MI: How long
have you worked as a Virtual Assistant – and how did
you get started?
MB: The start of
my VA business came about after having dinner with
Judy Reynolds of Evergreen Realty for whom I had
previously worked as an Office Administrator. After
Judy explained the concept to me, I was eager to
learn more and I have been in business as a VA for
the past three years.
MI: Was there
something specific in your work experience that led
you into the real estate field?
MB: I previously
worked as a real estate paralegal for many years. I
decided I would like to be involved in the day to
day workings of a real estate office, assisting
real estate professionals, and working with buyers and sellers.
MI: You have
your real estate license, which is a little unusual
among real estate VAs – how did this come about?
MB: I worked for a
large real estate company in western Massachusetts
as an Office Administrator and then as the Manager
of Accounting for the W. Mass division. In order to
answer consumers’ questions about a property, Mass.
law requires that anyone answering such questions be
licensed. My license was inactive, but allowed me to
assist consumers on the telephone and those who came
into the office looking for information.
MI: How did
you get from a more traditional real estate job to
having your own VA business?
MB: At the time my
management position was phased out and I was again
working as an Office Administrator, I realized I had
the organizational and communication tools to run my
own business. I had been working as a part time VA
for Evergreen Realty so I decided to use my skills
and work full time to expand my business. The first
step was attending the NAR Convention in Orlando, FL
to spotlight my business with other VAs that you
invited to the “Meet The VA of Your Dreams” segment
of the convention. Since that time, my business has
grown to the point where I now have two assistants.
MI: Would you
describe the services you provide for your real
estate clients?
MB: I provide web
design and web maintenance, managing listings,
including enhancement on Realtor.com®, reports and
showing feedback, and handle Top Producer data
maintenance. I primarily work as a transaction
coordinator now that the Massachusetts Association
of REALTORS® (MAR) has contracted with Settlement
Room to use their software as our closing platform.
We have branded it “Transaction Live.” I am listed
on Settlement Room’s website and I am a licensed
trainer for them.
MI: Why have
you decided to focus on transaction coordination?
MB: I think my
background is the reason I focused on TC since I
worked directly with attorneys on closings and
subsequently with REALTORS®. I love coordinating and
having contact with the parties involved.
MI: This
situation with MAR adopting an official endorsement
of an online TC vendor is somewhat unusual. Could
you explain more on how this came about?
MB: The
Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) formed
a Technology Committee and they looked into this
innovative way of doing closings in a secure “room”
on the internet. Today’s consumer are very savvy. We
know they look for homes on the internet even before
contacting a REALTOR®, So it made sense that the
consumers would welcome and appreciate the
opportunity to be a part of their closing
transaction and be able to access their closing 24
hours a day, 7 days a week to view documents and the
status as the closing progresses. We are getting a
very good response from attorneys and lenders as
well.
MI: For our
readers who haven’t used online transaction
coordination services, could you give us an overview
of how this service can be done virtually? How is
this different from traditional transaction
management?
MB: The most
prominent difference is that a broker owner/REALTOR®
can fill out a form providing all information about
the property when it goes under agreement, providing
names, addresses, phone numbers and emails for all
parties involved. A transaction coordinator will
then log into their Settlement Room account and open
the transaction. An automatic email is sent to all
parties inviting them to log in with their assigned
user name and password. From this point on, the
transaction coordinator monitors the transaction.
There is a detailed task list which is input when
setting up the account so that REALTORS® receive
email notifications about each step of the closing
process. For example, there is a reminder for
inspections, mortgage commitment, etc. Messages can
be posted and closing documents uploaded by fax or
directly from their computer depending on where the
document has been saved. Attorneys can download the
Purchase and Sale documents and make revisions and
fax it in with all signatures. This just touches
upon some of the many capabilities of this closing
platform.
MI: Looking at
the broader area of services, what do you feel are
the main advantages for a real estate professional
in working with a VA?
MB: Of course
having a VA means the real estate professional does
not have to provide space, supplies, pay a salary
and taxes, insurance, sick days, and the other
fringe benefits one receives when working for an
employer. The VA is an independent contractor.
Another huge advantage is that VAs don’t charge for
their learning curve. If a REALTOR® asks me to learn
a program, I do so on my time and only bill for
actual time spent when I am confident with the
program and performing the task requested. I work
full time as a VA and have my email open all day so
I can respond immediately if necessary. If it can
wait until I finish what I’m working on, then I
respond later in the day. I take pride in my
response time and I think the Realtors® I work for
appreciate the fact that I am available to them full
time. Many times, I am emailing late at night for
the next day’s task.
MI: Marilyn,
it’s obvious you have dedication and enthusiasm for
your work. Thanks for taking the time to share your
experiences with our readers.
MB: Thank you,
Michael, for allowing me to talk about my VA
business. It is a great way to assist the real
estate profession. My clients never have to worry if
I should move to another state – as long as I have
my computer and an internet connection, I can
continue to service their needs.
To learn more about Marilyn and her
services just send her an e-mail at
marilyn@evsupport.com or call her at 413-687-9182.
Always remember to do a thorough due-diligence before
hiring any kind of assistant. This interview is part of
an ongoing series of VA profiles designed to help you
find the perfect VA or VA team to help you get
organized, profitable, and in control of your business.
