Searching for a remote assistant online turns up three kinds of places. Marketplaces such as Upwork and Fiverr let you hire a freelancer yourself. Managed services such as BELAY and Prialto match you with an assistant and handle part of the management. Recruiters, and we are one, find candidates and hand you a shortlist. Each route trades price against effort, and our guide to the best real estate virtual assistant companies compares the providers in more detail.
Key Takeaways
- Upwork is a freelance marketplace where you post a job or browse profiles, then pay by the hour or by the project.
- Fiverr sells fixed-price services called gigs, which suit one-off jobs better than ongoing support.
- BELAY places U.S.-based assistants on a flat monthly price and describes them as the top 3% of vetted talent.
- Fancy Hands sells monthly plans with a set number of short requests, handled by U.S.-based assistants.
- We could not confirm that a service called Virtual Assistant Finder is operating, so check any finder or directory before you pay it.
Upwork
Upwork is a large freelance marketplace. You post a job or browse profiles, interview the people you like and hire them on an hourly or fixed-price contract, with Upwork handling the payments.
Upwork’s rate page for virtual assistants shows typical hourly rates between $10 and $20 and a median of $13 an hour (as of October 2026), and Upwork adds its own client fees on top. Real estate experience varies from profile to profile, so read the reviews and give each finalist a paid test task. For example, ask for ten sample leads logged in a CRM. Screening, training and the licensing limits all stay with you, because a freelancer is unlicensed unless the profile says otherwise.
Fiverr
Fiverr works differently. Sellers list services, called gigs, at set prices, and you buy the one that matches your task. That suits one-off jobs such as editing listing photos, designing a flyer or cleaning up a contact list.
Prices are set per gig by each seller, so make sure you ask for the full price, extras included, before you order. Reviews and samples help you compare, and a gig for anything that touches a license, such as talking to buyers or sellers about price, is the wrong purchase.
BELAY
BELAY places U.S.-based assistants on a flat monthly price, and its real estate page speaks to investors who run rental portfolios, flip homes or own multifamily properties. The company describes its assistants as the top 3% of vetted talent and offers a Right-Fit Guarantee, which means a rematch at no added cost if your first match is not right.
Its listed tasks include calendar and inbox management, contract organization, CRM updates, tenant and vendor communication and due diligence tracking. The BELAY pages we checked show no prices, so ask for a quote before you compare it with other routes.
Fancy Hands
Fancy Hands uses U.S.-based assistants for short tasks. Its home page lists monthly plans by the number of requests, from 3 requests for $35 to 15 for $125 (as of October 2026), and a standard request covers up to 20 minutes of work. It offers:
- Monthly request plans with a fixed number of tasks.
- Extra tasks that you can buy when a month runs over.
- A dedicated assistant option, billed to the minute, where the same person handles every request.
That mix usually suits overflow chores such as confirming vendor appointments, researching service providers or booking travel. If a task involves client files, ask about a signed confidentiality agreement first. The page for dedicated assistants says they can sign your NDA.
Virtual Assistant Finder
We could not confirm that a service called Virtual Assistant Finder is operating today. Treat any finder or directory the same way: it connects you with assistants but does not employ them, so the screening and the interviews are still your job.
Ask who checks the candidates, whether you can see work samples and talk to references, and what the service charges, before you pay anything.
Prialto
Prialto sells managed assistants to individuals and teams, with fractional and full-time options. Its site says assistants are full-time employees who complete background checks and four weeks of core training, that an engagement manager analyzes your workflows and documents your needs, and that your work is cross-trained among other team members who act as backup. It also says it is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant, which refers to an outside auditor’s report on a company’s security controls.
The Prialto home page does not mention real estate and shows no prices. Ask whether the assistant has worked with agents, and ask for a quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Real Estate VAs Have Experience in the Industry?
Some do, but no platform guarantees it. A marketplace profile shows work history and reviews, a managed service matches you with someone it considers a fit, and a recruiter checks references on the candidates it shortlists. Ask each candidate to walk you through a transaction timeline they have tracked, and call a reference. We check the references of every shortlisted candidate and test attention to detail, and you interview and choose.
How Can I Ensure My VA Is Reliable and Trustworthy?
Check references, run a paid test task and confirm identity before you share any login. Our guide to finding a reliable real estate virtual assistant goes through each step. Interview more than once, and notice how quickly and how clearly the candidate replies, since that is how the daily work will feel.
What Types of Tasks Can Real Estate VAs Typically Handle?
Calendar and inbox management, CRM updates, listing paperwork, transaction timelines, follow-up reminders, social media scheduling and research usually fit. Work that needs a license stays with you or your broker: showing property, negotiating, discussing price or terms with the public and giving an opinion of value. Rules vary by state, so check with your state real estate commission or your broker.
How Do I Communicate Effectively With My Remote Real Estate VA?
Agree on a check-in schedule, a priority list and one place for questions. Our guide to the best communication tools for real estate virtual assistants shows which tools to pick. Hold a short feedback session every week, and ask for a written summary of what was done and what is waiting.
Can I Hire a Real Estate VA for Short-Term or Project-Based Work?
Yes, through a marketplace or a task-based service. Upwork contracts can be hourly or fixed-price, Fiverr gigs are one-off orders, and Fancy Hands sells monthly plans. An assistant recruited through us works for you month after month on a salary, which suits ongoing work better than a project of a few weeks.
Final Thought
Shortlist two routes and ask each the same questions: who screens the assistant, what happens if the match fails, what the monthly cost includes, how client data is protected and which hours the assistant works. Compare the written answers, then use the free consultation with us to get a quote for the role.