a team that provides some marketing materials, she likes to put her personal stamp on her promotional items.
Networking
This might be the most important part of the day for our real estate agent. She needs to find new leads and strengthen her existing relationships in the community. That means she’s always thinking about how the people she meets throughout her day might fit in to her network.
That’s not to say that she’s scheming or using hard-sell tactics. She’s just cultivating relationships and making sure that when people need to buy or sell a home in her territory, they think of her first.
That evening, she attends a Toastmasters meeting, where she practices giving a speech in front of an audience—and makes sure to give her business card to new members as everyone mingles over snacks and drinks afterward.
Phew! That’s it…time to unwind after work. What do you think of a typical day in the life of a real estate agent?
