Meet Sarah, a busy agent juggling multiple deals at once. Here’s what a realistic “busy but under control” day looks like for her:
1. What I Have Going On Today
Before Sarah responds to a single message, she reviews her active deals and leads.
3 active deals
- One buyer under contract (appraisal pending)
- One buyer in negotiations (counteroffer expected)
- One seller under contract (inspection contingency ending)
5 active leads
- One brand new Zillow inquiry from last night
- Two warm leads comparing neighborhoods
- One referral lead who wants “next month”
- One buyer who toured Friday and then went quiet
1 listing going live
- Photos scheduled this week
- MLS details being finalized
- A social post ready the moment it’s active
A lot of messages
- Buyers, sellers, lender, buyer’s agent, photographer, and the inevitable “quick question”
2. Check Email and Messages
She starts with a quick morning brief so she’s responding to the day instead of the top of her inbox.
Assistant
Good morning, Sarah! 👋
## 🌅 Morning Brief
### 🚨 Today’s priorities
- **Top risk**: inspection contingency is ending - **confirm inspection timing + next steps** so this doesn’t become a “tomorrow emergency.”
- **Appraisal**: pending - **get an ETA** and send a calm status update (**no guessing, no promises**).
- **New Zillow lead**: respond fast - **book a tour time** while the lead is hot.
- **Quiet Friday lead**: one low-pressure check-in + set a gentle follow-up for tomorrow.
- **Listing prep**: photos + MLS accuracy - confirm details now so launch week stays smooth.
### 📬 Inbox triage (what to do first)
- **Zillow inquiry**: **reply now** - goal: book a showing + set expectations while you confirm roof details.
- **Lender email**: **reply today** - goal: appraisal appointment/ETA + confirm the next milestone.
- **Buyer asking about inspection timing**: **reply after confirming** - confirm date/time with the other agent first, then update your client.
- **Seller asking for an update**: **reply today** - status + next step (even if the next step is “waiting on X; I’ll update you by Y”).
### ✨ Quick actions
Draft reply to Zillow lead | Appraisal ETA check-in | Seller status update
3. Look at Deadlines
Inbox stress usually comes from one thing: uncertainty. Deadlines remove uncertainty - and they keep the day from being run by whoever texts the most.
Sarah checks:
- Inspection contingency ends tomorrow
- Appraisal still pending
- Listing photos scheduled this week
She turns that into a simple list: what must happen today to avoid a “tomorrow emergency.”
4. Reply to the New Buyer Lead
The Zillow inquiry is fresh - the best time to respond is before other agents do. But Sarah doesn’t want a generic copy/paste response, and she doesn’t want to guess.
She reads the inquiry, captures the key details, and gets a draft response that:
- Answers the question (without overpromising)
- Sounds human
- Asks for a tour time (a clear next step)
- Offers one helpful resource (first-time buyer checklist)
User
Draft a reply for the new Zillow lead
Assistant
Hi! Thanks for reaching out about 456 Oak Lane - happy to help.
On the roof: I’m going to confirm the age with the seller/listing info so I can give you an accurate answer (I should have that shortly).
If you’d like to see the home, what does your schedule look like today or tomorrow? If you share 2–3 times that work, I’ll get a showing set up.
Also, since you mentioned you’re first-time buyers, I can send a short checklist that breaks down the process step-by-step - would that be helpful?
Thanks,
Sarah
Hi! Just sent you an email about 456 Oak Lane - checking on that roof age for you now. Any chance you have time today or tomorrow for a quick tour? - Sarah
Before she sends anything about the roof, she does the quick check: seller disclosures / MLS attachments, then a quick note to the listing agent if it’s not clearly documented. She sends the message, tags it “awaiting reply,” and moves on.
5. Message the Buyer’s Agent About the Inspection
Next up: her buyer is asking about inspection timing. Before Sarah answers, she confirms the details with the other side.
Her note to the buyer’s agent does two things:
- Confirm inspection date/time
- Ask if anything came up (so she isn’t surprised later today)
She keeps it short, professional, and easy to respond to - the sweet spot in agent-to-agent communication.
She sends the note, then waits to reply to her client until she has the other side’s confirmation.
User
Confirm inspection timing with Jordan
Assistant
Hi Jordan, can you confirm the inspection date/time for tomorrow? Also, did anything come up on your end that would affect next steps before the contingency deadline?
Thanks,
Sarah
6. Follow Up With a Buyer From Last Week
One lead toured on Friday and then went quiet. That’s normal. The follow-up needs to be low-pressure, helpful, and easy to answer.
Sarah sends a short check-in that:
- Doesn’t assume they disliked the home
- Gives them a simple fork in the road (keep looking vs pause)
- Makes it easy to reply in one line
Then she schedules a gentle follow-up for tomorrow if there’s no response.
Here’s the kind of message she uses (short enough to read, specific enough to be useful):
User
Follow up with the buyer who toured Friday
Assistant
Hey! Just checking in after Friday - happy to keep looking if you want to see a few more options, or we can pause until timing feels right. Did that home feel like a “maybe,” or should I focus on a different style/area for you?
7. Send an Update to a Buyer Under Contract
Her buyer under contract isn’t asking for a novel - they’re asking if things are on track.
Sarah sends an update that covers:
- Appraisal status
- What we’re waiting on
- What happens next
She keeps it calm and specific without making promises she can’t control.
She also sets a reminder for herself: if there’s no ETA by mid-afternoon, she’ll ping the lender for status check so the buyer isn’t left wondering.
User
Draft appraisal status update for Chris
Assistant
Hi Chris, quick update on the appraisal: the lender has ordered it and we’re currently waiting on the appraiser’s report to be delivered. Timing can vary, but it’s commonly a few business days once the visit is completed.
As soon as we receive the report, I’ll review it with you and confirm whether we’re all set to move forward or if anything needs attention. In the meantime, everything else is tracking normally - I’ll keep you posted the moment we have it.
Thanks,
Sarah
User
Nudge Mike for the appraisal ETA
Assistant
Hi Mike, quick check-in on the appraisal. Do we have the appraisal appointment date confirmed, and do you have an ETA for when the report should be delivered?
Thanks,
Sarah
8. Lunch: Broker Meeting
Sarah takes a lunch meeting with her broker to talk lead gen - what’s working, what’s slipping, and what to change this month.
They keep it practical:
- One weekly open house with a consistent follow-up cadence (same-day text, next-day email, 7-day check-in)
- A Friday past-client touchpoint (short, personal, and specific - not a “newsletter”)
- A simple referral ask that feels natural (“If you hear of anyone thinking about moving in the next few months, I’d love an introduction.”)
9. Work on a Listing Going Live This Week
Now the proactive work: the listing going live.
This is the “details day” - the stuff that prevents a week of back-and-forth later.
Sarah works through the listing like a preflight check:
Facts + consistency
- Confirms square footage and bed/bath count against the record she’s using (and makes sure it matches her flyer)
- Verifies the top questions she knows will come in: roof year, HVAC age, water heater, flood zone, HOA (if any)
A real upgrades list (not vague “updated!” language)
- Roof replaced 2019
- HVAC replaced 2021
- Primary bath remodel 2022
- New interior paint + lighting 2024
Remarks that lead with specifics
- Public remarks start with the hook buyers care about (“new roof (2019), HVAC (2021), renovated primary bath (2022), and a fenced yard ready for pets.”)
- Agent remarks include showing windows, where the lockbox is, what conveys, and any known timeline constraints
Photo + showing plan
- Sends the photographer a shot list so the “money” features don’t get missed
- Sets clear showing windows that keep the seller sane (and reduces last-minute reschedules)
It’s not glamorous, but it’s how a listing goes live cleanly.
10. Check Who Hasn’t Responded Yet
Mid-afternoon is response-audit time. Sarah isn’t “checking email” - she’s closing loops on the threads that can quietly become tomorrow’s emergency.
User
Update the Millers on the appraisal and inspection
Assistant
Hey, quick update: today I’m confirming the inspection timing and checking in on appraisal status so we’re fully on track for the next milestone.
I’ll follow up once I have the confirmed inspection time and an appraisal ETA.
Thanks,
Sarah
She tracks each one as “awaiting reply.”
She keeps a simple running list of “awaiting reply” conversations so she doesn’t have to rely on memory or scroll through inbox history.
This is also where she catches the easy-to-miss stuff - an attachment someone asked for, a thread that needs one more confirmation, or a buyer question that got buried under three unrelated pings.
11. See What’s Left for Tomorrow and Shut Down
By late afternoon, Sarah wants “no surprises.” She reviews what’s left to ensure nothing urgent is forgotten:
- Follow-ups already scheduled
- Deadlines coming up
- Nothing urgent left undone
Sarah doesn’t end the day when the work is “done” - because in real estate it’s never done. She ends the day when her business is organized:
- Inbox is clear (or at least sorted: waiting, scheduled, done)
- Tasks are accounted for
- No loose ends
A consistent workflow helps keep the chaos organized so responsiveness doesn’t require burnout.
