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Are we shifting the way we work?

By Ryan Covino

Real Estate Broker/Owner with Northeast RealtyPartners

July 11, 2011 10:30 AM

Yes we are.

I have been reading my paper this morning (You don't think I mean the actual print paper do you? The paper for me are blogs. Short, informative articles from people I want to read)

Think about that before you continue to read on. We have seen the newspaper industry get smaller and smaller. Okay, so people read boston.com or some print publication online...not so fast. Even the print publications online have THEIR columnists. We live in an age where you can pick and choose how you want to get the news. You want to stay informed by reading something like deadspin.com? Cool, its your world too. You want to get your news from MSNBC.com? Cool, it is also your world. This may not seem like much but it is a ripple in the huge shift that is happening right now!

I digress because I want to get back to the "paper" I was reading this morning. www.thefutureofrealestatemarketing.com had a post on how we work. They got this sweet graphic below from gist.com so you check it out there as well.

We are becoming less dependent on 9-5, get your butt in the office work and are leaning towards flexible, remote employment. It has been like this for quite some time in the real estate profession but it is becoming more accepted from other industries as well.

Ask yourself - Are you at the office at 9am? Do you leave at 5pm? Is your cell phone off after 5pm? Do you run personal errands throughout the day?

Check out this link to a sweet infographic and see how we are shifting.

Ryan is a Realtor®, Speaker, Fitness Junkie, and "Real Estate Helper" living in MA

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Christine Donovan

Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA

Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M

We are definitely changing the way we work. I like papers for coupons but get my news elsewhere generally.

Jul 12, 2011 04:18 PM

Dagny Eason

Dagny's Real Estate - Wilton, CT

Fairfield County CT, CDPE Homes For Sale and Condo

I am so sad - I could not read your graphic - I could open it, but it was scrunched to one side.....

Great post! I also work a lot here, a lot there, but nothing set in stone...

Jul 13, 2011 02:29 AM

Dagny Eason

Dagny's Real Estate - Wilton, CT

Fairfield County CT, CDPE Homes For Sale and Condo

Oops! clicked on it, and got it!

Jul 13, 2011 02:32 AM

Tni LeBlanc, Realtor®, J.D.

Mint Properties, Lic. #01871795 - Santa Maria, CA

Tenacious Tni (805) 878-9879

Yes, there is definitely a shift. I am the broker at my office but I am the only one who comes into the office (almost) every day, and I'm not there at 9am -- although I am probably already working.

Jul 13, 2011 03:23 AM

Christine DeLay

Bransom Real Estate, Azle, Tarrant County, TX - Azle, TX

Yes it is definitely shifting but I don't think it is all for the best, actually it is making us work more. Now we are available for our clients 24/7. I am in the office every day morning to evening but when I go home it is not over. Clients call at 10.30pm or 6.30 am. When I sit on my horse and ride I have to stop multiple times and answer calls and if I have to turn it off for some really important reason for an hour, after this hour I have messages on it that make you think the world meanwhile came to an end in this hour of non-availability. I believe we became slaves of our smart phones and her with our clients.

Jul 13, 2011 03:54 AM

S W

Centerville, KS

There is no such thing as being "off" when your a realtor!

Jul 13, 2011 04:09 AM

Ryan Covino

Northeast RealtyPartners - Wilmington, MA

Thanks everyone for the responses -- it really makes me think and hopefully you to...What I come back to is boundries. Back in the day when cell phones, emails, texts didn't exist, boundries were created for us. Now the responsibility is on us. Our clients (and everyone) live in a world were they get the info they need right away and that is expected now of us. I don't blame them....but there are ways for us handle these pressures.

What do you do?

I meet with my clients and tell them how I operate, for a while, I lived in fear that if I didn't pick up the phone, the deal would fall apart or a new client would move on to someone else. I started to set my voicemail up everyday with the times I would be returning calls. Not one complaint if I didn't answer the phone, not one client moved on. I would obviously have to return the call though. Next is email. We can't get stuff done if we are pulled in every direction. We BETTER serve our clients by being laser focused on the task at hand.

The next thing is to delegate -- you don't have to work 9-5 but what if you were to get an asst or intern that did?

What do you think?

Jul 13, 2011 04:47 AM

Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ

Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ

HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

Great post. I'm at my home office desk oftentimes before 8 am and there till 7 most nights. But, it's not the same work as before. Now, most everything is online, so no reading the "paper" at my desk. I now speed read the constant stream of news! Best of luck to you!

Jul 13, 2011 05:21 AM

Dave Moeller

Redbud Realty & Associates - Edmond, OK

Our office is as Virtual as we can get it for our market. I spend time in the office, primarily in case an agent needs to meet with me or I have a business meeting.

We are set up to be mobile, connected, and able to shift quickly if need be. It is all about time management and balance. The fun part about real estate is the flexibility of scheduling. Even if I am not in the office, my agents know I am only a phone call, text, or email away. Technology is wonderful.

Innovation, Technology, and Competition has always driven the market. Let's be glad the way we work evolves. Besides, have you seen what is on TV at night. I am glad I have a home office, as well.

Jul 13, 2011 06:39 AM

Dan Pinson

International Realty Partners - Phoenix, AZ

Broker,ABR,GRI,RSPS,SFR,TRC

Basically I work all the time, but I do shut the phone off after about 7 or 8pm. Nothing in real estate is that much of an emergency that I can't take care of a late night call first thing in the morning.

Jul 13, 2011 06:52 AM

Ray Waisler

Finance of America - Atlanta, GA

NMLS #6621 - Specializing in Jumbo FHA & VA

Ryan, successful salespeople have never worked 9-5 and I sincerely doubt they ever will. It just goes with the territory. And yes I still prefer holding that piece of paper in my hands every morning (a great way to tune out my wife.....oops did I say that out loud? LOL)

Jul 13, 2011 07:51 AM

Marsha Cash

RE/MAX Advantage - Stockbridge, GA

This makes me think of how we work has changed also. All our contracts are done online and emailed or faxed. I recently had an agent ask me for an original contract (remember when we made 6 copies and delivered them everywhere?) It was all I could do to keep from laughing. I didn't give her one.

Jul 13, 2011 09:06 AM

Kimo Jarrett

Cyber Properties - Huntington Beach, CA

Pro Lifestyle Solutions

It's all about time management and working smarter, not harder. The amount of hours a person works doesn't determine the income that's earned.

Jul 13, 2011 11:33 AM

Kasey & John Boles

Jon Gosche Real Estate, LLC - BoiseMeridianRealEstate.com - Boise, ID

Boise & Meridian, ID Ada/Canyon/Gem/Boise Counties

I sort of agree with Christine #18. Having smartphones and internet available everyone is both awesome & awful. I love being able to go to a ball game during the day and can still get work done if necessary, but I hate being at dinner with my husband and having phone calls and emails and texts coming in all the while. Sure, we can shut it down, but everyone knows we have smartphones and can basically be accessed anywhere anytime. Back to the awesome - we head out on 1-2 week road trips each year and can work from the road, back to aweful, we never take a vacation that isn't a "working" vacation. - Kasey

Jul 13, 2011 05:25 PM

Gene Riemenschneider

Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA

Turning Houses into Homes

My personal and proffesional life run together and it is hard to seperate the two of them. I work more than 40 a week but it does not ussually feel like it.

Jul 14, 2011 10:07 AM

Lyn Sims

Schaumburg, IL

Real Estate Broker Retired

Hmmm, even though I agree with a majority of the outline I still feel like it was a commercial for something?

Jul 14, 2011 01:41 PM

Mike Henderson

Your complete source for buying HUD homes - Littleton, CO

HUD Home Hub - 303-949-5848

Are we shifting? No it has already happened.

Jul 14, 2011 05:26 PM

Dave Woodson

Dave Woodson - Chesterton, IN

Not the Average Agent

I shut my office down in August of 08 to go work out of the Bunker, March of 09, I went to work for another broker and quit doing loans all together in March of 10.

I work from my house, I market and consult via all sorts avenues and I love it

I work from wherever I can get a wife and cell signal

Dave

Jul 15, 2011 06:14 AM

Gerard Gilbers

Higher Authority Markeing - Asheboro, NC

Your Marketing Master

Yes there is a shift of how we work! Much of what we do is going virtual and electronic.

Jul 15, 2011 01:32 PM

Elisa Uribe Realtor #01427070

Golden Gate Sotheby's International - Berkeley, CA

Opening the Doors to California Homes -East Bay

ha ha! I don't know any successful realtors who can shut off at 5 on the spot. We have flexibility in our jobs but we have to remind ourselves to take time for ourselves too. The letter R is the hardest working letter in the envelope.

Aug 31, 2011 05:43 PM