Productivity tips are everywhere. But if you want to be a successful TC, you need ones that actually work—real systems used by people who know the pressures of your role.
That’s why we turned to a few standout TCs who’ve built their own operations from the ground up: Lisa Vo, Kristi Winfree, and Chelsea Wright. These professionals manage between 40 and 70+ active files without chaos or burnout.
In this post, we’ll explore seven productivity systems they rely on every day. Let’s discover how top-performing real estate transaction coordinators plan their workload differently.
1. Batch Work by Transaction Phase, Not by File
Kristi Winfree’s system is about working smarter.
With over 40 real estate transactions on her plate at any given time, Kristi doesn’t organize her day by client file. Instead, she groups her tasks based on the transaction phase.
Something like this:
- earnest money updates across all files in one block
- followed by inspection coordination
- then listing or closing paperwork
It’s a strategy that limits mental fatigue and speeds up execution.
This approach is a major win for TCs trying to reduce context switching. Instead of jumping from a purchase agreement in one transaction to a compliance update in another, you stay in the same mental lane.
How to Apply Kristi’s Strategy
- Break your real estate transaction process into key phases (Kristi uses 13)
- Assign categories like earnest money, disclosures, contingencies, and closing procedures
- Block time each day to handle one phase across every open file
This also makes using advanced transaction management software easier, especially platforms that support repeatable task lists.
ListedKit helps you sort work by due date and milestone, making batch work much more practical.
If you’re a virtual transaction coordinator handling multiple agents, batching can drastically cut your hours per transaction. And when you’re billing per file or aiming for higher transaction volume, efficiency directly affects your income.
2. Build Visual Workflows You’ll Actually Follow
Before adopting visual tools, Lisa Vo managed transactions with handwritten checklists and scattered Google Sheets.
As her real estate transaction volume grew, she needed something more structured—yet flexible.
Tools like Trello and ListedKit helped her shift to a board-based layout that mirrors the actual flow of a real estate transaction.
This setup is pretty to look at and helps real estate professionals quickly understand where each file stands—without digging through folders or sending multiple emails.
Here’s why visual workflows make such a difference:
- You can view the transaction from contract to closing, with clear steps and deadlines
- Team members or real estate assistants can immediately see their next task
- You reduce reliance on memory for managing key tasks and compliance issues
How to Apply Lisa’s Approach
- Choose a visual platform that supports checklist templates and stage-based task tracking
- Create columns for each major milestone—contract received, disclosures, contingencies, appraisal, closing
- Build out reusable cards or tasks inside each column to match your process
- Assign permissions carefully: show escrow officers or title companies only what’s relevant
- Use tags or color coding to flag urgent items, compliance issues, or team assignments
This setup keeps everyone aligned if you’re training virtual assistants or expanding your real estate team. It shortens the learning curve, supports consistent client communication, and improves file service levels.
3. Standardize Everything You Can—Then Share It with Your Team
Real estate professionals often think personal service means custom everything. But in reality, the most successful transaction coordinator operations create consistency and then layer on personalization where it matters most.
Chelsea Wright scaled her business by eliminating decision fatigue. She formerly founded RenegadeTCs but now leads Prosper Real Estate Group. Instead of guessing how to handle each task, she built templates for everything and shared them with her team.
This step is key if you’re managing transactions for a real estate team or growing your transaction coordinator business. It lets you expand without sacrificing quality.
Here’s What to Standardize—And How to Put It Into Practice
- Email templates. Create pre-written messages for reminders, document requests, and milestone updates. This helps maintain a professional tone and consistent timing.
- Transaction checklists. Build lists that reflect your exact process. Customize versions based on brokerage-specific or state-specific requirements.
- File naming conventions. Use a standard format for documents—like 456Oak_InspectionReport—to make file searches quick and reduce confusion.
- Onboarding materials. Write out what new agents or hires need to know. A simple guide can save hours of back-and-forth and reduce training time.
When you’ve standardized your process, you’re not reinventing the wheel. That means you can hire virtual assistants or part-time help without hours of shadowing.
Standardization also supports better collaboration among team members. Everyone knows what’s expected, where to find it, and how to deliver it.
This also made it easier for Chelsea to build strong client relationships. Her agents receive consistent updates, and the workflow doesn’t collapse when one person takes a day off.
If you’re a business owner trying to manage overhead costs, this repeatable system reduces dependency on a single transaction coordinator and improves onboarding speed if you ever expand.
4. Use Calendar Reviews to Get Ahead of the Day
Each morning, Kristi begins with a calendar scan—not just for the day but for the next three to four days. This daily habit lets her be proactive about critical dates like inspection deadlines, option period expirations, and escrow deposit follow-ups.
It’s a simple strategy that helps reduce missed deadlines and last-minute scrambles.
Regular calendar reviews also help improve communication between agents and clients. You can provide timely updates, answer client questions confidently, and stay ahead of concerns.
How to Do Calendar Review Effectively
If you’re managing multiple real estate transactions, this habit can transform how you manage your week:
- Identify time-sensitive issues early, especially when coordinating with escrow agents or title officers
- Group similar calendar events so you can knock them out in a single work block
- Spot potential delays before clients bring them to you
Digital tools like ListedKit make this process easier by syncing calendar events with your task lists and progress trackers. Rather than flipping between apps, you get a full picture of what’s due and when.
5. Balance Automation with Manual Checkpoints
Lisa Vo and Chelsea Wright agree that automation helps, but only when paired with real oversight. Both use automation tools to reduce their workload, yet neither automates sensitive steps without human review.
What to Automate vs. What to Keep Manual
Here’s what makes sense to automate:
- Auto-filled checklists based on transaction type or brokerage
- Email templates for milestones like inspection reminders or closing confirmations
- Internal task creation based on deal stage (e.g., “Send HOA packet once contract signed”)
What should remain manual?
- Reviewing purchase agreements and checking for missing initials or outdated dates
- Confirming client documents meet legal requirements
- Any communication involving nuance or emotion
Chelsea uses platforms like Zapier to connect her tech stack—Google Sheets, JotForm, and other digital tools—but she keeps oversight on everything that affects client satisfaction or compliance.
How to Automate Without Losing Control
- Set “approval gates” for key steps, especially before contract submission or file closing
- Add a manual task review at the end of each transaction stage
- Create a checklist for common automation fails, like missing attachments or incomplete info
- Use conditional logic to pause automations that lack full input (e.g., “if buyer name missing, do not send”)
- Schedule regular audits of automated actions to identify patterns that might need refining
Well-balanced automation saves valuable time and reduces administrative tasks. But a skilled transaction coordinator knows when to pause, check the details, and make sure the system isn’t running ahead of accuracy.
6. Set Boundaries with Agents from Day One
For Chelsea Wright, the difference between surviving and scaling was boundaries. She built her business by clearly defining and sticking to her role.
At the start of every agent relationship, Chelsea runs a 15-minute onboarding call with agents to align expectations. She clarifies what services she offers, how communication will happen, and what constitutes an emergency.
This quick touchpoint helps her maintain consistent service across her 60+ agent roster and protects her time and energy as a full-time transaction coordinator.
Here’s what she covers:
- What tasks are included (e.g., document handling, compliance checks)
- What isn’t (e.g., late-night negotiation support or marketing properties)
- How and when to communicate (e.g., use email threads for updates, not text)
- Clear definitions: Urgent = response in 1 hour. Emergency = rare and truly time-sensitive.
These boundaries help you stay balanced whether you’re a virtual transaction coordinator or supporting agents across different time zones.
They also support client success. When agents know how to work with you effectively, they’ll get more out of your services—and be more likely to refer you to their network.
It might be time to update your onboarding process if you’re struggling with late-night requests, vague tasks, or scope creep. A little clarity upfront can lead to long-term, happy clients.
Setting boundaries is about delivering a reliable, professional experience that respects your workflow and clients’ time.
7. Prioritize What Actually Moves the File Forward
When everything on your task list feels important, it’s easy to fall into the trap of staying busy—without making real progress. Kristi Winfree solves this by identifying high-impact tasks and addressing those first.
Here’s what Kristi prioritizes:
- Compliance issues that hold up closing
- Tasks requiring a third-party response (title searches, lender approvals, appraisals)
- Milestone deadlines that impact the timeline
By having priority status, she avoids bottlenecks that can delay deals and stress out agents or clients.
If you’re managing a high volume of transactions, this matters even more. Your hours per transaction drop when you focus on action—not just activity.
How to Prioritize the Right Tasks
Here’s how to structure your day:
- Block time in the morning for deadline-driven tasks
- Use the afternoon for batching less sensitive items (like client database updates or admin follow-ups)
- Flag anything involving external contacts as a same-day priority
When agents see you staying ahead of problems, their confidence grows. And when clients get regular updates on key milestones, their satisfaction goes up, too.
This habit also reduces fire drills near closing time. Instead of scrambling to resolve last-minute surprises, you solve them days in advance.
Use These Tips to Gain Time—Not Just Save It
What sets high-performing transaction coordinators apart isn’t superhero stamina—it’s their systems.
Here’s a quick recap to keep you grounded:
- Batch tasks by transaction phase to limit switching and reduce stress
- Use visual workflows so your process is easy to follow (and easier to scale)
- Standardize your templates and checklists, so you’re not reinventing the process for each deal
- Start every day with a calendar review to get ahead of your week—not caught behind it
- Automate with care, but always build in manual checkpoints where it matters
- Set boundaries early with agents so your work—and time—is respected
- Prioritize tasks that move files forward so your energy goes to the work that counts
You don’t need to adopt every strategy at once. Choose one, test it, and build from there.
Book a free call with our team to learn how ListedKit can automate your system, giving you more time to focus on the work that actually moves transactions forward.
