A receptionist is a clerical or secretarial employee who serves as the company’s face and voice while also coordinating communication between the company’s customers and employees. A real estate receptionist in a real estate firm must have excellent telephone skills and the attention to detail that the industry demands. The minimum educational requirement for this position is a high school diploma, but many people have additional training. The receptionist’s responsibilities are roughly divided into three categories: customer service, clerical, and organizational; he or she may also act in official capacities, such as notarizing certain documents.
This position’s major responsibilities include excellent customer service and telephone skills. Even if it is only in the form of a voice, a real estate receptionist is often a customer’s first official contact with a real estate office. A real estate receptionist keeps track of agent locations, listings, and contract status in a solo or multi-agent office. He or she receives messages from all parties involved, including potential buyers, sellers, title companies, law firms, and other agents, and relays them to the appropriate people. Receptionists also keep track of the numerous appointments required in real estate, notifying all parties involved to ensure that the business runs smoothly.
A real estate receptionist may also be responsible for basic clerical duties and word processing, depending on the size of the real estate office and the number of practicing real estate agents within it. Typing contracts for buyers or sellers, as well as managing outgoing agency correspondence, are examples of these tasks. He or she may also be in charge of updating home listings for publication, whether online or in print; in some offices, the real estate receptionist’s responsibilities may also include updating an agency’s website and online listings. Clerical responsibilities could also include organizing and ordering general office supplies as well as trade supplies like outdoor signage, target brochures, and business cards. Receptionists are frequently in charge of receiving and sorting incoming mail and forwarding it to specific agents, the office manager or agency owner, and the office accountant for any outstanding company bills of fees.
The majority of people who work in this field have at least a high school diploma. Many receptionists have a secretarial education, and a large percentage of them have certificates or associates degrees in a related field. While real estate agent certification is not always required, it can be beneficial to candidates applying for these positions.