How to Become a Freelance Real Estate Virtual Assistant • World of Freelancers (2024)

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A lot of people interested in freelancing are asking how to become a real estate virtual assistant. To help you find the answer to this question, I’ve interviewed the guru of virtual assistants, Gina Horkey of Fully Booked VA.

In this post Gina will tell you about:

• how to become a freelance real estate virtual assistant
• real estate virtual assistant training
• real estate virtual assistant salary
• how to find real estate virtual assistant jobs
• who is a good fit to be a real estate VA
• what the future holds for real estate VA’s
• and much more

Exactly what does a real estate virtual assistant do?

A real estate virtual assistant is a freelancer hired by a realtor or real estate company to handle aspects of their business that they don’t know how to do or don’t have time to do. They perform a wide range of real estate virtual assistant tasks, such as:

• preparing listings
• generating leads
• handling emails
• managing social media accounts
• managing transactions

Even with no previous real estate training whatsoever, you can learn how to become a real estate virtual assistant and work online where you want, when you want!

Why do real estate agents need virtual assistants?

For lots of reasons! Typical pain points for real estate agents are lack of systems, lack of social media presence, lack of follow-up, inability to prioritize time with the right tasks and burnout from an intense pace. These are all perfect for a virtual assistant to work wonders with right off the bat.

A real estate VA can make a big impact on an agent’s bottom line by creating systems and taking over tasks that will free him or her up to get out there and sell more homes.

How many hours of the week do real estate VA’s typically work?

It really depends on your availability, your goals for your business, how much time you want to put into your work and what your clients’ needs are. There is plenty of opportunity to work part or full time, and you can always scale your time up as you further develop your working relationships.

What is a typical real estate virtual assistant salary?

Real estate VA’s typically start out at an hourly rate of around $15 to $25, with a small bonus when a home sells.

You also have an option of charging per project. For example, a standard rate for managing a transaction might be in the $150 to $200 range.

Some real estate VA’s charge for their services using a monthly retainer paid up front. A 20-hour week might translate into a $2,000 per month retainer fee.

How easy is it for someone to find real estate virtual assistant jobs?

We are living in simply incredible times when it comes to being a freelancer! More and more businesses are getting away from the 9-5 employee model and are outsourcing for their services.

There are tons of places to look for work as a freelance real estate virtual assistant, including:

• your immediate network
• marketing yourself through blogging and guest posting
• using social media networks like LinkedIn and Facebook
• in-person networking events
• job boards
• agencies
• marketplaces
• exploring your local market

How does your real estate virtual assistant training help people find real estate virtual assistant jobs?

The Real Estate for Virtual Assistants course is very focused on finding jobs. Our course dives deep into key marketing strategies that help our students find real estate agent clients that are the right fit for them.

This course is actually now part of a bundle of seven virtual assistant courses called Fully Booked VA. The Fully Booked VA bundle comes with a free year of our Virtual Assistants Lead Community, where we connect our graduates with people who are looking to hire virtual assistants.Fully Booked VA students also get a free client template.

So by enrolling in the Real Estate for Virtual Assistants training course you’ll not only learn how to become a real estate virtual assistant, you’ll have access to client leads that other real estate VA’s don’t have. Also, the six other VA courses in the Fully Booked VA bundle give you the ability to create multiple income streams by learning how to do other types of virtual assistant jobs as well!

What specific real estate virtual assistant training does your course offer?

To be a successful real estate VA you don’t need experience or even involvement in the real estate industry. But it does pay to have some knowledge and training about niche-specific tasks.

Our course, Real Estate for Virtual Assistants, provides perspective on what the needs and “pain points” of agents are, straight from an agent’s mouth. So when you’re out there looking for your first clients, you’ll know what to look for and what to offer them.

By the time a real estate agent needs a VA, he or she is likely way too busy to teach someone what they do “from the ground up,” so to speak. Starting off on the right foot with our specific real estate virtual assistant training under your belt will not only help you find clients more easily, it will enable you to step in with more confidence and begin knocking their socks off right away.

Our Real Estate for Virtual Assistants course provides training on real estate virtual assistant skills such as:

• the actual real estate process
• what things look like from the inside
• task-specific training
• listing preparation workflows
• transaction management
• social media management
• email management specific to working with realtors
• productive client communication
• setting up your real estate VA business
• handling income taxes
• tips and tricks for success as a real estate VA

Our course also includes a video talk by the course’s co-authors – Dan Frank, real estate agent and Diane Sweeney, his own real estate VA – so you can hear firsthand about the ins and outs of freelancing as a real estate virtual assistant.

Can people who don’t know anything about the real estate industry become real estate VA’s with your course?

Your first steps to becoming a successful real estate VA should definitely include investing in yourself and your business by getting some real estate skills-specific training. Real Estate for Virtual Assistants has that.

Our real estate VA course – and all the Fully Booked VA courses – also walks you through:

• how to set up your business
• how to set your rates
• how to choose what tools to use
• where and how to look for clients
• how to pitch potential clients

If you take action with what we teach you, you can literally begin looking for clients as soon as you get through the course!

Approximately how much time does it take to complete your real estate virtual assistant training course?

If you have extra time on your hands, you can finish our course in a weekend. Most people will take between two to four weeks on average to work their way through the material.

What type of personal characteristics make a good real estate VA?

A successful freelance real estate VA possesses at least a few of the following qualities:

• good communication skills
• good organizational skills
• good multitasking skills
• eye for detail
• fondness of people
• at least a bit of interest in real estate
• motivational skills
• desire to succeed

Is being a freelance real estate VA a good fit for a work-at-home mom or dad?

Absolutely! A work-at-home mom or dad might want to jump in feet first as a full-time real estate VA. Others may want more of a side hustle to start off with. You can go through the online course at your own pace. You’ll have lifetime access to the course, with free updates, so it will always be there and be relevant for you.

Is being a freelance real estate VA a good job for digital nomads and/or people living outside the U.S.?

I think so! It all has to do with the market you’re looking to pursue. Want to work with US-based realtors? You should have a rudimentary understanding of the real estate market here as well as an excellent command of the English language.

What about the future? Will the virtual assistant field see growth in 2023 and beyond?

I see it only growing!

We’re currently in this “throwback to entrepreneurism” phase in the world. Why? People are desperate for flexibility. They’re not afraid to work hard but now they want to call the shots when it comes to who they work with, what type of work they do and when they do it.

In my opinion, freelancing, independent contracting and working virtually are the way of the future.

Many thanks to Gina Horkey for sharing with us how to become a real estate virtual assistant with Fully Booked VA. Start your career as a freelance real estate virtual assistant by enrolling in the Fully Booked VA bundle today.

(This updated post was originally published on April 23, 2019.)

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