I work by myself.  I know when thins get done and they get done the way I want them to.

Mine is unlicensed and she handles everything that helps bring in leads, but that I don't need to be focusing on - I need to be selling homes! Blogging, lead distribution, marketing materials, internal paperwork, website updates, social media, etc.

I would recommend always having a licensed assistant either in your office or virtually.  They can do all the tasks that are not worth your time.  For instance, one of our clients best talents is getting listings.  She can walk out of her office for a coffee and come back with 2-3 listings.  Everything else, paperwork, scheduling photo shoots, etc can be done by assistants. A

I have 2 assistants and also use several Virtual Assistants as well. I used to have a huge team, 12 to 15 people with 6 to 8 buyers agents, a listing agent, a runner and 3 to 4 assistants. It wasn't all that profitable so I scaled way back. I now rely on my assistants to do my non dollar productive work while I go out and do the Direct Income Producing Activities (DIPA) showing, listing, writing and negotiating offers etc! Anything that's not directly making me money I have them do. And I'm much more profitable now!

I hired my first VA last October to help manage my social media campaigns.  She's a local, non-practicing, licensed Realtor with a public relations degree, that's staying home to raise her kids.  She's an independent contractor and I have her on a monthly retainer.  She's also a "techie" type, of which I'm not and so far, it's worked out well.  It's also nice to have someone that will/can "brainstorm" with you on different marketing ideas.  I will eventually add more tasks for her to take care of as necessary.  Bringing my VA onboard was a great decision for me. 

No, I don't have one yet.  I am reading the answers to see if I can pick up some great points in hiring one

I have been asking the same question.  I will be back to see what our AR member think.

I have toyed with the idea of having one that would work on marketing for me.

I have a regular assistant that is not licensed.  I want to keep from hiring a licensed one.  I do not want to train them and give them all my ways of getting business and have them go off on their own.

Robert Kennedy planning for one - so the answers here will help me.  Heard of virtual assistant and haven't tried, though could have, I guess.

I have always preferred a real person. I have used unlicensed and licensed assistants. Some of the best have been very smart college students working for the summer. 

Yes - and a whole team, too.

My low productivity tasks are taken care of by her.

Dealing directly and hands on army of one can have its advantages. You can train how you want the small tasks done. But so often when you the agent, broker do it right going in, it saves the hand off and then hoping it came off the way you needed. Lots of different situations in the delicate list, twist, sell (repeat). I find videos save so much time in showings and weeding, filtering out the process and boil it down to which is the one.

That help yourself late at night and weekends is so so time saving that I have the extra time needed to run a tight ship. My secretary is more of a personal assistant anyway in a small rural office where we don't have a slew of part time agents or run a real estate daycare with all the "that's my listing, you stole my buyer" bickering.

I'm like William Feela . At some point it may be necessary but for right now the work gets done, it gets done right, and my customers are happy.

In the past, I've found that I need to work twice as hard to keep an assistant going who is on the payroll or is an outside contractor and not accountable for my business' income. No thanks. And anyone who is licensed, the only ones I would hire (to hang their license with me), are strictly on commission. I have no problem paying a big commission split.

I have a wonderful Assistant that is not licensed.  She does the paperwork and I go out and list...

Could not do without Denise..

I have not used any. If I had to choose I would hire a licensed assistant so that the agent can show homes .

We have a virtual assistant and he does most of our marketing  and blogging.

Anything that they are qualified to do they are welcome to take off my hands.

No.

I do not.  I don't need one.

A lot of people have hesitations about using a Virtual assistant because of lack of accountability. BizEBee Virtual Assistants has accountability. Bizebee has a staff of virtual assistants who only get paid if the work is completed to the client's satisfaction. We focus on creating a relationship with our clients so that we are always on the same page, and focused on the same things. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me or visit our website at www.bizebeerealestate.com 

I automate as much as possible to use the computer and website as my assistant.  For classes, students register and pay on my website using self-service.  My website is a 24/7 robot.