How to Leverage Your First Virtual Assistant in Real Estate

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One of the most impactful decisions you can make from the beginning is to hire a virtual assistant. I personally believe that the first day you get your license is the day you should hire an assistant. It’s not just about getting help; it’s about recognizing that your primary role is to find, list, or sell the home and negotiate the agreement. Many agents get stuck in a seriously bad rhythm, thinking they have to do it all themselves.

A virtual assistant (VA) can take on your time-consuming administrative tasks, which is especially cost-effective when recruiting from places like the Philippines, where the cost of living allows for competitive wages that benefit both parties.

In my experience, when we create leverage in our business and represent The things that don’t give us the highest return on our time, our business will grow, we will thrive, and our stress levels will decrease.

We have employed virtual assistants for over 20 years, with some successes and some failures. We currently employ 15 virtual assistants, primarily from the Philippines, with the longest being employed for over five years. They are part of our team. They are highly skilled, provide excellent service, and most importantly, are good people who love the opportunity to support our family while supporting ours.

There are several companies, services, and projects that hire, train, and develop real estate specific associates, both in-country and virtually, and we’ve had both great experiences and not-so-great experiences. The key is to vet the company, talk to current and past clients, and decide who to work with based on research rather than opinion or gut feeling.

VA Live Support: A Strategic Initiative for Agents

Hiring a virtual assistant is a strategic move that can help you succeed. It’s about understanding the value of your time and making sure every hour you spend helps your business grow.

Here are a few things to consider before implementing a virtual assistant:

1. Economic efficiency: Virtual assistants from the Philippines can provide excellent services at cost-effective prices, with the average cost of a full-time VA ranging from $600 to $2,000 per month. The high-end approach is to use a third-party company to hire, train and support your VA.
2. 24/7 productivity: Due to time zone differences, tasks can be completed while you sleep, so you can make progress every day you wake up, enhancing your responsiveness and service to your customers. This is amazing when doing mission-oriented jobs including marketing, video editing, social media publishing, and document management.
3. Scalable from the start: Letting a VA handle administrative tasks allows you to lay the foundation for scalable business practices that can support your growth as your customer base expands. Your assistant should create an operations manual (with videos) that explains how you want the job done – how to complete each task. This playbook and system will allow you to grow and expand as needed and eliminate the stress of turnover in the position.

Hire a remote virtual assistant

Our team has hired so many virtual assistants that we have systematized our recruitment process in the Philippines. We hired dozens of virtual assistants and learned some valuable tips along the way—both cultural and logistical.

Here is a step-by-step overview of how we recruit employees from the Philippines:

1. Define roles: Identify the specific task you need assistance with, whether it’s managing lists, scheduling, client follow-up, social media, video editing, data entry or presentation creation.
2. Utilize online job search platforms: Platforms such as onlinejobs.ph A valuable resource for finding qualified Philippine VAs.
3. Screen candidates carefully: Use targeted tests, such as requiring applicants to include specific words in their responses, to filter out those who lack attention to detail or understanding.
4. Conduct a thorough interview: Interview candidates via video call to assess their communication skills and compatibility with your business culture.
5. Provide a clear contract: Discuss and agree on contract terms, including responsibilities, payments (based on an average of $400 per week) and expectations.
6. Implement a trial period: A trial period, such as a prepaid 60-day evaluation, can help you evaluate the VA’s fit with your team.
7. Understand cultural differences: Recognize and respect cultural practices such as 13th month salaryhere are the expected winnings in the Philippines.

Create impact with your virtual assistant

The concept of leverage is making the most of your resources, and virtual assistants epitomize this principle. go through Uninstall the installation task – such as data entry, market research, and administrative duties – frees you up to focus on what you do best: selling real estate and cultivating client relationships.

Consider the day-to-day tasks that you can complete without a license and that consume your time but don’t necessarily increase your profits.

I encourage you to make a list of all the activities you do on a typical day. In the column to the left of the checklist, simply answer “Yes” or “No” to the following question: Would you pay someone $100 an hour to perform these tasks?

If the answer is no, then you should delegate these tasks to a virtual assistant. This mindset shift is critical to understanding the true value of VA. By outsourcing tasks for less than $100 per hour, you can effectively increase your productivity and earning potential.

The unique advantage of having a VA in a different time zone (such as the Philippines) is that work can continue even when your day is over. Assign tasks at the end of the workday and wake up to completed projects and progress reports. This round-the-clock productivity results in significantly faster turnaround times and increased customer satisfaction.

Obviously, no one can tell someone else what they have to do, but if you listen to experienced agents, team leaders, and coaches, they will all tell you that getting help is the next step to success.

Hiring a virtual assistant immediately after obtaining your real estate license is a strategic investment in the future of your business. With the right VA, you can focus on what you do best – selling homes and building relationships – while enjoying the peace of mind that comes from knowing the details are taken care of.

Seize this opportunity, work smarter, and set yourself up for long-term success in the competitive world of real estate. With VA support, you can take advantage of time differences, reduce administrative costs and ensure your business runs smoothly, freeing you to use your time and focus on high-value activities that drive revenue and growth.

Verl Workman is the founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems. Connect with him on LinkedIn or Instagram.