Goodbye, daily routine! The diverse work life of a real estate agent

What does the daily work life of a real estate agent entail? What challenges will you be facing? And how do real estate agents deal with the growing digital competition from apps and online portals? Real estate agent Christian Merz from Engel & Völkers Göttingen introduces us to his working world and provides answers.

Göttingen, 7:45 A.M.: A new workday begins for Christian Merz. After a morning routine of breakfast and teeth brushing, the young real estate agent picks up his car keys and drives to his workplace, the Engel & Völkers shop in Göttingen. The shop opens at 9:30 A.M., but Christian Merz normally arrives half an hour early. He uses the extra time to check his emails and structure pending tasks. “And have my first coffee of the day, of course”, the 23-year-old adds smilingly.

A career change at an early age

Christian Merz wanted to work in the real estate sector for a long time: “My parents also rent out several properties, so I always helped them with the renovations.” In addition, the young real estate agent also worked in construction after completing his high school diploma. His final decision to work in this sector was followed by a banking traineeship. During this time, Christian Merz worked in the real estate department for three months and quickly realised that this was what he wanted to specialise in.

So Christian Merz took a closer look at the real estate agencies in the inner city of Göttingen. “What I liked about Engel & Völkers was the professional appearance and the atmosphere of the shop”, the 23-year-old reports. The fact that the branch was looking for a new real estate agent at the time was the perfect opportunity for Christian Merz. “I simply went to the shop and introduced myself. My boss, Mr Armbrecht, took the time to really get to know me during the first interview and discuss my expectations.” This engagement paid off: A letter of application and two selection interviews later, Christian Merz joined the Engel & Völkers teams in Göttingen.

Variety instead of daily routine

So, what does his daily work routine look like four months later? To this, Christian Merz can only reply: “There is no fixed work routine as such. You can organise your client appointments and office hours very flexibly.” Of course, you also need to take into account when the client has time. But although some of the client appointments take place after hours, it is the contact with other people that Christian Merz particularly appreciates about his job: “I really enjoy interacting with my clients and watching them mentally furnishing the property during a viewing."

Digital opportunities and challenges

In order to not lose track of all the appointments, Christian Merz’ glance keeps returning to his smartphone, his most important work tool. “I check my calendar to see when I have my next appointment or reply to client emails when I’m out and about.” But the young real estate agent also uses the digital advances for other purposes. He will, for example, soon be revamping the Facebook page of his branch in order to modernise the online presence of Engel & Völkers Göttingen: “I believe it is of the utmost importance to use social media in our day and age and advertise some of our special properties there.”

However, not all digital advances simplify the work of a real estate agent. After all, new property apps are popping up all the time that can be used for buying or selling property online - entirely without the help of a real estate agent. Christian Merz takes this in his stride: “Each property has its own charm and particularities. An app will never be able to take this into account when determining the value of a property. I also don’t think that these apps will be able to replace personal contact and service.” This becomes evident when Christian Merz tells us of his plans for the coming day: He has an appointment at 7:30 A.M. to let builders into a property of a client who stays four hours’ drive away.

Are you looking for new challenges to devote yourself to that will fit in flexibly with your work style? This is precisely what you will find when you embark on a career at Engel & Völkers. Visit our career page and become part of the Engel & Völkers team.