A real estate virtual assistant handles the admin that keeps agents away from clients: answering enquiries, booking viewings, updating listings and the CRM, and chasing paperwork through to completion. An offshore assistant who works your hours gives you that support full time, for less than a local hire.
This guide covers the tasks a real estate assistant takes on, where to start, how a dedicated assistant compares with a freelancer, and what to check before you hire.
What a real estate virtual assistant does
| Area | Typical tasks |
|---|---|
| Leads and enquiries | Answering portal and website enquiries, qualifying buyers and tenants, following up on cold leads |
| Scheduling | Booking viewings and valuations, managing agents' diaries, sending reminders |
| Listings | Uploading listings to portals and your website, writing descriptions, keeping prices and status up to date |
| CRM and admin | Logging calls and notes, updating contact records, preparing reports |
| Transactions | Chasing documents, updating buyers and sellers, tracking each sale or let to completion |
| Marketing | Social media posts, email newsletters, simple flyers and listing graphics |
| Property management | Logging maintenance requests, contacting contractors, sending rent reminders |
Where to start
Start with the tasks that cost you deals when they slip. For most agencies that means lead follow-up and viewing bookings: an enquiry answered in minutes is far more likely to turn into a viewing than one answered the next morning. Once those run smoothly, hand over listings and CRM updates, then transaction chasing.
Write a short guide for each task: which tools to use, the questions to ask a new lead, and when to pass something to an agent. Your assistant will follow it from day one and refine it as they learn your business.
Dedicated assistant or freelancer?
A freelancer from a marketplace can help with one-off jobs, but real estate admin is ongoing and time-sensitive. Leads arrive all day and viewings change at short notice. A dedicated assistant works only for your agency, during your hours, inside your CRM and portals, and builds up knowledge of your listings and clients over time. Our guide to freelancers vs a dedicated team sets out the differences in full.
Working your hours
Property enquiries peak in the evenings and at weekends, when buyers are browsing. Agree your assistant's shift around when your leads arrive, not just office hours. Chishty Global assistants work UK, US, Canadian or Australian hours, and shifts are set with you before they start.
Data and access
Your assistant will see client names, phone numbers and sometimes financial details. Give them their own login to your CRM and portals, with only the access the role needs, so you can see what they do and switch access off at any time. Our data security checklist lists what to check with any provider.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Will the assistant work only for my agency?
- Have they used property portals and a real estate CRM before, or will you train them?
- How do you test spoken and written English?
- Who supervises them day to day, and who covers holidays and sickness?
- Is there a probation period if they are not the right fit?
Chishty Global places dedicated assistants with real estate agencies, brokers and property managers, from lead handling and sales support to admin and back office. See how we work with property businesses on our industries page, or tell us what you need.