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What are the REWARDS of Working from your Virtual Office at Home?

Thinking of working from home?

Already have a Virtual Office?

More and more business pros are saving the overhead expense and working from home. In the real estate industry, that includes real estate agents, mortgage lenders, home stagers, inspectors, appraisers, transaction coordinators, virtual assistants, and more.

I just started a new blog "Virtual Office Biz Pro" for those business professionals who work from their home office, or work while traveling on the road. http://virtualofficebizpro.wordpress.com

Take a peek and answer my POLL:

http://virtualofficebizpro.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/survey-says-why-do-you-work-from-your-virtual-office

I've been working exclusively from my home office for 7+ years now. So many real estate agents and other professionals are envious and wish they could work exclusively from home! I tell that that although there are so many GREAT benefits, there are some drawbacks, too.

One benefit is that there is no time wasted gossipping with your co-workers; however, one challenge is that there can be a lot of distractions at the house. What have you experienced that you can share with other professionals working from their home-based business, or those who are considering it?

The best part is that you're your own boss! The worst part is (also) that you're your own boss! A unique challenge is prioritizing your schedule and staying focused on money-making (profitable) activities without a boss looking over your shoulder. You must be self-disciplined and learn some good habits to keep you on track during the day.

"Virtual Office - Work from Home Office" is a new group I just started so business pros can offer success tips to each other. Check out the group, I'd love to have you join!

Regina P. Brown
Broker, Realtor®, e-Pro
Author of eBook "Stop Foreclosure Fast: Solutions to Save your House"
Join my NEW group for professionals who work from their home office at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice

Posted by Regina P. Brown, e-Pro Realtor® on 04/14/2009 05:52 AM

Comments (64)

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64 Comments on What are the REWARDS of Working from your Virtual Office at Home?

APR

Regina: Great pros, cons piece. I have a home office and office-office. With three small children there can be many distractions. "Daddy, I want to work in the "offisk" with you. I can push this button! See! Lookat me daddy! What's this daddy? Daddy can I color on this paper." All of these I love, but it can be tough to get work done.

I have done both.

I find for me it is best to have to GO work. I find that I need the Energy of others around me working.

Besides, It would bother me if I got too many walkins at my house.

Rain on!

David

I often have to leave the office and go home so that I can get some work done! Sometimes agents get wrapped up in conversations that are just a bit too loud, others interrupting with trivia, etc. I go in every Tuesday morning for our office meeting, but to really be productive, I have to leave right after.

Regina- I work out of my home offices most of the time (I have one on Kauai and one on Maui). Company offices are available but I don't see the point in it unless I'm doing floor time and circumstances currently prohibit that. My home office equipment is actually better than the company office and I can be more productive without cuing up for the printer or copier and other distractions.

Hey, it's almost midnight here, what are you guys all doing up working so late? He he.

And I just discovered Reason #1 to work from home... http://twt.fm -- it's online music!!! Songs that YOU like and YOU select. And you can play it as loud as you want -- just remember to mute your computer when you get a phone call! Listening to 80's funk now. Just played soul oldies for hubby.

I like working out of my home office. You can dress down and work and no one knows the difference...

My husband has a home office, but he is on the road a lot. On the days he is home it can be distracting for me, but for the most part I enjoy working from home. My biggest issue is that I don't have adequate office space at the house.

I have not worked from a brick & mortar office since 1994.

My office is located where ever I can get an Internet connection.

The Interent changed the real estate industry as much as any industry. After all, the properties we sell are firmly planted "off site" no matter where the location of your "office".

Regina, Never underestimate how important it is to be able to work in the comfort of your pajamas. Although I have more technological capability here at home, I do go in the office every once in a while to "press the flesh." After all, real estate is a relationship business. Rich

I really like the flexibility of being able to do both. Most of the time I work from my home office, and yet there are times when I want more agent interaction so I head into the "office office". This morning for example there is a meeting at 10:00 that I want to attend, so I'll go there, and then come back home to do my other work.

I have worked from my home office or where I can park, like Lenn, my laptop. Most clients I meet prefer to meet over a good cup of coffee in a coffee shop or small local restaurant.

Bettina

Regina, I work from home and get SO much more done. For a while, I felt guilty since my broker's office is structured on the pre-internet business model. No more. Now I just go in for important meetings, to deliver listing packets and contracts, and to pick up mail. I'm sure I'm seen as out-of-the-norm. But I figure that the more business I bring in, the more people will start asking for my secret.

I get more done working from home but in the insurance business, many clients do have to come to the office. So I have to have an office office to work from. Jealous.

Tom Larsen

www.nypropertyinsurance.com

Regina,

As you said, there are pros and cons to each situation. I have just moved my office home and will see how it works out. I will have to be protective of my schedule and prorities..

I work 90% of my time out of my home. I get more done on my work load and my loads of laundry! I wouldn't change a thing!

Regina - Working from home is a pleasure for us! We get more done and we are in control of our time. When we were with RE/MAX, going to the real office was a distraction. It was great to see friends and find out the latest news but basically, little or no work got done! Since we have our own company now, our office is the office! Thanks for your post. I'll check out your sites!

Mary

I love that I have the choice. Most days I am going into the office, but I have the option of working from home too. So great! Regina, interesting poll. Did you create that?

Hi Regina, I'm probably 80%-20% home office vs. "real office". I go in to tour with other agents, write offers or use the scanner as it is faster than what I can do at home. Works well for me.

I work in the office 3 days a week and then 2 days a week at home. I structure my days around what I know I can get done at either location. If I need the help of anyone else in our office, I plan for that. If I know that I need to stay focused for six or more hours, I plan on trying to get that done from home.

As I can tether my laptop to my cell phone and can run a printer though my electrical diverter in my truck, there's really no reason why I can't work from ANY location.

My office is wherever there is an internet connection. Normally is at home.

I really enjoy my office at home and not having to haul things back and forth to and from the main office. I find that I need to go to the office to get motivated by my peers. We have rules at our office that positive feedback and discussing the market with each other is mandatory. Sometimes sitting in you office is convenient not always productive. I have to put on my costume everyday to play the part. My pj's are not a good way for me to get the day started. For some. I am sure it is a perfect solution. For me....I need people and their inspiration.

Regina- Great piece. I have been a Realtor for 20 years and have always had both a home office and a main office. I tend to use my my a lot more the past 5 years, but I can't let go of the furniture of my main office. A place to meet clients that is not my home. I think that is gives me a professional edge. I agree with the above comments.

I have worked from home for about 8 years now. At first it was a challenge, maybe because when I started I was working for a dot com. After that ended I continued working at home, this time for myself. I love it. I don't feel that I have distractions. I work more hours because I work from home. I get up, go downstairs get my coffee and come back to my office. I think it's important to have a space in your home that is dedicated to work, so that you can get away from it sometimes. Groups like Active Rain give me the interaction I need with other agents for ideas. I wouldn't change a thing.

Yes, I agree there are pros and cons about a home office. My kids are grown and there is no one there at the house so I don't have that as an interruption. I like it, in fact I am more distracted and interrupted at the office/office than my home office.

Patricia Aulson/Portsmouth NH Real Estate

I have found that I need a balance of home and office to be productive at my maximum level. I like to start in the office, then get out on appointments, come back to the office, and finish the last 2 hours at home, so I can start dinner for us. Distractions? Heck yeah...that's always the challenge, whether at home or office. I can be the best and the worst boss in the same day

Nice post, Jodi was an on-site for years, I personally have never worked at a formal office. We have 2 home offices in the home we built. I am isolated in the terrace level office, I would'nt have it any other way. Like Rich, I'm in sweat clothes till formal attire is required, if ever that day!!!

More and more businesses are becoming home based and that is a good thing. Think of the traffic off the road, less raod repair work and construction, less polution, fewer cleaning bills, more time to be productive.

YES! A home office is quite nice. I have found that when working from home (which I've done for the past 3 years) it is essential to have your office separate from the "more popular" areas of the house like the kitchen or living room. My office is in the attic, which has been converted into extra bedrooms/bath and of course my office. I have disciplined myself to work 8-5 when at home...most of the time I'm on the road. It will take a LOT for me to leave my home office for an "off site" location.

Today's real estate office is on the laptop, in the blackberry, in the car and at the property for sale. Brick and mortar offices are good places to file contracts and listing agreements, to hang a sign and leave a voice mail system that forwards right to your mobile phone. Still many agents do "office time" with the hope of meeting the oldest form of real estate client/customer prospecting: a "walk in".

Regina,

Great post! I work exclusively from home and I only go to the office for meetings. Whenever I get too distracted from getting work done, I always revert back to when I was in class to get my license. The instructor cautioned the "at home" agents not to get sucked into non IPA's. (IPA= Income Producing Activities) So that term has always stuck with me. No housework, no gossiping on the phone, etc. I do take a lunch break for about 30-45 minutes but that's it. I get a lot more done in a day than most. My hubby and kids know that I am really getting work done. It was hard for them at first but now they understand fully. They even ask me in the evenings what time I'm getting off! Too cute!

Also I love Internet radio too! I use Pandora http://www.pandora.com.

My girlfriend and I have a house with two separate offices 45 feet apart, but connected to each other wirelessly. We enjoy working our separate task, then texting each other to come to one of the offices rather than yelling at each other. For us it works because what distracts me at the office is when one of the R$ealtors who is not doing well comes in to bitch about how bad the industry is. I am not a Pollyanna, but I prefer to stay away from people who practice self fullfilling prophecies as they work themselves out of the business.

Regina...

We've worked from our home for almost 15 years now. As time progresses it's good to see others are enjoying the same benefit. BB really enjoys working in his Giranimals :)

TLW...ROAR!

Hi Regina - Most of the people in our office work from home because we have a small office and about 60+ agents and brokers. The good news is that you can work on your own schedule. The bad news is that you can work on your own schedule. This means that some will go days without working and others will be working most of their waking hours. I find it works best if you can get up and dressed as if you are going to work, then have regular office hours in your home office where you try to eliminate the personal duties. I can't always achieve this, but I do try.

I have never worked in a traditional office setting. I hung my license in an office that allowed me that flexibilty right from the beginning.

I have been member of your new group for a while now and I glad I am! It's great to hear what other people are doing to make it work.

Pros:
Wearing my pajamas on the days I'm working on marketing.
Being home for my family, while creating a good second income.
Having access to all of my files and information immediately.
Not getting caught up in office politics.
Being able to take a day off when ever I need to.

Cons:
Creating the discipline to know when it's time to work and okay to play :)
Distractions that make it easy to get side tracked.

For me the pros definitely outweight the cons... and I just roll with the punches. I'm with Lenn, my office is wherever I can get an Internet connection!

"What are the REWARDS of Working from your Virtual Office at Home?"

Spending time with family! ;)

Wow, I am tickled pink that AR staff decided to give this blog a feature! It's a topic I'm very passionate about. I read every comment here, and love the contributions you have each made to this topic.

Janice, I created the poll on WordPress. It was pretty easy, actually. But it took me a few tries to figure out how to insert it into the blog post! That is my first attempt at WordPress.

Now I think I'm going to put a link from the WordPress blog to this AR blog.... more google juice (or yahoo juice, as the case may be)!

Regina: We have an office at our KW office, but we rarely use it. We work from home 90% of the time. The rest of the time we are out with Buyers and Sellers. We scan all of our paperwork to computer file, so we have them at our finger tips to email, whenever necessary. Really the only time we go to the office is for a class, meeting or to meet with a prospective buyer. I, too tend to get more done at home. You can tackle that mountain of laundry and dial for dollars at the same time.

I work predominantly at home which works well having two small children. I use color-coded time blocking in my calander to make sure I'm using my time as efficiently as possible. When I started doing that I found I was able to shave about 10 hours of "busy work" off of each week! To combat the feeling of isolation that can sometimes happen, I make a point of going IN to the office several times a week for classes, tour, etc. I also will bring my laptop to a nearby coffee shop with wi-fi or will set up a mid-week open house in a vacant listing. You're far more likely to meet new clients by being out in the community while making calls, blogging, etc. than by doing all your work "in" your home office.

Regina, I have worked from home for 15 years. I can't imagine doing it any other way. I do get up and "go" to work every day though. It's just I only have to go down the street. The biggest advantage for me is not being distracted by others. I get way more done in a shorter period of time. My entire brokerage is virtual. We don't need no stinkin' office!

Hi Regina . . . I took your office poll, but there are many things that contribute to my decision to have a home office. Yes, most -- if not all -- are avaiable on your list to be selected. But I could only pick one . . . :-) I did the "saves on gas, commuting," but there's so many other reasons. I don't have any problems telling clients I have a "home office." If they want me as their agent, it doesn't matter if I work out of a cardboard box, my home. I do NOT allow people to meet me here, but rather suggest to meet at their favorite local coffee shop. WIFI is everywhere now. Of if they have children, I offer to go to their house.

My home office allows me:

*TAX WRITE OFFS

*no desk fees

*cuts down on my driving

*save $$ on gas

*not driving to an office allows me more time to do other work (like the everyday details of life, otuside of work -- clean, yard work etc.) Time IS MONEY. Sitting in traffic to get to an office is not "green" living.

*allows me to work until midnight and feel SAFE (if I were in an office alone, I would get a little jittery)

*rids me of office gossip, politics which allows me to focus on my clients

*I accomplish MORE at my home office, then I did at a brick and mortar shop (agents always trying to bump me off the ONE computer, or printer the office had)

*I don't have to listen to agents complain and moan about how SLOW they are, have no clients, and nothing to do!

*I don't have to listen to agents boast about the listing they got, or how they "double-dipped" the deal, or other "I'm the GRERATEST AGENT IN THE WORLD" prima don(na) brags, a'la Glen Gary Glen Ross.

Hi, Regina. Office gossips and water cooler talk do take you away from important tasks, as do laundry and vet visits. It's a hard call to make. Great post.

I prefer to work from home when I can. It's just easier and more convenient, but I do still have an office with my brokerage.

I like having the flexibility of both!! There are days when I just don't want to go into the office. Give me my PJ's, computer and cellphone and I'm ready for the day!!

I love working from home and so do my dogs----that extra cup of coffee in the morning is divine.

Regina - I've worked from home, from an office in a fair location, a good location and a great location. You can certainly serve your existing clients and advertising from home as well as anyplace else. We opened a new company in a prime downtown location at Christmas time, and I can vouch for all the additional traffic we have from being in a great location, both from new prospects and from becoming more "top of mind" for our existing clients.

Regina, I usually like to work at home in the mornings and go to the office for a while in the afternoon. That way I get my work done and when I get to the office I can discuss things, see what is going on and take care of anything that comes up there. The bonus, because I can get my work done in the morning, it leaves me all afternoon to prospect and build relationships with people in the community.

I've been working my virtual office full-time for the last 2 1/2 years, Regina. It takes alot of focus and drive to do so. That comes naturally to me, though. I do miss the direct face-to-face interaction of a regular office. But, I find that I get so much more done in a day than I used to in an office.

We work from our home and we love it -- there is no disadvantage to us at all.

Hi Regina -- I work from home and have even when I had an office to go to. Some people need, want the various attributes that an office provides, but I couldn't be happier <and more productive.>

Hi Regina, I love working from home. Most agents that I know do most of their work from home.

I've been working from home for about 5 1/2 years. I visit my office... but I have everything I need here.

The biggest advantage is going to my kids' school to participate in programs... And then being able to work at 1:00am to make up for it.

The disadvantage is being engrossed in something and be interupted by dinner...

We work From a Home Office for about the last 4 years and would never go back -#! you control your environment totally :) ..... the horse & pony show of the BIG posh offices are dwindling ...Real estate is heading more & more virtual

BUT....we do make many house calls and will continue LOL Clients Love it! & so do we :)

great post Regina - We've joined your group!

"The best part is that you're your own boss! The worst part is (also) that you're your own boss!"

I'm going to check out your new blog. I am not as efficient nor effective as I could be and can easily learn from your 7 years of virtual office experience.

Thank you.

I work 90% at home, and go into the office for meetings.

Regina,

Working out of a home can be very beneficial. Freedom, yes! However, it depends on how everything is set up. Whatever the family, or non-family, situation is has to be carefully considered.

Regina: Working from home can be nice.. In my case with 2 children 3 yrs and 10 months.. I have to actually go to the office some times to get things done. I love my kids.. but some times you can't spend time and get things done too. Darn... to bad you can't do both at the same time and be productive :)

Regina, like you I enjoy working from home. Mixing it up by going into the office a few days per week is cool too. Good post!

APR

Regina,

Our company is VOW all the way. Agent meetings are held online via GoToMeeting, electronic signatures on docs, transactions are stored securely online using Relay and clients appreciate that we go to them when a transaction requires it.

The overhead costs we've saved over the typical brick-and-mortar office have gone into advanced internet marketing, a high yield SEO project, and state-of-the-art equipment like wireless printers in the trunks of agent cars that work with their Iphones and laptops.

It is not for every agent, but our team flourishes in our VOW environment.

WOW, so much interest in this topic! I've been out of the office for a day and look what happened! 60 comments. Thank you very much to everyone who stopped by to read and comment. I'm now posting a follow-up blog with results from my poll. Watch for it...

APR

Normally the first hour of my day is spent in my bathrobe (checking email, scheduling, answering calls I got the night before, etc.). At this point I wouldn't have it any other way.

Jack, it'd be pretty silly to show up at the office in a bathrobe, eh! ;)

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