Rent Roll Maximiser | What Can a VA Do for My Business? – Episode 2

🚀 Outsourcing in Real Estate: How Virtual Assistants Are Transforming Agencies – An Expert Conversation with Damien Barnett

In the ever-changing landscape of Real Estate, efficiency and smart resourcing have become critical for growth. Agencies are under pressure to deliver top-tier Client experiences while keeping costs under control, something that can be a constant juggling act.

That’s why I sat down with Damien Barnett, an Outsource Specialist at Affordable Staff, someone I’ve known for more than a decade through LPMA events and our shared work in helping Agencies build smarter, leaner, and more profitable operations.

Damien’s been on the front lines of outsourcing in Real Estate since the early days, back when the concept was met with scepticism and internet dropouts were a weekly occurrence. Now, with better tech, established systems, and a growing acceptance in the industry, VAs (Virtual Assistants) have moved from being a “nice-to-have” to a strategic must-have for Agencies looking to scale.

💡 What Can a VA Actually Do for a Real Estate Agency?

Damien’s answer was simple: “Almost anything—provided it doesn’t require a Real Estate licence.”

Virtual Assistants can take on process-heavy, repetitive tasks that bog down your local team, freeing them to focus on client relationships, business development, and strategic growth.

For Sales Teams:

• 📋 CRM management & data entry (and actually using that Ferrari of a CRM to its full potential)

• 📞 Prospect and database follow-ups

• 📰 Preparing and distributing marketing material

• 📊 Sales reporting and database clean-up

For Property Management Teams:

• 💰 Arrears tracking and follow-up

• 📑 Lease renewal preparation (ready for PM approval)

• 🏠 Scheduling and sending routine inspection notices

• ✉️ Processing maintenance requests and issuing work orders

• 📷 Uploading photos and inspection reports

But there’s a shift happening, VAs are increasingly moving from purely administrative into revenue-generating roles.

“We’re now seeing VAs upsell services like removalists, connect utilities, and even nurture warm leads. They’re not just saving time, they’re contributing to the bottom line.” – Damien Barnett

🗣 English Proficiency & ⏰ Working Hours

One of the most common questions I hear from principals is: “Will my VA speak English well enough to handle calls?”

In the Philippines, English is the primary language in business and education. Over the years, the accent has evolved from strongly American to a more neutral, easy-to-understand tone, which makes them perfectly suited for Australian and New Zealand clients.

Time zones also work in our favour. The Philippines is just two hours behind Brisbane (three during daylight savings), allowing VAs to work the same business hours as your team, fitting seamlessly into daily workflows.

🤝 Communication Is the Game-Changer

The most successful outsourcing setups are those where the VA is treated like a valued member of the team.

Unfortunately, I’ve seen Agencies fail at outsourcing simply because their VA was left out of meetings, given minimal direction, and treated as a “remote contractor” rather than part of the core team.

Here’s what works:

• Include your VA in daily or weekly meetings via Zoom or Teams

• Use instant messaging platforms (Slack, Teams, Google Chat) for quick, real-time updates

• Inform them of any process changes immediately, don’t let them find out when a task is rejected

• Use email as a backup channel, not your main one, it’s too slow for effective teamwork

🔧 The Real Problem Isn’t the VA—It’s the Process

From my consulting work at Rent Roll Maximiser, I can confidently say:
When VA output isn’t up to standard, the root cause is almost always unclear processes—not the VA’s capability.

Example:
One Agency had recurring issues with lease agreements coming back incomplete. The problem? The instructions and resources given to the VAs were inconsistent.

The fix:

• 🗂 Built a Trello board with step-by-step task breakdowns

• 🎥 Recorded Snagit video tutorials showing the process in action

• 📝 Ran joint training sessions for both VAs and onshore staff so everyone was aligned

The result? Errors dropped from frequent to almost zero, and turnaround times improved.

📜 Are VAs Licensed Real Estate Agents?

The short answer: No.
Australian Real Estate laws require a licence holder to be a resident or on a work visa.

What this means:

• They cannot negotiate rent, set pricing, or perform legally restricted tasks

• They can prepare documents, gather information, process applications, and perform all supporting admin

Think of them as drafting and process specialists—you, the licensed professional, remain the final sign-off point.

⚖ What About Different State Legislations?

VAs don’t need to memorise every detail of state legislation. Instead, their role is to prepare and process, leaving any legally binding decisions to the licensed Property Manager or Agent.

Damien summed it up:

“A VA will never replace the final legal checks that need to happen. They’re there to save you the time it takes to get everything ready—so you can focus on the Client relationship and decision-making.”

🏆 Final Thoughts

Outsourcing is not about cutting costs at the expense of quality, it’s about elevating your local team so they can work on the tasks that truly grow the business.

When you combine:

• Clear, documented systems

• Ongoing training and communication

• Well-defined roles and responsibilities

…you’ll find your VA can become one of your most valuable and profitable team members.

If you want to explore how outsourcing could transform your agency’s capacity and profitability, Damien and the team at Affordable Staff are an excellent starting point, whether you manage 50 properties or 500.

— Michael Furlong, Rent Roll Maximiser

Rent Roll Growth Consultant | Property Management Trainer & Coach | Conference Speaker | Podcast Host | Easy to follow Trello Online Systems & Procedures Manuals | Real Estate Agency “Systems” Specialist

At Rent Roll Maximiser, we provide tailored consulting services to help Real Estate Agencies grow and optimise their rent rolls. Whether you are looking to expand your rent roll, streamline operations, or enhance team culture, our expertise can guide you toward long-term success.

A 15-minute conversation today could significantly impact your Agency’s future profitability. Contact Us to discuss how we can support your business growth:

📧 michael@rentrollmaximiser.com.au

📞 (0425-713-571)