Michael Douglas, in the movie The American President, said "America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight." The same thing could be said about the real estate business. People outside the industry seem to be always wondering what is so difficult about the real estate industry. Well let me tell you a typical week 
during what many may consider the slow time.
Sunday
On Sunday morning I have to get up and work on some social media issues. There goes an easy hour from 8-9. I grab a second cup of coffee and I am off to show two homes in the morning to one of my buyer clients. From there I set off to do an open house. That means laying out signs, getting to the property early, setting the home up for showing with lights turned on, drapes open, water bottles and snacks available, graphics and additional 
information at the ready. Once this is complete we are now pushing 5 PM. I meet with a seller client and review the offers that we have received. We are now pushing 7 PM. I get home, rewrite the offers that my seller wants to review the next day in a worksheet\net sheet. I provide feedback from the open house to the listing agent and input the contacts from the open house into my CRM in order to start the contact follow up.
Monday
Monday morning I grab breakfast and coffee and review or write my blog postings, follow up on FB and G+ then it is some floor duty at the office while preparing two different applications for people who need me to find leases for them to live the next year. Then it is off to show some lease homes to my clients. I visit with my seller to review the worksheets I prepared the night before. They decide to execute on a contract and the back and forth between myself and the buyer's agent start. By late Monday Night (10 PM) we have a revised contract executed by the buyer and my clients will sign the next day.
Tuesday
Tuesday it is off to Rotary then back in my home office to order more customized cards. I like to use my photographs on my cars with a personalized saying reflecting the image. I try to hand 
write at least 5 cards per week day. I missed yesterday and will try and get 10 out today once I place the order as I will run out if I don't. I get to write my cards, get on social media, schedule a couple of homes for showing with another buying client and then it is off to meet a good friend who has referred business to me for lunch. After lunch, I am off to show some homes, and arrange to schedule some new lease homes that came on the market for my leasing clients.
Wednesday
Wednesday I am schedule in class all day today and Thursday. It is important to keep up with the industry and remain on top of my game and education can help achieve that as well as show my clients that I am diligent about maintaining my expertise in the RE business. During breaks I handle calls from an inspector wanting to schedule a house we just executed the contract, remotely receive my clients lease application, fill in the additional information scan it and send it to the leasing agent. After class it is showing another two homes before I get home and follow up on open house guests that attended the open house on Sunday.
This is not an unusual week except for the class. However, there are scheduled meeting at my broker's office, business development, and other commitments that would easily replace that time. These commitments could include scheduling and meeting photographers, inspectors, 
appraisers, title people, lenders and the list continues. So now you see some of the underlying things real estate requires to be successful.
Real estate is not having people knock on your doors asking you to sell their house or show them a home. While there is some flexibility as you are in control, you do not get to sit and wait for things to happen if you want to be successful. You spend a lot of money to start up a real estate business as an agent let alone continuing on to become a broker. Just to belong to your county level real estate association, state and national level as well can cost a couple of hundred a month. Then add in the cost for your website, subscriptions or purchases of software, postage, marketing information, photographs, MLS services, lock boxes, etc...
The next time you think what is my real estate agent doing for me as it seems they simply put the sign up and in a week they got all these contracts reread this post. This post does not even start to list all the different communications we get everyday that we need to reply to if we are going to remain in business. This business called real estate is not easy. You gotta want it bad. You will find yourself doing double work because there are some agents who just don't want it as bad as you but you know your client's come first.
This is not a complaint as I love what I do. It is just to let consumers know that when you find a good agent, sign up with them. A good agent wants real estate and they want it bad. If you find yourself in Texas especially in Frisco Texas, then give me a call and find out what my other clients found out. When you work with me—Your Success is My Focus.
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