MI: Heather with
your 17 years of administrative assistance
experience and training through the Staffcentrix
MSVA program, what made you choose real estate
support as your specialty?
HH: I actually
started out in Real Estate years ago but with my
husband's military career it became obvious that
moving a career in Real Estate every 18 months
to 2 years was impractical at best. Working as a
Real Estate Virtual Assistant I have the
flexibility and career control that I admire in
the Real Estate profession and am able to work
with an incredible group of professionals,
helping them find the balance that allows them
to get the most satisfaction out of everything
they do.
MI: You are
doing what I recommend all real estate VAs do
and that is sub-specialize in a particular
niche, in this case Online Transaction
Management (OTM). What exactly is this from the
agent’s perspective and why did you choose this
as your specialty?
HH: I am a detail
person and I love the paperwork aspects of the
transactions! However, probably the most
valuable thing I provide is TIME! How many times
have you or someone you know said,
"I wish I had
another 4, 6 or 8 hours today?" I AM that needed
time. By providing Online Transaction Management
services I give the agent back the 8+ hours that
would have been spent coordinating each
transaction. This allows them to do what they do
best and that is SELL MORE HOMES! It works like
this: Once they have a ratified contract, they
fax it to me and I establish the online
transaction. I then schedule and coordinate
every step of the process (inspections, follow
up with the lender, the closing agent and the
clients, etc…) based on their task list or the
task list that we develop together.
MI: Many agents
are very concerned about letting go of the
transaction management process, especially to
someone they have never met (and probably never
will) and may live hundreds or thousands of
miles from them. How do you address these
concerns?
HH: Most Real Estate
professionals are type A personalities. That’s
probably why they got into this business and
that’s what makes them successful. The beauty of
OTM is that they can check the transaction
progress 24/7 to see exactly where things are,
what tasks are pending and what things are
coming up. This actually gives them MORE access
than if they had an in-office assistant working
with the traditional files! With today’s
technology, distance is no longer an issue. I’m
as close as the nearest phone, fax or computer!
MI: Your Website
indicates that you also provide a broad range of
other real estate support services besides OTM.
Among those what do you enjoy doing the most and
why?
HH: As I move
primarily towards OTM, I’m spending less and less
time providing the other services. However, the
other niche I’ve really held onto is providing
mailing services and coordinating drip mail and
farm campaigns. OTM and mailing campaigns are so
different that it is refreshing to occasionally
switch from one to the other. In addition, I’ve
met an incredible group of professional Virtual
Assistants through the PREVA Network to whom I
refer clients if someone is looking for an
expertise I don’t provide.
MI: How do most
of your real estate professional clients first
hear about you?
HH: Primarily word
of mouth. I have done two marketing campaigns to
get the ball rolling and the business has grown
from there! I keep my workload manageable so I
can provide the best possible service to each
client.
MI: How would
you describe the ideal real estate professional
as a client of your services?
A: Someone who is ready,
and I mean TRULY ready to take their business to
the next level. Transaction management is a
powerful tool that will allow the Agent to work
less, with more productive results.
Unfortunately, fear of the unknown can be such a
strong force. It prevents people from taking the
actions that will get them where they want to
go. My ideal client is someone who is ready to
take that leap and participate in the success
that is his or her life.
MI: Have you
ever turned down a request for support from a
real estate agent? If so, why?
HH: Absolutely and
for two major reason: First, if I’m not
qualified or interested in providing the service
I would rather refer them to someone who is, so
they are sure to get the best results for their
time and money. Second, if they are not ready.
Everyone has different needs and comfort zones
and some people are not ready to have a virtual
assistant. It would be frustrating and
counterproductive on both sides to spend time
trying to convince someone to use a VA if they
are not buying into the idea.
MI: If an agent
is not quite ready to work with a VA, how do you
counsel them as to what they might do to better
prepare for utilizing VAs at some future date?
HH: I highly
recommend coaching to everyone, especially new
agents. I think this is the first and quickest
step to a successful career. If they are veteran
agents, I recommend they talk to people in
similar situations who are successfully using
VA’s. If they know they need an assistant but
don’t know exactly what they need or who to call
I refer them to REVA TEAMS and/or PREVA Network
so they can find and talk to someone who can
help them define their needs.
MI: Last
Question: Where do you think VA services will be
in the next 3 – 5 years?
HH: The VA industry
is booming! In the next 3 to 5 years I believe
the majority of successful agents will be using
Virtual Assistant teams!
MI: Heather
thank you for sharing your thoughts, being there
for the real estate professional who understands
the value of virtual outsourcing, and perhaps
most of all for being part of the MSVA program
that so powerfully helps our military personnel
and their families!
HH: THANK YOU, for
the opportunity to discuss my business and the
advantages of Online Transaction Management.
Virtual Assistants can fulfill a vital role
within the Real Estate Industry and I look
forward to seeing these relationships grow!
