5 Things to Consider Before Hiring a Real Estate Virtual Assistant
Real estate virtual assistants are becoming more popular as agents, brokers, and realtors have more tasks to deal with.
And in such a competitive market, how can you know which is the best option for your real estate business?
In this article, we will share with you the most important considerations before hiring a real estate virtual assistant.
Which Type of Real Estate Virtual Assistant Should You Hire?
There are many Americans who prefer to work with people located in the US and it is completely understandable; however, they are even more likely to outsource jobs abroad because it typically allows them to cut costs.
Some people fear that the quality of the services provided by off-shore virtual assistants may deteriorate, but it is quite possible to find people who can handle the tasks efficiently and represent an investment rather than a degradation of quality.
An example of this can be found in Latin American virtual assistants.
Essentially, they provide the best of both worlds: On-Shore (virtual assistants on American soil) and Off-Shore (virtual assistants located outside American soil, specifically in countries known for outsourcing such as India or the Philippines).
A Latin American real estate virtual assistant provides her clients with very good labor costs, quality work, and fluid communication thanks not only to their bilingualism but also to their comfort with the American way of life at work and, of course, the big plus of similar time zones.
Real Estate Virtual Assistant Hiring Processes
If you know what you want by delegating tasks, it will be much easier to identify the right people.
To find Real Estate Virtual Assistants, we can turn to platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, OnlineJobs.ph, among many others.
We can find profiles of VAs there, but it can be a tedious process and may have bad experiences.
Thinking about it, there are agencies like There is Talent.
Here, we are experts in connecting the best talent for each client; we take into account all the details that some people may overlook to avoid problems.
Let’s take a look at those details!
#1 Skills Required in the Real Estate Virtual Assistant
As we discussed earlier, it is necessary to know exactly what you want to delegate.
How long it takes to complete a task? How to execute it in a specific way that is appropriate for your company?
Once you are clear on these aspects, you can make a list of tasks and prepare to discuss them with the people applying for the position.
It is almost rhetorical to mention but we have encountered some situations where some people are not clear or do not ask all of these questions in interviews, then, communication gaps occur and the results are not as expected.
#2 Time
Do you want to work with a person part-time or full-time?
Review the list of tasks that you want to delegate. Check how long it takes a person to accomplish the tasks necessary to leverage your company.
At There is Talent, we have monthly plans to work with virtual assistants for 10, 20, or 40 hours a week.
#3 Location
One of the main obstacles we have found when working with VAS overseas has to do with the time difference.
Indian and Philippine real estate virtual assistants are very efficient, and they are much cheaper than Americans; however, the time difference can hinder good communication.
We have found VAs that can work at day times but tend to charge a nightly surcharge for it.
Because of this, we know that the best option for US entrepreneurs is a Latino real estate virtual assistant.
#4 Confidentiality Agreement
A company’s most valuable asset is its information, so it is essential to protect every piece, both official and customer-related.
That is why it is so necessary to have a confidentiality agreement, either as a separate contract or as an additional stipulation by which the parties agree to respect the confidentiality of the information they are going to share and to use it only for the purpose stipulated between them.
They are also found in the Heads of Terms when, for some reason, a separate confidentiality agreement has not been signed.
The confidentiality agreement has its limitations. It is difficult to enforce in the event of a breach and may be of little use to dishonest persons, but it can be very useful if it has appropriate stipulations for the client’s needs. Any sanctions or penalties provided for in the agreement will not make the information secret again.
#5 Non-Solicitation and Non-Competition
The Non-Competition Agreement contains general aspects attempting to prevent anyone from creating a business in direct competition with the former employer or the new business owner within a defined area for a defined period of time.
The Non-Solicitation Agreement refers to more specific aspects, trying to prevent someone from hiring employees or taking customers, likewise, the same time and area restrictions would apply.
You can check them more in-depth here.
Taking care of your business is paramount to us!
At There is Talent we not only connect you with the right people for your company’s requirements but we also follow up on projects and take care of improving everything necessary to make your experience not only a good one but also to get the best results for your company.
Book a call with our director, Claudia, and learn more about our outsourcing service for real estate businesses!
