How to Transition from Admin Assistant to Transaction Coordinator is a question many career changers ask when looking for new opportunities in real estate. If you’re currently working as an administrative assistant and looking for a career shift, becoming a Transaction Coordinator (TC) could be one of the smartest moves you’ll ever make.
In this post, I’ll walk you through how to make the transition smoothly, which transferable skills for transaction coordinator roles you already have, what new knowledge you’ll need, and how to position yourself to land your first clients.
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Why Administrative Assistants Make Great Transaction Coordinators
If you’ve worked as an admin assistant, you know how to keep people, paperwork, and deadlines in order. That’s basically the TC job description—but with a real estate twist. Some of the skills you already have include:
- Calendar & deadline management – tracking meetings, appointments, and timelines.
- Document handling – preparing, filing, and keeping track of important forms.
- Communication skills – being the go-to person for updates, reminders, and coordination.
- Problem-solving – catching mistakes, preventing fires, and keeping everything on track.
These transferable skills for transaction coordinator work mean you’re not starting from scratch—you’re building on what you already know.
What You’ll Need to Learn
Real estate comes with its own set of processes, acronyms, and compliance requirements. As you transition into this new career path, here are the areas you’ll need to focus on:
- Contract basics – purchase agreements, addenda, and contingency timelines.
- Compliance requirements – every state and brokerage has its own rules, so always check what applies where you’ll be working.
- Deadlines unique to real estate – inspections, loan commitments, appraisals, and closing dates.
- Communication with multiple parties – agents, clients, lenders, title/escrow, inspectors, attorneys.
- State- and brokerage-specific regulations – because laws and policies vary, you need to adapt to the rules of each environment.
Think of it as adding real estate knowledge on top of your already strong admin foundation.
Step 1: Translate Your Resume
When you’re ready to make the move, reframe your experience in how to become a transaction coordinator terms. For example:
- Instead of: “Managed calendars and coordinated staff schedules.”
Say: “Tracked multiple deadlines and coordinated schedules between team members and external partners.” - Instead of: “Prepared reports and maintained office filing systems.”
Say: “Organized and maintained critical documentation with attention to compliance and timelines.”
This helps agents and brokers see that you already have the core skills they need—even if you haven’t yet handled a contract.
Step 2: Learn the Tools of the Trade
Just like admin work relies on scheduling tools and CRMs, TCs rely on transaction platforms and task managers. Here are four of the most widely used:
- ListedKit — AI-powered transaction management. Its assistant “Ava” reads contracts, auto-extracts dates and requirements, and builds timelines. It also provides task and document management, client portals, referral tracking, and compliance review tools.
- Open To Close (OTC) — Centralizes emails, tasks, documents, and communication in one place, with customizable workflows, intake forms, automated templates, payments, text/dialer features, and reporting.
- AFrame — Combines transaction management with a built-in CRM. It includes action plans (multi-task templates), deadline tracking with reminders, file storage, client portals, reporting, and analytics.
- DocJacket — A TC-first, AI transaction platform. Upload a contract and the system extracts key dates, parties, and contingencies, generates a timeline, builds checklists, and tracks deadlines. It also integrates with calendars and provides client and agent portals.
The good news? If you’ve ever used project management or document software in your admin role, these will feel familiar—you’ll just be applying them to real estate.
Step 3: Shadow or Support a Real Estate Professional (the Right Way)
Shadowing an agent—or even another TC—can be one of the best ways to get hands-on experience. But it’s not as easy as just asking. Real estate professionals are busy, and their goal isn’t to train others.
The key is to come from contribution. Instead of simply saying, “Can I shadow you?” think about what you can offer in return. For example:
- Take on simple admin tasks like organizing files or updating checklists.
- Offer to manage reminders or scheduling so they can focus on clients.
- Volunteer to create or refine templates they already use.
By bringing value first, you make it easier for them to say yes—and you’ll gain more meaningful experience in the process.
Step 4: Get Training That Accelerates the Learning Curve
While you can figure things out as you go, formal training can save you months of trial and error. That’s exactly why I created my Transaction Coordinator Course—to give aspiring TCs the industry knowledge, workflows, and tools they need to feel confident managing transactions.
If you want a lighter step first, start with my Free Webinar: 3 Principles to Launch Your TC Business on Your Own Terms (Without Endless Research). It’s designed to help you understand the big picture and decide if this career is the right move for you.
Step 5: Position Yourself for Clients
Once you’ve gained some knowledge, the next step is finding clients. As a former admin assistant, you can leverage:
- Your professional network – let colleagues and local agents know you’re offering TC services.
- Social media – share your new business journey and highlight how you support agents.
- Local brokerages – many agents are looking for reliable help, even if they’ve never worked with a TC before.
One important note: if you plan to start part-time, be transparent about your availability. Agents need to know if you won’t always be available during business hours. Otherwise, you risk missing important deadlines or leaving an agent without support at a critical time. Clear expectations build trust.
FAQs About Transitioning from Admin Assistant to TC
1. How much can I make as a TC?
Independent TCs typically earn $350–$500 per file, depending on the market. Multiply that by the number of closings you handle, and the potential adds up quickly.
2. How long does it take to transition?
If you already have admin experience, you could start handling files within 30–60 days once you’ve learned the basics of how to become a transaction coordinator.
3. Can I start as a TC part-time?
Yes—but be cautious. If you’re not available during business hours, agents need to know this upfront so expectations are clear.
4. What’s the hardest part of the transition?
The learning curve around contracts and compliance. Once you’ve handled a few files, the process gets much easier.
5. Do I need to work under a brokerage?
It depends. Some TCs are employed in-house, while others operate independently. Always confirm what your state requires and what the brokerage policies are for the agents you’ll support.
6. What tools should I master first?
Start with one compliance/e-signature platform (like Dotloop or Skyslope) and one task manager (like ListedKit or DocJacket).
7. What if I have zero real estate experience?
That’s okay. Your admin background gives you 70% of the skillset—you just need to learn the real estate-specific 30%.
By the way, many admin assistants worry that not having a real estate background might hold them back. The truth is, your organizational skills carry more weight than industry experience. I dive deeper into this in my post Can You Be a Great TC Without Real Estate Background?.
Final Word
Transitioning from an administrative assistant to a Transaction Coordinator is a natural career path if you love organization, communication, and managing details. You’re not starting from scratch—you’re building on the skills you already use daily. With real estate-specific training, the right tools, and clear expectations with agents, you can step into a flexible, rewarding career.
And if you’re ready to take the leap, don’t miss my Free Webinar: 3 Principles to Launch Your TC Business on Your Own Terms (Without Endless Research). It’s the perfect next step to see how your admin skills can open doors in the real estate world.
Curious if transaction coordination is really the right fit for you?
I created a fun resource to help you figure it out: What Type of Virtual Assistant Should You Be? Explore Real Estate Roles + Quiz!
Take the free VA / REVA / TC Quiz to see whether you’re best suited to become a General Virtual Assistant, a Real Estate Virtual Assistant, or a Transaction Coordinator. It’s a quick way to match your strengths with the right role before you commit to a career path.