A typical day in the life of an estate agent
Firstly, there is no such thing as a typical day in the life of a sales/lettings negotiator. However, the following should give you an overview of what you might expect:
Your day will probably start in the office somewhere between 8.30am and 9.00am. Usually the manager of the office will hold a morning meeting to discuss any new properties they have been instructed to sell or let with the negotiators, give an update of all existing transactions, and discuss any further news or changes that you need to be aware of.
Having finished this meeting, the rest of your day as an estate agent will begin! This will vary from day to day, but you can expect applicants (ie: people who want to buy or rent a property) and clients (ie: people selling or letting the property) to either walk in off the streets, email or phone you to discuss their requirements, and you will almost certainly also be out of the office showing applicants suitable properties to buy or rent.
Your success as a Negotiator to start with will, to a large degree, be dependent upon your interpersonal skills and your ability to build a strong rapport with the applicant in a short period of time, getting to understand their needs and tastes.
Mornings are often the most productive time for making phone calls.
After the morning meeting, one of your key tasks will be contacting solicitors to check the progress of your property sales. For lettings, this involves coordinating with landlords and tenants to finalise contracts.
Regular communication with existing applicants is essential to the role. Many clients criticise estate agents for poor communication, so keeping in touch consistently helps to build trust. Whenever a new applicant registers as a buyer or tenant, it is important to promptly inform them of any properties that match their requirements.
Scheduling property viewings for your applicants is a critical part of the process. Experienced negotiators often emphasise that estate agents are essentially ‘selling’ the viewing, not the property itself. This may seem obvious, but it’s worth noting: if applicants don’t view properties, they won’t buy or rent them!
Accompanying applicants on viewings is where your people skills truly shine.
Building a strong rapport, based on the applicant liking and trusting you, is absolutely essential. As your success will largely depend on the outcome of your viewings, you will spend significant parts of the day out and about.
However, it is equally important to maintain regular contact with your other applicants and clients, meaning a considerable amount of time will also be spent on the phone, both in and out of the office. To attend viewings efficiently, you will need to use a car, sometimes transporting an applicant as a passenger.
When a viewing goes well
If the applicant wants to make an offer, you will use your negotiation skills to help the buyer and seller, or tenant and landlord, agree on a figure.
Once the client accepts the offer, it becomes your responsibility to manage the transaction through to the exchange of contracts. This involves liaising with solicitors, surveyors, and financial advisers. For lettings, you will primarily work with the landlord to finalise the process.
