Virtual Assistant- Real Estate Appraisal Firm

JOB TITLE: Virtual Administrative Specialist – Daytime Shift (US Residential Appraisal Firm)

SCHEDULE: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Central Time (CST/CDT). Your own time zone does not matter, as long as you can reliably hold these hours every day.

LOCATION: 100% Remote

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full-Time

ABOUT US
MacDonnell Appraisals is a growing residential appraisal firm based in Missouri, serving 20+ counties across Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas. We specialize in private-side appraisal work: divorce, estate, litigation, tax appeals, luxury properties, and rural assignments. We use AI and automation to work efficiently, but what matters most to us is trust, our people, and our community. We are building toward becoming a regional valuation platform, and we need sharp, reliable people to help us get there.

THE ROLE
You are the daytime half of a two-person VA team, working under the direction of our Chief Operating Officer and coordinating with our overnight specialist for continuous, gapless coverage. You own the day shift. Live client calls and emails, scheduling, field inspector coordination, and keeping orders moving. At the end of your shift, you write a clear handoff for the overnight specialist: what's done, what's next, and any blockers. Tasks are either completed or escalated, never left hanging for the next shift.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Phone & client communication
- Answer inbound calls: general questions, private client inquiries, referrals, and call redirects
- Update clients on questions or concerns about their active appraisal
- Update clients when their inspection is scheduled and when it is completed
- Call homeowners directly to schedule inspections for refinance and private appraisal orders
- Text realtors to schedule inspections for purchase transactions
- Explain standard disclaimers to points of contact (45-minute inspection window, FHA attic/crawl space access, etc.)
- Request documents needed for each order (property updates, lease agreements, contracts)

Inbox and quote management
- Monitor and triage the ---------- ---------- throughout the day
- Respond to quote and bid requests with clear pricing, timelines, and next steps

AMC coordination
- Update AMC portals every time a contact attempt is made for a point of contact, every attempt, every time
- Handle AMC profile updates as needed

Client onboarding and follow-through
- Send engagement letters and onboarding emails to every private client
- Confirm inspections are marked complete by the field inspector
- Confirm private clients have completed payment before files move forward

Order tracking and ----------
- Monitor the order tracker daily: enter new orders, log revisions, maintain CRM entries
- Review the overnight specialist's handoff each morning and execute priorities
- Write a clear end-of-shift handoff for the overnight specialist
- Escalate stuck or unclear tasks to leadership immediately, never leave them for the next shift

CRM and administrative records
- Enter new contacts from the business development team, call logs, and referral/nurture contacts
- Update CRM lead statuses (contacted, quoted, won, lost)
- Update E&O and license information for clients

Google Drive and file organization
- Organize and maintain appraisal work files in Google Drive

Marketing support (secondary)
- Assist with marketing administrative tasks as assigned
- Support social media content creation and board management with the content team

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
- 2+ years of VA or administrative assistant experience in a fast-paced environment
- Hands-on experience in the appraisal industry or real estate. This is required
- Proficient with ---------- , Asana, or a similar project management platform
- Expert with Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Sheets)
- Excellent organizational and time-management skills
- Strong written and verbal communication in English. Client-facing communication quality is non-negotiable
- Detail-oriented and committed to accuracy
- Ownership mentality: you escalate problems instead of letting them linger
- Available 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST reliably
- Comfortable working as part of a two-shift team with structured handoff protocols

NICE TO HAVE
- Experience with appraisal software (URAR forms, UAD standards, GSE platforms)
- Knowledge of Zapier or other workflow automation tools
- Canva or basic graphic design skills
- Comfort with AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude) for research, content, and productivity
- Real estate, lending, or property valuation background

WHY YOU SHOULD APPLY
- 100% remote, clear 9-to-5 schedule
- Room to grow into specialized roles as we scale: report writing, business development, operations leadership
- Training and support in appraisal operations
- Access to AI and automation tools already built into how we work
- Team culture built on clear communication, accountability, and ownership
- Be part of building a multi-state appraisal platform from the ground up

SALARY AND PAYMENT
$5.00–$6.00 per hour to start, based on experience. Room to grow after your first 90 days based on performance. Paid weekly for the first two months, then biweekly or monthly by agreement.

HOW TO APPLY
Please email your resume, a short cover letter, and a brief description of your appraisal industry experience to ---------- your cover letter, answer all four of the following questions:
1. What is your experience in appraisal operations?
2. Have you worked on a team with structured handoffs or shift changes? Describe a time you handled a task at risk of falling through the cracks.
3. Tell us about a time you handled a client escalation or a hard conversation. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?
4. Why MacDonnell Appraisals?

COMMON QUESTIONS

Do I need to be in the US?
No. You work remotely from anywhere. You just need to be available 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST reliably.

Is appraisal experience required?
Yes. We need someone who understands how appraisal orders move through our system, what field teams need, and what clients expect. If you have worked at another appraisal firm, lending company, or title company, you are a strong candidate.

What about the handoff system?
You own daytime tasks. At the end of your shift, you document what is done and what is next for the overnight specialist. You escalate blockers instead of leaving them hanging. No task bounces back and forth.