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Hire a real estate virtual assistant and get back to being a real estate agent instead of a secretary!

Welcome back to my 3^rd post in my series “What Can a Real Estate Virtual Assistant Do For You?”  This time, I will be covering some of the tasks that a virtual assistant can help you take care of during the under contract/pending or escrow phase of a real estate transaction.

If you would like to see the previous 2 posts in this series, click here to read how a virtual assistant can help you during the “pre-listing” phase, or click here to read how a virtual assistant can help you during the “listing” phase of a real estate transaction.

As I have said in the previous posts, the possibilities and combinations of what tasks a virtual assistant to support a real estate agent are endless, but I will try to give you a generalized overview.

Now, you and your real estate virtual assistant have already prepared for and obtained your ideal listing.  Finally you get an offer on your listing, and the offer is accepted by your sellers.  Again, as in the previous responsibilities, your virtual assistant can prove to be a valuable and resourceful, precious time saver.

Once your sellers accept the offer from the buyers, here is the plan that your real estate virtual assistant will kick into action – and you don’t have to lift a finger! 

Side Note: If your real estate virtual assistant and you decide to use a transaction management system such as Relay, an action plan can be uploaded in the system that you use for all of your real estate transactions.  (This will keep things neat and consistent across the board!)

After the contract is accepted, this is what your virtual assistant will do (though not necessarily in this order):

1. review the contract to make sure that everything is complete and in order.- I don’t have to inform any of you that when executing a real estate contract, it is of the utmost importance that all T’s are crossed and all I’s are dotted (and dotted very obviously and clearly) This can be a time consuming and daunting task if one is in a hurry – but it is a specialty of the real estate virtual assistant. It is easy to let a last minute change rush by un-initialed – so delegate it to your VA to handle.
2. Ensure that any and all pest inspections are scheduled and completed – your real estate virtual assistant can make sure that all inspections needed for the closing are in place. This includes septic and pest or any other inspection that your state may require.
3. Ensure that the loan application is delivered to the lender –if not already done so.  Also, they can keep on top of the lender to make sure that everyone knows the status of the loan at the earliest possible time.
4. Ensure that the appraisal is ordered and completed in a timely fashion consistent with what is stipulated in the contract
5. Schedule the closing appointment with whatever party that your state uses to close a real estate transaction.
6. Report back to the seller weekly (or a pre-determined set of days) to let the know the status of all the above items and if they need to be home for any appointments and such
7. Ensure that the title company or attorney has all of the seller’s information and that it is accurate.
8. Ensure that any necessary insurance (fire, flood, hazard) has been ordered and documented.
9. Confirm that requested repairs have been made after the loan has been approved.
10. If required, order the home warranty.
11. If desired, contact the buyers to schedule a final walk-through.
12. Request a copy of the HUD statement from the attorney so everyone knows what documents or money they need to bring to the closing table.
13. Order the closing gift for you to present to the sellers.

In a Nutshell Statement:  A real estate virtual assistant can help you through the “under contract” phase of a real estate transaction by accomplishing the seemingly small (and very time consuming) but hugely important details of getting your property to close.

My next post will cover how a real estate virtual assistant can help you during the “closing” phase of a real estate transaction.

“e” you later!