I had a chat with a principal the other day who said their top agent—absolute weapon—was spending three hours a day on admin.
Three hours.
That’s time that could’ve gone to appraisals, negotiations, prospecting, or heck—even a lunch with a potential vendor. Instead, she was elbow-deep in spreadsheets, emails, and scheduling.
Sound familiar?
It should. Because it’s everywhere.
Walk into most real estate agencies and you’ll find talented agents doing everything but what they’re best at. Listing presentations squeezed in between CRM cleanups. Missed buyer enquiries while chasing contract paperwork. It’s not just inefficient—it’s costing you.
What’s Actually Slowing You Down?
We like to blame tough markets or lead quality. But the truth? Most agencies are losing time—and momentum—to manual tasks that could have been outsourced yesterday.
I’m not talking about “hiring a VA” and hoping for the best. I’m talking about building a system where skilled, trained professionals take care of everything that’s not a dollar-productive activity.
There are two areas where outsourcing consistently delivers results: customer service and admin support.
1. Customer Service That Works When You Can’t
Real estate is a 24/7 industry—your support team should reflect that.
When you outsource customer service to a specialist team, you’re not just answering the phone faster. You’re responding to buyer enquiries in real time. You’re booking inspections without delay. You’re building a client experience that actually matches the scale of the decision they’re making.
Here’s what that can look like:
- Prompt response via phone, email, SMS, and chat
- Systematic follow-up (not “whenever someone remembers”)
- After-hours support that doesn’t wake your agents
- Multilingual communication for diverse buyer pools
- Appointment coordination that runs like clockwork
The result? Leads don’t go cold, and your team stays focused on the high-value interactions.
2. Admin That Doesn’t Eat the Day
The paperwork side of property never sleeps—contracts, compliance, marketing packs, data entry… it stacks up fast.
But does your lead agent really need to be updating a CRM or resizing floor plans?
This is where outsourcing really pulls its weight. Tasks like:
- Listing uploads and portal management
- Calendar and email inbox management
- CRM hygiene and client database updates
- Contract preparation and compliance tracking
- Financial reporting and bookkeeping
- EDM and social media scheduling
When done by trained admin professionals who know real estate, these tasks stop being bottlenecks—and start being value drivers.
The Roles That Deliver ROI
From what I’ve seen across Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S., here are the outsourced roles that consistently deliver:
- Customer Service Reps – First response, follow-ups, and scheduling
- Admin Assistants – Organised, detail-driven, and process-savvy
- Transaction Coordinators – Keep your sales pipeline smooth and compliant
- Bookkeepers – Stay ahead of cash flow and reporting
- Marketing Assistants – Listings, EDMs, socials, and more
- Property Management Support – Handle inspections, maintenance, tenant updates
These aren’t “nice to have” roles—they’re the engine room that frees up your top performers.
What Makes It Work (And What Doesn’t)
The agencies who nail outsourcing have a few things in common:
✅ They start small. One function at a time. Prove the value, then scale.
✅ They work with real estate specialists. Someone who knows what a CMA is, how a contract of sale works, and why your CRM is more than just a contact list.
✅ They onboard properly. Expectations, training, and a genuine seat at the table for offshore teams.
This isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about building a team that extends your capabilities—without adding to your headcount.
Where This Is All Headed
Let’s be real: the agencies leading the market aren’t wasting time on tasks that can be done better, faster, and more consistently by someone else.
They’ve figured out how to run leaner operations without sacrificing service. They’ve freed up their people to focus on selling. And they’re growing—because they’re working smarter.
If your agents are still stuck doing inbox triage and chasing down missing forms… it might be time for a rethink.
Your agents should be selling. Not sorting spreadsheets.
About the Author
Chris Bezuidenhout, Cloudstaff’s Business Growth Director, has 24 years of offshoring experience, including 14 years in the Philippines. A specialist in remote team management, he helps businesses focus on growth by handling payroll, HR, and IT support while connecting them with exceptional Philippines-based talent. His mission is to simplify operations so owners can scale their ventures with ease.
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