Work-Life Balance for Realtors with Alison Alston

Tag: Photo by Prasanth Inturi: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-of-man-at-daytime-1051838/ 


I recently had the pleasure of joining Tomas Grillo on the Icons of Real Estate Podcast, where I discussed my journey from being a former director of development to real estate. I specialize in helping people buy and sell houses in Charlotte, NC while working to help create better work-life balance for realtors and their clients. 


Throughout my childhood, I watched my father, a fifth-generation builder, and my entrepreneurial-minded mother buy properties, flip houses, and rent some out long-term or as vacation rentals. If you are not into investing in long-term rentals, short-term rentals are also great!

After attending college in the South and finding my way back north to start a career in development, I realized my passion lay elsewhere, specifically in real estate. My husband and I decided to relocate from Greenwich to Charlotte and realize a more balanced lifestyle that included more time for family, friends, and travel.

In 2017, I secured my NC real estate license, and began what would be a five year grind with little personal time. Eventually, I knew I needed to make a change and started putting systems in place to support a more balanced life. Here’s what I advise real estate agents to do to protect their mental health and clients.

Self-Care and Setting Boundaries

This past year, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and as difficult as it’s been, especially as a person who is always on the go, I’ve had to learn to sit still for 3-4 hours of infusions each month. A career in real estate means driving and walking and moving about most of the day. I had to create a routine that would allow me to still take care of my clients and also take care of myself. Some ways to get started:

  • Set defined working hours. For me, this means Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. On weekends, handle pre-planned appointments and allow time with family and friends to unwind and recharge. Schedule off time.

  • Program your phone to shut down during non-working hours.

  • Set up Boomerang in your email inbox so you don't have constant pings for emails. Setting boundaries for real estate clients.

  • Spend time going for a walk, riding a bike, or doing pilates in the morning. Find what works for you to get you off to a healthy start.

  • Limit alcohol consumption and while you’re at it, caffeine too!

  • Carry a water jug. Refill. Repeat.

Inserting these routines into my lifestyle has helped me enjoy my mornings and not be in a rush the second I wake up, giving my body and mind space to ease into the morning. It’s helped me become sharper and more focused for my clients and allowed me time to build better systems for smooth transactions. 

Fostering a Mentally Healthy Real Estate Office

Photo by Thirdman: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-and-woman-holding-each-other-s-hands-as-a-team-5256816/ 

My intention has always been to create a collaborative environment for my team. Now I also focus on fostering a mentally healthy real estate office. It helps me transfer my life routines to work and set a better example for my colleagues and mentees. I facilitate better work-life balance for my team by:

  • Assigning one region of the city to each agent instead of overwhelming them with the whole city. I’ve found this approach provides clients with a true expert in their favored location and cuts down on the amount of time the agent spends driving around.

  • Reducing the competitiveness in the workspace by giving each team member a different assignment than the others. Since each agent works in one region, they don’t have to compete with their co-workers for clients. They can collaborate when someone is selling in one area and moving to another, better supporting each other and their clients.

  • Encouraging the agents to take time off and ensure other team members take over their work as efficiently as possible while they're away. We all need time off.

These steps help create better work-life balance for realtors through stress reduction and collaboration. 

A Stress-Free Real Estate Experience for Clients

To create a low stress real estate journey and provide clients with the lifestyle they desire, we at Lodestone focus on the lifestyle our clients desire rather than the house itself. We advise clients to think about the life they want to live. For instance, if clients focus on walkability, we will help them envision a home in neighborhoods that help them achieve this goal. 

Proven Strategies to Build Relationships & Get Referrals in Real Estate

Let’s face it; real estate agents don’t have the best reputation right now. At Lodestone, we’ve always prided ourselves on:

  • Being authentic, kind, and genuine

  • Working with the client’s best interest at heart

  • Being honest with the client about the house's condition 

  • Check-in and offer support well beyond the transaction and create a lifetime relationship with them

Building relationships with our clients has fostered incredible friendships, referrals, and repeat business. When everyone enjoys the experience, it’s easy to say yes to working together again or connecting your friends and family with us.

Final Thoughts

Communication, consistently delivering for your clients, being good people to work with, and having a rock-solid team will lead to smooth and enjoyable transactions for agents and clients alike. At Lodestone, we pride ourselves on continuously educating ourselves and others. We recently launched a project named Reside. It helps new agents start their careers with the right resources and level up successful individuals who want help to build their team and sell more real estate.

To learn about Reside and our latest programs, follow me on Instagram or contact me at reside@lodestonerealestate.com