Think your Realtor gets up at ten, quickly submits your home listing to the board, places a phone call for a sign to be placed in your yard, then goes golfing for the rest of the day?
As nice as that would be, it is about as realistic as a Ferengi buying your house for full list price. Do you really want to know what a Realtor does? Okay – here goes – one day in the life of a Realtor.
7:30 am. Spend half an hour trying to get a hold of a home owner for an unexpected showing taking place in well, half and hour.
8:00 am. Answer calls, texts, and emails
8:30 am. Run to above mentioned home owner's house to put the yard sign back up the blew over in gale force winds.
9:00 am Check MLS listings for customers, and send them information.
Answer calls, texts, and emails
9:30 am Attend office meeting to network with other agents.
10:30 am Answer calls, texts, and emails
Make appointments with agents to schedule showings.
Make appointments for home inspections
Make appointments with appraisers
Contact lenders
Schedule photographers for pictures of properties
Submit ads
Submit listings
Answer calls, texts, and emails
Order yard signs
Schedule walk-throughs
Negoitate repairs for a property
Insure repairs at another property are completed
Check to see if titles are clear
Check with insurance company for coverage
Update websites so all information is always current
Answer calls, texts, and emails
Return deposit cheque for declined offer.
Run to turn lights on at a house for a showing. While there, clean up the dog poop in the hall.
Answer calls, texts, and emails
2:00 pm Meet Property Inspector on property, and provide him with comparisons
Answer calls, texts, and emails
Meet Photographer at another property, and provide her with a list of pictures you want taken.
Answer calls, texts, and emails
Deliver keys for a house at one end of the city
Deliver a survey to the other end of the city
Deliver documents to a lender, then a lawyer in the middle of the city
5:30 pm Meet potential buyers at a property, then take them through it, explaining all the details, pros and cons. They decide to put in an offer.
6:30 pm Write up the ten page offer, then explain each page to your buyers – more than once.
8:00 pm Drop off offer to the other agent.
Answer calls, texts, and emails
9:00 pm Explain marketing trends for the neighbourhood and give advice on market value to a couple listing their house. Write up listing contract. Measure the rooms, note features.
10:30 pm Contact your buyers and explain the counter offer that came in. Counter the counter offer. Answer calls, texts, and emails
11:00 pm Call your buyers to tell them their offer was accepted!!!
Write up the new listing you obtained that evening, and submit it to the real estate board.
Midnight Fall into bed, and dream about golfing . . . it's the only way you will ever get on the green . . .