As your real estate business grows, so do the demands on your time. Tasks like client communications, scheduling, listing updates, and lead follow-ups can pile up quickly—leaving you overwhelmed and stretched thin. That’s when many agents consider hiring help. But the question is: should you hire a full-time in-house assistant or bring in a virtual assistant?

Both options have their advantages, and the best choice depends on your business goals, budget, and workflow. Here’s a breakdown of how virtual assistants and in-house assistants compare—so you can make the best decision for your real estate business.

Cost Comparison

In-House Assistant: Hiring a local, full-time assistant comes with salary, benefits, office space, equipment, and overhead costs. In many regions, this could easily exceed $3,000–$4,000 per month. You’ll also need to factor in payroll taxes, insurance, and training time.

Virtual Assistant: Real estate virtual assistants typically work on an hourly or contract basis, with no need for office space or equipment. Rates often range from $6 to $20 per hour, depending on experience and specialization. This model is ideal for agents or brokerages looking to reduce costs while still getting high-quality support.

Verdict: If cost-efficiency is a priority, a virtual assistant offers significant savings—especially for startups or small teams.

Flexibility and Scalability

In-House Assistant: While an in-house assistant is readily available during office hours and fully integrated into your environment, their hours are fixed. Scaling up may require hiring additional staff, which takes time and resources.

Virtual Assistant: One of the biggest benefits of virtual assistants is flexibility. You can start small—say, 10 hours a week—and scale up as your business grows. Need help only during busy seasons or for a specific project like managing email campaigns or preparing client presentations? A VA can step in without long-term commitments.

Verdict: Virtual assistants are the clear winner when it comes to flexibility and scalability.

Skill Specialization

In-House Assistant: A traditional assistant might wear many hats, but they may not have specialized knowledge in areas like social media management, CRM tools, or SEO content creation. You might have to invest in ongoing training to expand their skillset.

Virtual Assistant: Many real estate virtual assistants already come with niche experience—from handling client follow-ups and managing client profiles to coordinating with transaction coordinators and even producing marketing materials. You can hire based on specific skill needs, rather than trying to fit one person into every role.

Verdict: VAs give you access to a wider talent pool and specialized expertise without the cost of training.

Communication and Collaboration

In-House Assistant: Being physically present in your office makes collaboration quicker and sometimes more seamless. You can walk over and delegate something in real time, or have spontaneous brainstorming sessions.

Virtual Assistant: While communication with a VA requires digital tools like Slack, Zoom, or email, many real estate professionals find these tools just as effective—especially with clear systems and expectations in place. VAs often maintain a high level of professionalism and accountability to stay connected and aligned.

Verdict: In-house assistants have an edge in face-to-face collaboration, but with the right tools and structure, VAs can perform just as effectively.

So, Which One Is Right for You?

Choose an in-house assistant if:

• You prefer hands-on supervision and in-person collaboration
• You have a consistent, high-volume workload
• Your business has the budget and infrastructure to support a full-time hire

Choose a virtual assistant if:

• You want to reduce overhead and increase profit margins
• You need flexibility to scale your support up or down
• You’re looking for specialized help in areas like client interactions, social media, or transaction coordination

Conclusion

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer—but in today’s fast-paced real estate industry, virtual assistants offer a modern, cost-effective way to grow your business without stretching yourself too thin. By comparing your needs and priorities, you can find the right balance of support—whether that’s in-house, remote, or a combination of both.