What Unlicensed Real Estate Virtual Assistants Can Do in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Real Estate CommissionThe Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission allows brokers to have unlicensed assistants help them with most of their administrative work, so it is no wonder that more and more professionals end up advertising real estate assistant jobs. However, it is important to keep in mind that the rules regarding what unlicensed real estate personnel virtual assistants can and cannot do are very strict, and it is the licensee’s duty to make sure they are followed.

Here is what a virtual administrative assistant can do in Pennsylvania:

  • Get information from public listings for the licensee;
  • Create and spread advertising materials for the licensee, after the latter gave their consent;
  • Take over certain administrative and secretarial duties, such us answering the phone, making calls on behalf of the licensee and taking messages;
  • Receiving and delivering information from and to the licensee and their clients;
  • Schedule repair works on the properties managed by the licensee, with the latter’s approval and  under their supervision;
  • Receive and make payment and keep track of them.

Why is hiring a virtual assistant preferable to working with someone in a physical office? On one hand, the cost difference is huge, because, with a virtual assistant, you no longer need a physical office, and you pay much less. On the other hand, there is not much more a personal assistant can do, compared to the virtual assistant, because, according to the Pennsylvania legislation, unlicensed real estate assistants, no matter if they work in a physical office or online, are not allowed to:

  • Host open house events on behalf of the agent;
  • Make personal interpretations on listings or give information about them to sellers/buyers (regarding the state of the property, location and utilities available in the unit);
  • Show properties to possible buyers;
  • Give any information about the prices or negotiate them with the possible buyers;
  • Perform promotional activities by phone calls (excluding cemetery sales).