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How late should we work?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Hamm Homes

How late should we work?

timeI find myself getting emails from agents that have the buyers for 2 of our listings at very weird times of the day.  It seems that they must be part time because they keep emailing things after 9 at night and expect me to reply almost right away.

Is it just me or do you have the same problems with some agents.  I know when it comes to clients that is one thing, but for agents to be expecting us to work every night till 10 is nuts.  I am a full time agent, so respect my time.  9 to 6 is fine but other than that, wait till the next day unless it is an emergency.

Comments (23)

Evelyn Kennedy
Alain Pinel Realtors - Alameda, CA
Alameda, Real Estate, Alameda, CA

Will:

I am with you.  I don't do much work after 10:00 pm beyond reading an email.  I am usually blogging on ActiveRain from 9pm on.  Leave a message on my voice mail or email me, but don't expect to hear back from me until the next day.

Jul 26, 2012 04:53 AM
Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO
Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Will - Mary & I will power down about 6 to 7 PM, unless we're doing late showings. And we'll answer our phone and respond to stuff up until about 9 PM - after that forget it. But I'm a morning guy - I'm usually here before 8 AM and I have noticed that there are very few agents that work early - I see very few e-mails time-stamped before 9 AM.

Jul 26, 2012 05:59 AM
Shannon Milligan, Richmond VA Real Estate Agent/Associate Broker
RVA Home Team - Richmond, VA
RVA Home Team - Winning with Integrity.

I suggested this as I think it is a topic we should explore more.

In the market that I moved from, it was very common for agents to be calling and emailing at various times of the day. When I moved to my new market...well, things just don't work like that. I have learned that unless it is a time of the essence issue, not to call until after 12 noon on a Sunday. And I have learned that most agents stop answering calls around 6pm or 7pm. This has been an adjustment for me since I came from a very competitive market and b/c I have OCD and like to have things checked off my list. I work as a full time agent...and then some. It is very hard to pull me away from doing SOMETHING business related. So, I have learned to really respect that others don't work like me (mist don't...I am Type A and can't stand things left undone, lol) and to maybe take a lesson from them and create some personal space for myself.

Jul 26, 2012 06:16 AM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

Oh yes Will, you MUST set time limit boundaries or you will be a convenient 24-hour phone, text or e-mail recipient! Most everything CAN wait 'till the next day, especially after business hours. And good luck getting anything done on a holiday...!

Jul 26, 2012 06:38 AM
Diane Daley
Caron's Gateway Real Estate - Northumberland, NH

I work late at the office but do not respond to e-mails once I get home...

Jul 26, 2012 06:41 AM
Belinda Spillman
Aspen Lane Real Estate Colorful Colorado - Aurora, CO
Colorado Living!
I have the perfect solution. Don't look at your email past 8 pm
Jul 26, 2012 07:38 AM
John McCormack, CRS
Albuquerque Homes Realty - Albuquerque, NM
Honesty, Integrity, Results, Experienced. HIRE Me!

With it not getting dark here till late I find myself working longer hours and seven days a week. I go with the flow and thankful Debbie is supportive saying get the real estate while you can we never know when the tide will turn.  I answer my phone when it rings if I don't Debbie does.

Jul 26, 2012 08:05 AM
Debb Janes
Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA
Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

If it's an offer coming up - I'll stay up as long as it takes...but, normally I wind down around 5-7PM depending upon the day. ( I do answer calls until 9PM) In fact, today is kind of a nice slow one - may meet hubby on the patio soon for a glass of vino soon and it's only 4PM - but as you know it's 5 o clock somewhere. ;)

Jul 26, 2012 08:50 AM
Pam Miller
Realty Associates - Conroe, TX
Broker Associate - Water Crest on Lake Conroe

Will - I get those email (and calls) all the time.  I try to shut everything down at 9:00pm.

Jul 26, 2012 09:36 AM
Jill Sackler
Charles Rutenberg Realty Inc. 516-575-7500 - Long Beach, NY
LI South Shore Real Estate - Broker Associate

I just think it's the nature of our business to get sucked into all kinds of late night email and calls. You have to set the boundaries that work best for you, if you're not interested in doing that. If you've been doing this for a while and you're very well established, I think it's perfectly okay to say something like, "I don't run my business that way."

Jul 26, 2012 09:43 AM
Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366
Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA
General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

But it is always an emergency Will.  :)

I think you need to set some boundaries.

Jul 26, 2012 05:52 PM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

We usually turn off the computers and don't answer the phones after 9 p.m.  I must admit that I worked at all hours in my younger years.


Have a great day and an outstanding weekend.


Jul 27, 2012 01:46 AM
Bobbie Smith
Stroudsburg, PA
570-242-1891

I have to say I'm with you on this one will.  I'll take calls or emails up to 8pm but after that, I'm closed. I am entitled to a life too and so are you.

Jul 27, 2012 06:00 AM
Kwee Huset
Kwee Huset Realty - Venice, FL
Venice Florida Homes For Sale

Hi Will, when I received emails - questions from buyers after 9:00pm , I will email the listing agent immediately. If you work with  foreign buyers, because of different time zone -  our night is their day.

Jul 27, 2012 06:28 AM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Will, You old camera Hamm you! I think that agents are not as considerate as they should be or have really weird schedules and think others do too.

Jul 27, 2012 11:55 AM
Cindy Westfall
Premiere Property Group,LLC Portland Metro & Suburbs Oregon - Tualatin, OR
ABR,GRI Your Tualatin & Portland Metro Real Estate

Hi Will, Oh boy is this timely. Just the other day I recieved a major change in an addendum in my e-mail at 9pm. No call, nothing from the agent. This was one that needed to be complete by midnight or the buyers would need to terminate to save their earnest money. Now...here I am scrambling around at 10pm since I didn't see the e-mail until then calling my sellers and going over the changes with them. Thank goodness they were able to get on their internet..and thank goodness I use Docusign.

I thought this was actually quite disrespectful of my and my sellers time..since she knew at around 6PM when she was writing up the addendum and could have easily called me. There are times when we have to do things, but in MOST cases, it can wait until the morning..or dealt with at a decent time.

 

 

Jul 27, 2012 02:21 PM
Joyce Godwin, Realtor, CRS
RE/MAX Elite Properties; Serving Cypress, Spring, Tomball, NW Houston - Houston, TX
RE/MAX Elite Properties

Hi Will, Seems that so much of our business occurs after hours, especially with contract deadlines.   If it's something regarding a contract, I will work as late as necessary.  But for non-urgent matters, I usually try to take care of between 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  I think those are pretty broad hours.

Jul 28, 2012 03:30 PM
Mona Gersky
MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC - Sylva, NC
GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.

Hi Will, I don't have hard and fast rules about email but I generally stop taking calls after 7pm.  Usually there isn't anything you can do anyway.

Jul 30, 2012 01:01 PM
Mary Yonkers
Alan Kells School of Real Estate/Howard Hanna Real Estate - Erie, PA
Erie/PA Real Estate Instructor

Will,  Unless, unless, unless it is an emergency situation it can wait till morning.  Like Dick G. I am a morning person and don't see a lot of real estate agents up at that hour.  Contract negotiations and counters and relpies to inspections may be the exception. 

Some agents have 'auto-reponder' on their e-mails indicating when to expect a response.  Works for me.

Aug 01, 2012 12:48 AM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Will, this is a great point. Here I am very late but it was because my cat woke me up, so checking a few posts before going back to bed. Unless I'm working on a deal, I don't feel the necessity to respond to late night emails. But I do check email before I go to bed in case there is a new prospect - now that's different and needs as fast a response as possible.

Sharon

Aug 06, 2012 04:14 PM