Buying a house or renting a new place takes a little time so when lockdown came, lots of people were in the middle of moving.
With many left in limbo, estate agents are still trying to work with clients but are finding new, safer ways to do it.
Lisa Pitchers, 44, is an estate agent in Glasgow, Scotland.
She is currently isolating alone at her flat but she is checking in with clients and valuing properties, ready to get them on the market, through video calls.
For My Quarantine Routine, she explains how she spent Monday 11 May.
6 am
Radio alarm goes off and I hit snooze until ACDC Thunderstruck wakes me up.
7 am
Monday mornings are always a bit slower for me, even pre Covid-19 when I’d had a quiet weekend. I lie in bed for a bit and think about getting up.
The weekends have felt long, however, on Saturday night I had a marathon FaceTime call with seven pals that lasted until 2 am.
I’m usually out of bed earlier two or three times a week to do some yoga with Adriene on YouTube, or I head out for a wee half hour run – but never before my morning coffee. I LOVE my morning coffee!
7:15 am
Coffee time. I’ve been decaf for the last year but I still love the ritual of steaming the milk and the smell of ground coffee – the aroma is uplifting and comforting. I use this time to ease into the day, catch up on messages, check my horoscopes for the week, reply to work emails and review my diary for the day ahead.
No exercise this morning, but I potter around my flat watering plants and then head for a shower at 8 am.
During Covid-19 there hasn’t been much change to my morning routine, other than a more relaxed approach to my hair, makeup and my outfit.
I’m an estate agent and I love a polished look and smart business dress, but for the last seven weeks, it has been jeans, slippers and one of my 52 jumpers! Who knew I had that many jumpers? Only in lockdown (when you are looking for different ways to fill your time) would you find out this kind of detail.
I decide I need a cull, so make a mental note to pop some on eBay and Marie Kondo the rest. I do miss getting dressed up in a smart Zara dress, but am secretly enjoying wearing my sheepskin slippers to work.
8:40 am
My commute to work is a much shorter walk to my grandpa’s old writing bureau in the hall. I have not been furloughed and feel very blessed to still be working. We have a daily conference call on Microsoft Teams – I’m the branch manager and valuer for Rettie & Co. Estate Agents Glasgow City Branch.
Our directors host daily management calls to discuss if news from the daily briefing might affect our day or week ahead. Calls cover anything from business strategy and planning to good news stories in each of our markets and training for the teams based at home.
Microsoft Teams, Zoom and FaceTime calls have been a lifeline for me personally, as well as my business. I live alone and it has felt a bit isolating at times, so I am delighted our company has taken the approach to make video calls instead of sending internal emails to connect with colleagues.
9:10 am – 11:30 am
I make calls to clients, buyers, sellers and their solicitors. Lots of our ‘under offer’ city properties were due to complete in April, however with lockdown, the closure of Registers of Scotland, and restrictions on removal firms operating, many of my client’s plans have been put on hold.
It’s a worrying time for buyers and sellers, so I spend a lot of time helping them make plans and keeping sales together.
11:30 am
I’ve got a valuation booked with a potential new client only a few blocks from me in the Merchant City. Thankfully lockdown has not stopped us connecting with sellers, so we agree to a virtual valuation which is a FaceTime walk through of the property.
We chat about the market, discuss the valuation, the selling process, fees and the Rettie approach to marketing. The call goes well and we agree to chat again at end of May to make arrangements to sell.
12 pm
Quickly heat up some homemade soup. I fast in the morning, so don’t eat breakfast, and as soon as the clock strikes 12, I’m ready to get some healthy food into me!
I usually batch cook four days of lunches on a Sunday for the week ahead and have kept this routine for ease.
12:30 pm
I do a quick run-through of a presentation I’m giving to colleagues as part of Rettie & Co.’s dedication to staff training and up-skilling during lockdown.
I am presenting on ‘Prospecting and Lead Generation’ to over 40 colleagues across the business on a video call.
This means I can get away with referring to my notes, which helps ease any nerves. Thankfully the session goes well and sparked off a really good group discussion.
3:30 pm
I join a webinar on ‘What will the market look like post lockdown’. It feels great to listen to other property professionals discuss and review the current climate. The time spent on certain webinars adds to my CPD hours as part of training for my RICS Senior Professional qualification.
After the webinar, I call registered buyers to ask how the Covid-19 crisis has affected their moving plans, catch up with another Branch Manager for a 15 min video call and power down.
6:30 pm
I try to decide if I should have a glass of wine or go for a run. The run wins…
6:45 pm
It’s been a beautiful afternoon and I need to get some fresh air and stretch my legs. Running through an empty city was a bit eerie at the start of lockdown, however now, despite being used to the peace and quiet, the novelty is wearing off. I want the buzz back.
Glasgow’s Merchant City would be buzzing with the great weather and I really feel for the owners of the bars and restaurants who would be thriving right now.
7:45 pm
Home after my run and pop some veg in the oven to roast for a warm veggie salad. I’m eating healthily during lockdown. It would be very easy to slip into daily wine but I opt for sparkling mineral water in a wine glass.
Jump in the shower and change into some comfy gear. I settle down to my dinner, then have a FaceTime call with my mum and catch up on some Netflix. I’m loving Ozark and Killing Eve.
Bedtime is somewhere between 11 pm and midnight. I always try to get an early night, but rarely manage as I sleep better if I go to bed tired. I’m loving listening to Tracey Stanley on Unplug. It’s a 10-minute meditation to unwind and breath into a deep sleep. I’m usually out for the count before it’s finished.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/12/quarantine-routine-lisa-estate-agent-working-home-12689749/
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