9-5 M-F or 7 days a week Realtor

[Jake Thomas]

I have been selling real estate for around 5 years now and always wondered if I work too much. My family is about to grow by one here in a few days (first child) and I wonder if there is any real benefit to being a realtor that stops working Friday at 5:00. There are several Realtors in my area that go by this model and it infuriates me when I try to call them after 5:00 PM or on the weekends. I answer my phone from 7 am till about 10-11pm depending on who is calling currently but as the volume of my sales increase this becomes tiresome. I want to feel like I am giving my clients the best service by being able to show houses 7 days a week but then I see these other agents that are still around and only working 5 days a week till 5 pm. I left Corporate America and that schedule a few years back with the understanding I would make more money if I worked harder and it has held true. Like anything, time management is important, but I want to see other people’s perspectives. Are you successful only working 5 days a week? Do you feel like you are losing money not working the weekends?