Cost is usually the second question after “what can they do?” It is also the question we will not answer with a made-up number. XVA does not publish a single rate on this site, because the work, the hours and the tools vary from one realtor to the next. What we can do is explain how the comparison with an in-house assistant usually works, and what to ask before you sign anything.
For a conversation about your own situation, contact us, call 1-800-310-1303 or email sales@xvacorp.com. The notes below are a framework, not a quote.
What an in-house hire really includes
An in-office or employee assistant is not only a wage. Depending on where you are and how you hire, you may also be looking at payroll deductions, statutory benefits or contributions, paid time off, equipment, software seats, space, recruitment time and the management time it takes to train and cover absences. Some of those costs are obvious. Others only appear after the person has started.
There are good reasons to hire in-house. You may want someone in the office every day, or your brokerage may prefer employees for certain roles. The comparison is useful only when you include the full picture, not just the hourly figure you have in mind.
What you are comparing on the virtual side
A dedicated virtual assistant is typically a contracted service rather than an employee in your office. You are usually paying for agreed support, not for a desk or a second set of office overhead. You still need to budget your own time for briefing, access and review, and you still need software seats or permissions for the tools the assistant will use. Those are real costs, even if they are smaller than fitting out a workstation.
The value shows up when the work is clearly scoped. A lower fee for an undefined grab-bag of tasks is not a saving if you spend the difference re-explaining the work or redoing it. A clear brief, a review rhythm and the right access matter as much as the commercial terms.
Contracts, flexibility and what to ask
Engagement terms differ, and we will not invent a standard contract length here. Before you agree to any arrangement, with XVA or with anyone else, ask the plain questions: what work is included, how changes in scope are handled, how either party can end or adjust the engagement, what happens to system access at the end, and how billing is calculated. If a long-term commitment is required, it should be stated clearly, not left in the fine print. If the arrangement is more flexible, that should be clear as well.
Be cautious of comparisons that only mention a wage on one side and a monthly fee on the other. Ask what is included, what is not, and how coverage works when someone is away. Also ask how client information is handled when the work stops. Access should be removed in an orderly way, and your files should remain in your systems.
A practical way to think about fit
If you already have a full-time, in-office workload and a budget for an employee, an in-house hire may be the right path. If you need dedicated help on sales, marketing or administration without adding office overhead, or you want support that can cover more of the clock than a single local hire typically can, a virtual assistant is worth a conversation. Many practices also use both at different stages.
We will talk through scope and commercial terms with you directly rather than posting a price list that would not fit every team. Start at our contact us page, or read Our Services and Solutions and the real estate assistants page to see the type of support involved, then ask us about the arrangement that would fit.
Frequently asked questions
Can you give me a typical monthly price?
Not in this article. The figure depends on the role, the hours and the complexity of the work. We would rather discuss your actual list of tasks than offer a number that does not apply.
Are there long-term contracts?
Terms depend on the engagement. Ask us to walk you through what would apply in your case, including how scope changes and how the arrangement can be adjusted or ended. We will not hide that conversation behind a published one-line answer.
Is a virtual assistant always less expensive than hiring locally?
Not always, and not automatically. It depends on the full cost of the local hire, the scope of the virtual role and how well the work is defined. The honest way to find out is to compare a real in-house estimate with a scoped conversation about support. Contact us when you are ready to do that.