Purchase season is approaching, which means agents are preparing themselves for the busiest—and potentially most profitable—time of year. So what habits do agents and industry professionals implement to make the most of the season? We asked and found the three most common habits that you can adapt quickly and easily.
1. Time blocking
Jennifer Okhovat is a top-producing Realtor with Compass in Los Angeles, and she stays on top of the busy season by Time Blocking, a time management strategy.
“I set up my daily calendars in advance,” said Okhovat. “I set up certain hours in the morning and evening to show properties. Midday and early morning I time block for administrative tasks such as responding to emails and tackling marketing tasks.”
This helps her more effectively manage the extensive demands on her time, but she also advocates blocking out personal time as well. “As real estate agents, we don’t necessarily have a set day off or weekends off,” she said. “Without a good work and private life balance, agents will get burnt out.”
2. Task delegating
Tim Orrys is an Agent Relationship Manager at Quicken Loans, and he suggests delegating as much as you can to those you trust.
“A majority of the most successful agents I work with allow me to take things off of their plate so they can focus on their business,” said Orrys. “I’m able to help get our mutual clients approved very quickly and provide them with a single point of coordination for everyone they have working with Quicken Loans.”
By delegating loan-related tasks to Orrys, his agents are able to reduce the amount of time they spend following up and spend more time on tasks only they can handle. “Whether their clients are newly approved, in process, at the closing table, or in need of a lender, my agent partners know that I can handle it all for them.”
3. Goal setting and evaluating
John Collopy is the owner and broker of RE/MAX Results and its subsequent 36 offices across Minnesota and Wisconsin, and he finds time blocking paired with personal honesty and accountability to be an effective strategy.
“For real estate agents, you have to be clear about the number of contacts you need to make in order to maintain your desired level of productivity,” said Collopy. Evaluating what’s needed in order to meet your goals helps when prioritizing and developing your schedule. Collopy also suggests continually evaluating your results as a way to change your approach as you go through the season.
“You should also set a specific time every week when you’re going to do your review of what you should’ve done, compare it to what you did do, and be concise about your plans for the following week. The time you take for reflection and planning should be as important as any other appointment or activity throughout the week.”
When implemented consistently, these three habits can help you not just stay on top of the busy season, but stay ahead of it and succeed.