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Saturday Evening Poll: Work on Saturday/Sunday?

By Dennis Burgess

Property Manager with AmeriTeam Property Management SL#3200658

March 26, 2011 12:22 PM

Do you work on Saturdays? Sundays? Both? Neither? It seems that more and more, folks 1) ask me if I'm working on a particular Saturday or Sunday, and 2) get really upset when I explain that Sunday is the Lord's Day and that I work Saturdays from time to time by appointment only. I know a great deal of agents on the sales side of our business, and many of my fellow property managers as well. Some folks I know work Monday-Friday and cram what seems to be 100 hours' work into those days (I'd say I work 55-60), while some work less hours per day but actually DO work 7 days a week.

Everyone has their reasons for work schedules, and I'll never criticize anyone for their choices- so I guess it's just frustrating when I'm criticized for mine. I'm not pushing that everyone should block Sunday off for church as I do, either- as I can't say that my doing so is any better that anyone else's blocking off their Tuesdays for "Father/Son Day" or their Fridays for "Spa Day". I respect their decisions and expect the same courtesy in return.

Lest anyone think otherwise, I'm fully aware of the financial consequences caused by my not working every day. Not working on Sundays (and I mean that in the most literal sense) has cost me money. I don't return calls or emails on Sunday in observance of the Sabbath- and plenty of "sure-fire deals" (in other agents' view, of course) have fallen by the wayside when others have learned of my work schedule. I'll stick to my guns, though- and hold to my beliefs that those short-term sacrifices are simply the price I'll pay for a long-term gain some years down the road.

So what about you? Which days of the week do you work, and why?

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Donald Reich

Madison Specs - New Rochelle, NY

Cost Segregation Specialist

I never work Saturday's, also for religious reasons. I work almost ever Sunday, although I wish i didn't have to. In this business, working on weekends is a necessary evil.

Mar 26, 2011 02:43 PM

Dennis Burgess

AmeriTeam Property Management - Mid Florida, FL

Orlando Property Manager and Realtor

Good Evening, Donald: Necessary "evil", indeed. I empathize with you, though, in our common pursuit of both faith and commerce. I may be wrong, but, I think you most likely have things worse than me. All else being equal, whether your faith be Seventh-Day Adventist or similar, your day of worship isn't the "typical" (for lack of better wording) one. Although we're each doing business with the other's faithful, there's surely a greater number of folks in church while you work than when I do.

Mar 26, 2011 04:51 PM

Donald Reich

Madison Specs - New Rochelle, NY

Cost Segregation Specialist

First of all, beyond the religious issues, EVERYONE needs a day off. A day to unplug, relax, and forget about all your troubles (if possible).

Since we seem to be in a minority of Realtors who take a day off because of our religion, you should do what I do, and use it to your advantage. There is a strong customer base of my co-religionists where I work. I have a GREAT niche market. Is it enough? No, but its a big part of my business.

Mar 28, 2011 06:28 AM

Dennis Burgess

AmeriTeam Property Management - Mid Florida, FL

Orlando Property Manager and Realtor

Donald: Folks do need time off. How does one get fired up and ready for the work week ahead when the last week never ends? I'd surely like to have a bit of a "religionist" niche as well- it just seems difficult to cultivate. I'm trying to put together a Veteran's ministry at my church, though- and while I never want to exploit exposure or impose on my fellow churchgoers, it'd be great to have business come from it.

Thank you again for your comment, and God Bless.

Mar 30, 2011 05:32 AM

Debbie Walsh

SHAHAR Management - Middletown, NY

Hudson Valley NY Real Estate 845.283-3036

I work every Saturday because I am too busy not to. I have been trying to take Sundays off because I began to realize I was never taking any time for myself. So now Sunday is blocked off because I work very long hours the rest of the 6 days.

Mar 31, 2011 07:44 AM

Dennis Burgess

AmeriTeam Property Management - Mid Florida, FL

Orlando Property Manager and Realtor

Hi, Debra: Like I've heard a surprisingly increasing number of folks say recently, you have to take some time off- wheher it be for religious reasons or otherwise, folks need time to re-charge the batteries. Thank you for your comment.

Mar 31, 2011 09:19 AM

Donald Reich

Madison Specs - New Rochelle, NY

Cost Segregation Specialist

Dennis, I have one more comment for you. You stated in your original post that customers "get really upset when I explain that Sunday is the Lord's Day"

Perhaps (and just perhaps) when you put it that way, people take offense. Be very careful how you word this, and what your tone of voice is. Most people do not like being preached to or being given a religious lesson.

I think that you should just say that you do not work Sundays. If someone presses you on it, or asks why, just say its for religious reasons. They will get the picture, respect where you are coming from, and appreciate that you are not trying to push your agenda on them.

Mar 31, 2011 09:28 AM

Dennis Burgess

AmeriTeam Property Management - Mid Florida, FL

Orlando Property Manager and Realtor

Donald: Thank you for your comment again. One down side of the written word is that (save those goofy emoticons) there's no great way to convey context. I can assure you, though, that I am by no means "preachy". I'd say that, by average, 90% of the time I mention why I don't work Sundays is in direct response to prospects' questions.

Apr 01, 2011 04:48 AM

Donna Foerster

HomeSmart Realty Group - Parker, CO

Metro Denver Real Estate Assistant

Hello Dennis~ We do our best to take off on Sundays. When don't generally get too much push back. Sometimes we make exceptions if a particular client only has Sundays to go look at houses, or to meet to sign paperwork. We do respond to emails and phone calls. We generally work 6 days a week.

You can't worry too much about what other people think. If they don't want to work with you because you take off on Sundays in respect of the Sabbath, you probably didn't really want to work with them anyway!

(P.S. Just sent you an email. Hope you get it. Sometimes email notification doesn't work. If you don't get it, check your My Home page and you should see contact from Donna Foerster).

Apr 10, 2011 10:13 AM

Dennis Burgess

AmeriTeam Property Management - Mid Florida, FL

Orlando Property Manager and Realtor

Hi, Donna: Thank you for your comment and email. Keeping work away on Sundays isn't an easy thing, to be sure. One must try to hold true to the Lord, but walk the line and try not to preach, as Donald indicated above. Not working Sundays has cost me money here, but I've no doubt things will pay off in the end.

As you can see, I've finally added a photo to my profile. It's a funny thing- a cousin of mine has a radio show called The Rick and Bubba Show, out of a Birmingham flagship station and syndicated to 60 or so other areas. He is/they are very successful, but he's always said that he has a "face for radio".

I think that runs in the family:).

Apr 12, 2011 06:54 AM

Donna Foerster

HomeSmart Realty Group - Parker, CO

Metro Denver Real Estate Assistant

Try smiling in the photo, Dennis. I'm sure that will make a BIG difference! :-)

Apr 13, 2011 08:42 AM

Dennis Burgess

AmeriTeam Property Management - Mid Florida, FL

Orlando Property Manager and Realtor

Hi, Donna: Baby steps..baby steps... I know. It's a passport photo- they won't let you smile...

Apr 13, 2011 09:32 AM