According to the National Association of REALTORS®, real estate agents work an average of 40 hours per week. As any hard working commercial real estate agent in Charleston will tell you, a 40 hour work week is the bare minimum. 60-80 hour work weeks, including the occasional nights, weekends, and holidays, are closer to the norm for commercial real estate agents.
In a super hot commercial real estate market like Charleston, it’s imperative to keep up w/ the competition and provide the best service for your clients.
What does a commercial real estate agent do in day in and day out to rack up those hours? Here’s a look at one of my typical, non-hectic work days:
- 5am: Start early and get to the gym
- 6:30am: Drink coffee, review the schedule for the day, read local papers & industry trades
- 7:30am: Scroll social media, comment & engage w/ followers
- 8am: Follow up w/ current transactions
- 9am: Make cold calls for new leads and follow up with warm prospects while I’m still fresh
- 10am: Continue w/ current transactions
- 10:30am: Follow up w/ old leads &/or tap former clients w/ thank you cards, hand written notes, or emails
- 11:30am: Scroll social media, get to stopping point w/ current transactions
- 12pm: Read & respond to emails at lunchtime. Avoid the lunch meeting trap!
- 1-3pm: Go to afternoon appointments and meetings and canvas for new leads, brainstorm new marketing ideas
- 3:30pm: Scroll social media, check emails
- 4pm: Wrap up for the day on current transactions
- 5pm: Clear voicemails and e-mails. I set firm boundaries on my closing time!
- 6-8pm: Attend networking events and functions
- 8:30pm: Clear my head and focus on my family
As you can see, it’s easy for commercial real estate agents to work overtime every week. From old clients to new clients to the digital relationships in between, it’s important to continually keep a schedule that will drive you to success while also allowing time for freedom and relaxation in your personal life.
Charleston Commercial Real Estate Agent
Mike Ferrer, CCIM, MCR is a Principal with Ferrer Commercial Real Estate Advisors, LLC. He has written several white papers on the Charleston industrial real estate market. He can be reached via e-mail at: Mike.Ferrer@FerrerCREA.com.
He has over 15 years of commercial real estate Brokerage and Development experience. With a focus on warehouses, manufacturing, office buildings, vacant land, and Investment Sales. He opened his own brokerage in 2015, and has completed over $225,000,000 in transactions throughout the Lowcountry.
Mike is the past president of the Commercial MLS for the state of South Carolina and has served on many other civic and philanthropic boards. Mike has a plethora of commercial real estate knowledge and established ties to the local community both statewide and stretching across the entire southeast.
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