I hear many people say (in some of the recent posts as well) real estate is a full time job and agents should be willing to put in full time hours to produce successfully. I am fine with that idea, because it only makes sense to me. But as a person who's not an agent yet, I do wonder...

What do you do to fill those hours? How does a new agent spend 40 hours a week and spend them wisely?

Also, do you all feel that it is absolutely necessary for an agent to be available ALL THE TIME? What I mean is, if an agent was to make him/herself available say afternoons and evenings weekdays and all day on weekends, would their results be significantly low?

As a new agent the more available you are the more leads you can follow up on. If you close yourself off or turn your cell off you will definitely lose customers. It is all about who will answer the client first. Once you can get face to face you will win the client over hopefully.

I am available to my clients and to my loyal buyers most of the time. If I don't know who is calling in the evening I let it go to voicemail. Tonight a buyer I have in contract called me around 8. She works two jobs. she had a question about something she didn't understand (she doesn't speak English well). I spoke to her, I didn't mind, her family has bought 3 houses from me and they are extremely loyal. If a seller client abuses the privilege though, I let it go to voicemail and call them in the morning. Most of the people I work with text me anyway, which makes for quick and easy conversations. sometimes it's funny, someone will text me at 11PM, and by reflex I answer if I happen to see it! I have to stop myself from doing that. It does have it's advantages though. Today a seller client who also has a rental called me because someone he'd given my number to for his rental said she'd called me 3 times and I didn't call back. He said he knew right away she was either lying or had the wrong number because I ALWAYS respond quickly. My guess is that she drove by the apt and saw it was right on the Main Rd and for some reason didn't want to tell him she didn't like it, because I called and left messages at the 2 numbers he gave me and she didn't respond.

Spend it learning your craft, learning website management, search engine tactics, learning to make sure the buyers find you, learning how to take better pictures, learning how to market your properties online...I don't have enough hours in the day.

Sounds like you're fixing to become a part-time agent. It does not work. The effort required to be successful in this business is nothing less than a full commitment. If you have another job, you will unavoidably subdivide your time, talent. and energy. The day job always gets your best effort, that is just the way it is. Where you go first and what you do first in the morning after coffee is what you are. Showing up in the late afternoon to a real estate office to attempt being an agent will lead you to failure as an agent.

I've seen this work a few times at least.... start small/part-time while continuing to work a dayjob, and eventually, once you have some somewhat steady business, transition to full-time work. It's obviously both daunting and scary to jump in all the way right away.