# Real Estate (Agent) A practical guide to configuring Daylite for real estate agents — covering contacts, buyer and seller pipelines, transaction management, calendar, and automation, all in one place. *** ## Why Daylite for Real Estate Agents Real estate agents live in a paradox: you need to maintain hundreds of relationships simultaneously, but every transaction is deeply personal and demands individual attention. A buyer you met at an open house two years ago may be ready to move next month. A past seller may have a referral sitting on the tip of their tongue. Without a system, those moments are lost. Daylite solves this by keeping your contacts, their history, their relationships to each other, and their transaction history all in one linked record. You can see at a glance that Sarah referred John who referred the Garcias — and you can thank the right people at the right time. That referral chain is visible, searchable, and actionable. The sales and delivery sides of real estate are also fundamentally different workflows. Finding a buyer or seller (prospecting, nurturing, winning the listing or buyer agreement) is a sales motion. Then serving them through a transaction (offers, conditions, closing, possession) is a delivery motion. Daylite's Opportunities (sales pipeline) and Projects (transaction pipeline) handle each phase cleanly, so your board reflects where every client actually is. *** ## Similar industries * **Mortgage Brokers** — the same prospecting-to-close pipeline and referral network model applies directly; the product differs but the client lifecycle from warm lead to funded deal is nearly identical. * **Commercial Real Estate Agents** — the same opportunity and project pipeline applies, though the deal cycle is longer, Companies take precedence over People, and lease management adds a third pipeline. * **Property Managers** — a heavy contact-management load with recurring touchpoints, maintenance coordination, and owner-tenant relationships that fit Daylite's linking model well. * **Real Estate Lawyers** — work closely with agents at every closing; the Projects and contact model used here maps cleanly to matter management, with People representing clients and Companies representing the other party's firm. * **Business Brokers** — very similar pipeline: a buyer/seller qualification phase, a deal/opportunity phase, and a transaction delivery phase with strict confidentiality requirements. * **Home Stagers and Interior Designers** — property-by-property project management with the same referral-partner relationship structure used here. *** ## People vs. Companies — Know the Difference This is the most important concept to understand before setting anything else up, even before importing your contacts. Daylite treats People and Companies as entirely separate objects, each with their own categories, keywords, roles, and history. Getting this right is the foundation of a clean, usable database. ### The Core Mental Model **People:** These are the individuals you actually talk to — buyers, sellers, investors, referral partners, lawyers, mortgage brokers, inspectors. In residential real estate, the person *is* the relationship. Their preferences, their transaction history, their referrals — everything attaches directly to the Person record. **Companies:** These are the organizations behind those people — brokerages, law firms, financial institutions, builders. A Company record gives a Person's employer context and holds the institutional relationship. If a mortgage broker moves firms, their history stays on their Person record, not lost with the old Company. ### Which Record Type to Use | Scenario | Primary Record | Secondary Record | How They Connect | | -------------------------------------- | -------------- | ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | | Individual buyer or seller | Person | — | Standalone Person record | | Married couple / partners | Person (both) | — | Link as "Partner of" in Relationships | | Investor buying personally | Person | — | Person record; add Investor keyword | | Mortgage broker (individual) | Person | Company (their brokerage) | Role: Mortgage Broker | | Real estate law firm | Company | Person (each lawyer) | Role: Closing Lawyer | | Property management company | Company | Person (property manager) | Role: Primary Contact | | Builder / developer | Company | Person (sales rep) | Role: Sales Representative | | Corporate relocation client | Person | Company (their employer) | Role: Employee | | Home inspector / stager / photographer | Person | — | Person record for individual service providers | > **Key distinction:** Always create a Person record for the individual you actually talk to. A Company record exists to give that person's employer context — it's the institutional backdrop, not your primary relationship. In residential real estate, you are almost always working with People first. *** ## Setting Up People People in Daylite represent everyone in your world: buyers, sellers, investors, referral partners, lawyers, mortgage brokers, inspectors, and professional connections. Setting up the right categories, keywords, and roles before importing will make every search and filter far more useful from day one. > **Before importing contacts**, follow the setup steps below to ensure you have the right structure in place. Importing without categories and keywords defined means cleaning up data after the fact. ### People Categories Categories are mutually exclusive — each contact has one at a time. Use category to reflect where this person stands in your business *right now*. It will change as the relationship evolves. | Category | Colour | Who It's For | | ---------------- | --------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Prospect | Orange | Someone who has expressed interest but you haven't committed to working together yet | | Active Buyer | Blue | Signed buyer representation agreement; actively searching | | Active Seller | Purple | Signed listing agreement; property on market | | Under Contract | Yellow | Their transaction is in progress; conditions pending or closing approaching | | Past Client | Green | Transaction completed; maintain for referrals and repeat business | | Referral Partner | Teal | Mortgage brokers, lawyers, inspectors, stagers — not transactional clients | | Cold Lead | Grey | Showed interest in the past; gone quiet; not yet written off | | Sphere | No colour | Friends, family, acquaintances — relationship maintained, no active transaction | ### People Keywords Keywords are non-exclusive and can stack. Use them to capture attributes that don't change as the relationship progresses and for facts you want to filter by later. **Client Profile:** * Buyer * Seller * Buyer + Seller (simultaneous transaction) * Investor * First-Time Buyer * Downsizer * Upsizer * Relocation * Vacation / Cottage Buyer **Lead Source:** * Lead Source: Referral * Lead Source: Open House * Lead Source: Website * Lead Source: Social Media * Lead Source: Sign Call * Lead Source: Sphere of Influence * Lead Source: Past Client * Lead Source: Farming / Direct Mail * Lead Source: Realtor.ca / MLS * Lead Source: Builder Referral * Lead Source: Corporate / Relocation **Market & Area Preferences:** * Area: Downtown * Area: East End * Area: West End * Area: Suburbs * Area: Rural * Area: Waterfront * Area: Cottage Country **Property Type Preferences:** * Type: Detached * Type: Semi-Detached * Type: Townhouse * Type: Condo * Type: Multiplex * Type: Commercial * Type: Vacant Land **Referral Partner Type:** * Partner: Mortgage Broker * Partner: Real Estate Lawyer * Partner: Home Inspector * Partner: Home Stager * Partner: Photographer * Partner: Contractor / Renovator * Partner: Property Manager * Partner: Financial Advisor ### Roles Roles describe what a person means to *your* business — not their job title. Use roles consistently so Smart Lists based on Role actually work. | Role | Used When | | -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | | Buyer | Linked to an Opportunity or Project as the purchasing party | | Seller | Linked to an Opportunity or Project as the selling party | | Co-Buyer | Linked as the second buyer in a joint purchase | | Co-Seller | Linked as the second seller in a joint sale | | Referrer | Linked to an Opportunity as the person who made the introduction | | Listing Agent (Other Side) | The agent representing the other party in a transaction | | Buyer Agent (Other Side) | The agent representing the other party | | Lawyer | Linked to a Project as the closing lawyer | | Mortgage Broker | Linked to a Project; arranged financing | | Home Inspector | Linked to a Project; conducted inspection | | Stager | Linked to a Project; staging the listing | | Photographer | Linked to a Project; listing photos/video | > **Role vs. job title:** "John is the Decision Maker on Project Maple Ave" is a Role. "John is a VP at TD Bank" is a job title — that goes in the Title field. Use Role for filtering and Smart Lists (it's a consistent dropdown); use Title for context only. ### Relationships Use Daylite's Relationships feature — not keywords — to capture person-to-person connections. These build a visible, navigable referral network. * **Referred by / Referred to** — track your full referral chain. When a new client comes from a past client, link them with "Referred by". This is how you identify your best referrers and thank them properly. * **Partner of** — couples and business partners buying together * **Colleague of** — agent-to-agent relationships (co-listing partners, referral agents in other markets) * **Related to** — family members who are also clients or prospects * **Works with** — link a buyer to their preferred mortgage broker, or a seller to their lawyer > **Referral tracking tip:** Never use a keyword for referral source — use the Relationships feature. A "Referred by / Referred to" link shows you the specific person-to-person connection, not just a tag, and lets you trace the full referral chain on every contact record. *** ## Setting Up Companies While most of your primary relationships are People, Companies provide important context — especially for referral partners with their own firms. A law firm, mortgage brokerage, or builder that sends you consistent business deserves a Company record so the relationship survives individual staff turnover. ### Company Categories | Category | What It's For | | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Brokerage | Real estate brokerages (yours and others you work with) | | Law Firm | Real estate lawyers and their firms | | Financial Institution | Banks, credit unions, mortgage companies | | Service Provider | Home inspection firms, staging companies, photography studios, contractors | | Builder / Developer | New construction companies | | Corporate Client | Employers sending relocating employees | | Property Management | Property management companies | ### Company Keywords **Builder Type:** * Builder: Freehold * Builder: Condo * Builder: Custom **Referral Volume:** * Referral Volume: High * Referral Volume: Medium * Referral Volume: Low **Area:** * Area: \[neighbourhood or city] ### Company Types Use Daylite's built-in Type field for broad classification: * Real Estate * Legal * Financial Services * Home Services * Construction / Development * Corporate ### Company Industries * Real Estate & Property * Legal Services * Banking & Mortgage * Construction & Trades * Relocation Services ### Roles on Companies | Role | Used When | | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | | Primary Contact | The person you deal with most at this company | | Referral Contact | The specific individual who sends you business | | Closing Lawyer | Lawyer at this firm handling your transactions | | Lending Officer | Mortgage specialist at this institution | | Sales Representative | Builder or developer sales rep | ### Company Relationships * **Affiliated with / Affiliated with** — link competing brokerages or partner firms * **Refers to / Referred by** — capture inter-company referral agreements *** ## Winning the Listing or Buyer Agreement (Opportunities) An Opportunity in real estate represents the period from first meaningful engagement through to a signed agreement — either a listing agreement or a buyer representation agreement. It covers your prospecting and conversion work, before the property transaction itself begins. Create an Opportunity as soon as you have someone who is genuinely considering buying or selling and you are actively trying to win their business. If it's just a name in your database with no active conversation, that's a Contact with a keyword — not yet an Opportunity. When to create an Opportunity: * A prospect books a listing consultation or buyer consultation * You respond to an inbound inquiry and they engage meaningfully * A referral comes in with an active intent to buy or sell * An open house visitor follows up with genuine interest ### Opportunity Categories | Category | Use For | | ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | | Buyer Lead | A prospective purchasing client | | Seller Lead | A prospective listing client | | Investor Lead | An investor buying or selling income property | | Referral Out | A lead you're referring to another agent (track for reciprocity) | ### Opportunity Keywords * Pre-Approved * Timeline: 0–3 Months * Timeline: 3–6 Months * Timeline: 6–12 Months * Needs to Sell First * Multiple Decision Makers * High Priority ### Opportunity Types Opportunity Type captures *how* the deal came to you — not where you met the person (that's a keyword on the Contact). * New Business * Repeat Client * Referral — Past Client * Referral — Referral Partner * Referral — Agent * Sphere of Influence * Open House Walk-In * Online Lead * Sign Call / Drive-By * Cold Outreach ### Won and Loss Reasons **Won (Listing signed / Buyer rep signed):** * Strong CMA / Pricing Strategy * Relationship / Trust * Marketing Plan * Referral Confidence * Responsiveness * Fee Competitiveness **Lost:** * Chose Another Agent * Decided Not to Move * Overpriced / Unrealistic Expectations * Went with a Friend or Family Member * Fee / Commission * Timing Not Right * No Response ### Listing (Seller) Pipeline | Stage | What It Means | | --------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | | New Lead | First contact made; initial qualification underway | | Nurturing | Ongoing relationship; not yet ready to list | | Consultation Booked | Listing presentation appointment confirmed | | Consultation Complete | Listing presentation done; decision pending | | Proposal Sent | CMA / pricing strategy delivered; waiting on decision | | Agreement Signed | Listing agreement executed — convert to Project | ### Buyer Pipeline | Stage | What It Means | | ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | | New Lead | Initial inquiry received; qualification underway | | Nurturing | Not yet ready to buy; keeping warm | | Buyer Consult Booked | First meeting or call confirmed | | Buyer Consult Complete | Needs and criteria understood; pre-approval discussed | | Pre-Approval Confirmed | Financing pre-approval in hand; ready to search | | Active Search | Viewing properties; close to writing offers | | Agreement Signed | Buyer Representation Agreement signed — convert to Project | > **Two pipelines, one board view at a time.** Daylite's Opportunities Board shows one pipeline at a time. Keep your Listing Pipeline and Buyer Pipeline distinct — each has its own stage logic and should never be mixed on one pipeline. *** ## Transaction Management (Projects) When an Opportunity is Won — listing agreement signed or buyer rep signed — convert it to a Project. The Project tracks everything from that point through to possession day and beyond. For sellers, the Project begins at listing live. For buyers, it begins when they're under contract on a property. The Project is your transaction management workspace: it holds the property address, all linked contacts (buyer, seller, lawyers, mortgage broker, inspector), every appointment, task, note, and email associated with that deal. ### Project Categories | Category | Use For | | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------ | | Buyer Transaction | A purchase you're facilitating | | Seller Transaction | A listing you're managing | | Dual Agency | You represent both sides (where permitted) | | Referral Out | A deal you handed off to another agent | | Lease | A rental transaction | ### Project Keywords * Property Type: Detached * Property Type: Semi-Detached * Property Type: Townhouse * Property Type: Condo * Property Type: Multiplex * Property Type: Vacant Land * Freehold * Condominium * New Construction * Resale * Investment Property * Multiple Offers Situation * Probate / Estate Sale * Power of Sale ### Listing (Seller) Transaction Pipeline | Stage | What's Happening | | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Listing Prep | Staging, photography, cleaning, sign install, MLS data entry | | Active Listing | Property on market; showings underway | | Offer Received | One or more offers in; negotiation in progress | | Conditional | Accepted offer with conditions (inspection, financing, etc.) | | Firm | All conditions waived; deal is firm | | Pre-Closing | Final walk-through, transfer of title, moving arrangements | | Closed | Keys handed over; transaction complete | | Post-Closing Follow-Up | Thank you gift sent, review requested, client moved to Past Client | ### Buyer Transaction Pipeline | Stage | What's Happening | | ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | | Active Search | Properties shortlisted; showings booked | | Offer Stage | Writing or negotiating on a property | | Conditional | Offer accepted with conditions; inspection, financing underway | | Firm | All conditions waived; deal is firm | | Pre-Closing | Mortgage final approval, lawyer prep, moving arrangements | | Closed | Keys received; transaction complete | | Post-Closing Follow-Up | Thank you, review request, housewarming follow-up | *** ## Calendar Categories Colour-code your calendar so you can see your week at a glance — showings, negotiations, open houses, and admin should all be visually distinct. | Category | Suggested Colour | What It's For | | -------------------- | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | | Listing Appointment | Purple | Pre-listing consultation or listing presentation | | Showing | Blue | Buyer showing appointments | | Open House | Orange | Public or agent open houses | | Offer Presentation | Red | Presenting or receiving offers | | Inspection | Yellow | Home inspection appointments | | Closing / Possession | Green | Key handover, title transfer dates | | Client Meeting | Teal | General buyer or seller meetings | | Networking / Event | Grey | Industry events, community events | | Admin | Light grey | MLS entry, paperwork, office tasks | | Personal | No colour | Out of office, personal commitments | *** ## Activity Sets Activity Sets automate your repeatable task sequences. In real estate, the same checklist fires for every listing, every buyer activation, and every closing. Build them once, apply them to every relevant Project or Opportunity with one click. > **Timing note:** Every item in an Activity Set uses one of two anchors — **After start** (N days after the record's start date) or **Before end** (N days before the record's due date). Set the Project's start date to the relevant trigger event (e.g. listing agreement date, condition date, possession date) so the timing works correctly. ### New Listing Activity Set **Apply this when:** A listing agreement is signed. Set the Project start date to the agreement signing date. | Day | Timing | Type | Title | | --- | ----------- | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 0 | After start | Task | Order professional photography | | 0 | After start | Task | Schedule staging consultation | | 0 | After start | Task | Collect all property documents (survey, tax bill, utility bills, status certificate if condo) | | 1 | After start | Task | Draft MLS listing copy for seller review | | 2 | After start | Task | Confirm photography date with seller | | 3 | After start | Task | Review and approve listing copy with seller | | 5 | After start | Task | Upload photos, enter MLS data, set go-live date | | 5 | After start | Task | Order For Sale sign installation | | 5 | After start | Task | Set up showing instructions and lockbox | | 7 | After start | Task | Send "Your listing is live" email to seller with MLS link | | 7 | After start | Task | Share listing on social media | | 14 | After start | Task | Send showing activity update to seller | | 21 | After start | Task | Schedule market feedback call if no offers yet | ### Active Buyer Activation Activity Set **Apply this when:** A Buyer Representation Agreement is signed. Set the Project start date to the BRA signing date. | Day | Timing | Type | Title | | --- | ----------- | ----------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | | 0 | After start | Task | Confirm pre-approval letter received and on file | | 0 | After start | Task | Set up MLS auto-search with agreed criteria | | 0 | After start | Task | Send buyer welcome email with process overview | | 1 | After start | Appointment | Schedule first showing tour | | 7 | After start | Task | Check in: any listings from auto-search catching their eye? | | 14 | After start | Task | Review search criteria if no suitable properties found | | 21 | After start | Task | Market update call: price range, competition, timing | ### Conditional Period Activity Set **Apply this when:** An offer goes conditional. Set the Project start date to the condition date and the due date to the condition expiry date. This activity set uses both anchors. | Day | Timing | Type | Title | | --- | ----------- | ----------- | --------------------------------------------------- | | 0 | After start | Task | Send conditional acceptance confirmation to client | | 0 | After start | Appointment | Book home inspection (if inspection condition) | | 1 | After start | Task | Confirm buyer has submitted mortgage application | | 2 | After start | Task | Follow up with mortgage broker on approval timeline | | 3 | After start | Task | Receive and review inspection report | | 3 | After start | Task | Negotiate any inspection issues if needed | | 2 | Before end | Task | Confirm financing approval received | | 1 | Before end | Task | Prepare waiver of conditions documents | | 0 | Before end | Task | Execute waiver; confirm firm deal with all parties | ### Post-Closing Activity Set **Apply this when:** Possession day occurs. Set the Project start date to the possession date to anchor follow-up touchpoints. | Day | Timing | Type | Title | | --- | ----------- | ---- | -------------------------------------------------------- | | 0 | After start | Task | Drop off or send congratulations gift | | 7 | After start | Task | Check-in call: how's the move going? | | 30 | After start | Task | Send Google / RateMyAgent review request | | 90 | After start | Task | Touch base: any tradespeople needed? Seasonal checklist? | | 365 | After start | Task | Home anniversary message with approximate value update | *** ## Forms & Custom Fields Use Forms and Custom Fields to standardize the information you capture across clients and transactions. **Forms vs. Custom Fields — which to use:** | | Use when | | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Form** | You need a named group of related fields that only apply to some records — e.g. a buyer intake checklist on an Opportunity, or a property details form on a Project | | **Custom Field** | You need a single field that should appear on every record of that type — e.g. Property Address on every Project | Forms are created in **Settings > Forms**. After defining a form, you manually attach an instance to a record when it's relevant — a record can have multiple forms attached. *** ### Form: Buyer Intake (Opportunity) Apply this form during the Buyer Consult Complete stage to capture all search criteria in one structured place before you start sending listings. | Field | Type | Notes | | ------------------------------------ | ------------- | ------------------------------------- | | Full Legal Names | Text | As they'll appear on title | | Current Address | Text | | | Pre-Approval Status | Popup Options | In Progress / Approved / Not Started | | Lender Name | Text | Who issued the pre-approval | | Maximum Budget (Approved) | Text | Full pre-approval amount | | Comfortable Budget | Text | What they actually want to spend | | Preferred Possession Date | Date | Must-have or flexible? | | Bedrooms (Min) | Text | | | Bathrooms (Min) | Text | | | Must-Have Features | Text | Garage, yard, home office, etc. | | Nice-to-Have Features | Text | | | Deal-Breakers | Text | Busy street, basement apartment, etc. | | Areas of Interest | Text | Neighbourhoods / communities | | Have They Worked with Another Agent? | Popup Options | Yes / No | *** ### Form: Seller Intake (Opportunity) Apply this form during the Consultation Complete stage to capture all listing information before the agreement is signed. | Field | Type | Notes | | ----------------------------------- | ------------- | ----------------------------------- | | Full Legal Names | Text | As they appear on title | | Property Address | Text | | | Estimated Mortgage Balance | Text | For net proceeds discussion | | Reason for Moving | Text | | | Target List Date | Date | | | Target Possession / Closing Date | Date | | | Known Defects / Disclosure Items | Text | | | Recent Renovations | Text | What was done and approximate year | | Included Items | Text | Appliances, fixtures to be included | | Excluded Items | Text | Items being taken | | Have They Spoken with Other Agents? | Popup Options | Yes / No | *** ### Custom Fields Custom fields appear on every record of their type and are configured in **Settings > Custom Fields** by renaming the built-in Extra fields. Each object supports up to 12 string fields (Extra 1–12) and 4 date fields (Extra Date 1–4). Field types are limited to string (free text) and date — for richer types like dropdown or checkbox, use a Form instead. **On Project — suggested label assignments:** | Settings Label | Rename To | Type | | -------------- | --------------------- | ---- | | Extra 1 | Property Address | Text | | Extra 2 | MLS Number | Text | | Extra 3 | List Price | Text | | Extra 4 | Sale Price | Text | | Extra 5 | Conditional On | Text | | Extra Date 1 | Condition Expiry Date | Date | | Extra Date 2 | Possession Date | Date | > **Note:** List Price and Sale Price are stored as free text — custom fields have no currency formatting. For detailed financial breakdowns (commissions, net proceeds), use a Form. The custom fields serve as quick-reference labels visible at a glance on the Project record. *** ## Letter & Email Templates Set up reusable templates for the messages you send at every stage of a transaction. Daylite's Letter Templates use merge codes so you can personalize at scale without rewriting from scratch. Use `<$cnt.firstname$>` for the contact's first name, `<$me.firstname$>` or `<$me.fullname$>` for your name, and `{{placeholder}}` for context-specific details you fill in at send time. *** ### Template: Buyer Welcome Email **Used for:** After a Buyer Representation Agreement is signed — send same day. > Hi <$cnt.firstname$>, > > Welcome — I'm excited to start this search with you. Now that we have our agreement in place, here's what to expect over the coming weeks. > > **Your auto-search is set up.** You'll start receiving listings that match your criteria directly to your inbox. When something catches your eye, just reply and we'll book a showing — I can typically get you in within 24–48 hours. > > **I'm watching the market for you.** Beyond the auto-search, I'm actively monitoring for pocket listings and properties that come up before they hit MLS. If I see something worth your attention, I'll reach out directly. > > **Here's what I need from you:** Reply with any updates to your must-haves, nice-to-haves, or areas. The more honest you are about what you actually want (vs. what you think you should want), the better I can filter. > > The current market conditions in {{area}} are {{brief summary — e.g. "competitive, with most desirable homes receiving multiple offers within the first week"}}. Based on your budget of {{budget range}}, we're well-positioned — but I'd recommend being ready to move quickly when the right one comes up. > > Any questions before we dive in, just ask. > > Talk soon, <$me.firstname$> *** ### Template: Seller Welcome Email **Used for:** After a listing agreement is signed — send same day. > Hi <$cnt.firstname$>, > > The agreement is signed — let's get your home sold. > > Here's what happens over the next few days: > > * **Photography:** I've booked {{photographer name}} for {{date}}. Please have the home show-ready by {{time}}. > * **Staging:** {{Staging consultation booked for \[date] / I'll send you a prep checklist to maximize your home's presentation.}} > * **Go-live date:** We're targeting {{date}} for your listing to hit MLS and all major platforms. > > **What I need from you:** > > * Confirm any items that are included or excluded in the sale (appliances, fixtures, etc.) > * Let me know your preferred showing instructions — are you comfortable with short-notice showings, or do you need 24 hours? > * Any disclosure items we haven't discussed? Better to know now. > > I'll keep you updated on showing activity weekly — you'll never be left wondering what's happening with your listing. > > Let's get this done. > > <$me.firstname$> *** ### Template: Conditional Acceptance Confirmation **Used for:** After an offer is accepted with conditions — send to buyer and seller as appropriate. > Hi <$cnt.firstname$>, > > Great news — the offer has been accepted. Here's where things stand: > > **Accepted price:** {{$X,XXX,XXX}} **Conditions:** {{e.g. Financing (5 business days) and Home Inspection (5 business days)}} **Condition expiry:** {{date}} **Possession date:** {{date}} > > **Your next steps:** > > * {{Buyer: Contact your lender today to get your formal mortgage application submitted. / Seller: Your lawyer will be in touch to begin the title search.}} > * {{Buyer: I'll book the home inspection — I'll confirm the date and inspector details with you shortly.}} > * Keep your schedule clear around {{condition expiry date}} — I'll need to be in close contact as we approach the deadline. > > We're not firm yet, but this is a significant step. I'll be in touch daily until conditions are waived. > > <$me.firstname$> *** ### Template: Congratulations — Possession Day **Used for:** On possession day — send a personal message or pair with a gift drop-off. > Hi <$cnt.firstname$>, > > Today's the day — the keys are yours! > > It's been a pleasure working with you through this process, and I'm genuinely excited for you. {{Property address}} is a great home{{/great fit for what you were looking for}}. > > A few things to take care of in the first week: > > * Make sure the utilities are transferred into your name today if you haven't already > * Take a walk through and note anything that needs attention — I'm happy to connect you with tradespeople for anything that comes up > * Keep the previous owners' contact info handy for the first few weeks in case questions about the house come up > > I'll check in next week to see how the move is going. In the meantime — congratulations, and enjoy your first night in your new home. > > <$me.firstname$> *** ### Template: Home Anniversary **Used for:** One year after possession — annual check-in. > Hi <$cnt.firstname$>, > > Hard to believe it's already been a year since you got the keys to {{property address}}! > > I hope you've settled in and the home has been everything you were hoping for. I wanted to reach out for a few reasons: > > First — the market in {{area}} has {{brief update — e.g. "continued to be active, with values up approximately X% over the past year"}}. Based on comparable sales, your home is worth approximately {{estimated current value range}} today. Happy to put together a full CMA if you're curious or thinking ahead. > > Second — if you know anyone thinking about buying or selling, I'd love the introduction. Referrals from past clients are the backbone of my business, and I take every one seriously. > > Hope you're well — feel free to reach out anytime, even just to catch up. > > <$me.firstname$> *** > **Additional templates to build:** Use the same voice and structure for the remaining touchpoints in your cycle — showing confirmation, showing feedback request, weekly seller update, offer received notification, waiver confirmation, closing reminder, review request, referral thank-you, market update, and open house follow-up. Once you've written each one and saved it in Daylite, you'll rarely need to write a client email from scratch again. *** ## Smart Lists Smart Lists are saved filters that live in Daylite's sidebar and update automatically. Every time a record changes — a new lead comes in, a deal moves to a new stage, a condition deadline approaches — your Smart Lists reflect it instantly. Design them around the questions you ask yourself every morning. ### How Smart Lists Work Each Smart List is a saved filter set with a **Match All** (every condition must be true) or **Match Any** (at least one must be true) rule. Sub-filters with **Do Not Match All** let you build exclusions. A Smart List on People with "Category = Active Buyer" and "Keyword = Type: Condo" instantly shows you every active buyer looking for a condo — no searching required. *** ### People Smart Lists | Smart List Name | Filters | Match | What It's For | | ----------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ----------------------------------------------------- | | 🏠 Active Buyers | Category = Active Buyer | All | Everyone currently searching | | 📋 Active Sellers | Category = Active Seller | All | All current listings | | 🤝 Hot Referral Partners | Category = Referral Partner, Priority = High | All | Partners who send consistent business | | ❄️ Gone Cold (90 days) | Category = Prospect, Activity: last activity more than 90 days ago | All | Prospects who've gone quiet — time to re-engage | | 🎂 Birthdays This Month | Birthday = this month | All | Never miss a birthday call | | 🏡 Past Clients — No Contact in 12 Months | Category = Past Client, Activity: last activity more than 365 days ago | All | Past clients due for a check-in | | 🔁 Referral Network | Relationship = Referred by (any) | All | Everyone in your referral chain | | 👋 Added This Month | Create Date = this month | All | New contacts — make sure they're properly categorised | *** ### Companies Smart Lists | Smart List Name | Filters | Match | What It's For | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----- | ------------------------------------------------ | | 🏦 Top Lenders | Category = Financial Institution, Keywords = Referral Volume: High | All | Your highest-volume mortgage sources | | ⚖️ Preferred Lawyers | Category = Law Firm | All | Your go-to real estate lawyers | | 🔨 Service Providers | Category = Service Provider | All | Inspectors, stagers, photographers, tradespeople | | 🏗️ Builders & Developers | Category = Builder / Developer | All | New construction relationships | *** ### Opportunities Smart Lists | Smart List Name | Filters | Match | What It's For | | --------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | -------------------------------------- | | 🟠 All Open Leads | State = Open | All | Everything active in the pipeline | | 📅 Consultations Booked | State = Open, Pipeline & Stage = Listing Pipeline: Consultation Booked | All | Upcoming listing presentations | | 🔴 Stalled Leads (30+ days) | State = Open, Modify Date more than 30 days ago | All | Opportunities with no recent activity | | 🏆 Closing This Month | State = Open, Forecasted Close Date = this month | All | Deals expected to close this month | | 💰 High-Value Pipeline | State = Open, Total Amount > \[your threshold] | All | Opportunities above a dollar threshold | | 🔁 Referral Leads | State = Open, Type = Referral — Past Client | All | Leads that came from your past clients | *** ### Projects Smart Lists | Smart List Name | Filters | Match | What It's For | | ------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---------------------------------------------------- | | 🔥 Active Transactions | Status = In Progress | All | All deals currently in progress | | ⚠️ Conditional This Week | Pipeline & Stage = Conditional, Due Date = this week | All | Conditions expiring soon — needs immediate attention | | 🗝️ Closing This Month | Pipeline & Stage = Firm, Extra Date 2 (Possession) = this month | All | Possessions coming up | | 📸 Listing Prep Underway | Pipeline & Stage = Listing Prep | All | Listings being prepared to go to market | | ✅ Closed This Quarter | Status = Done, End Date = this quarter | All | Review your closed volume | *** ### Tasks Smart Lists | Smart List Name | Filters | Match | What It's For | | ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---------------------------------------- | | 🚨 Overdue | Status = Not Done, Due Date < today | All | Everything you're behind on | | 📋 Today | Status = Not Done, Due Date = today | All | Today's full task list | | 📞 Calls Due This Week | Status = Not Done, Type = Call, Due Date = this week | All | All scheduled calls | | 🔗 Condition Follow-Ups | Status = Not Done, Title contains "condition" | All | Condition-related tasks across all deals | | 🏠 Open House Prep | Status = Not Done, Title contains "open house" | All | Prep tasks for upcoming open houses | *** ### Appointments Smart Lists | Smart List Name | Filters | Match | What It's For | | ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | -------------------------------- | | 🏠 Showings This Week | Category = Showing, Start Date = this week | All | All showings scheduled this week | | 📣 Open Houses | Category = Open House | All | All upcoming open houses | | 🤝 Listing Appointments | Category = Listing Appointment | All | Upcoming listing consultations | | 🗓️ Closings This Month | Category = Closing / Possession, Start Date = this month | All | All possession appointments | *** ### Pro Tips for Smart Lists * **Pin your daily drivers.** Add "Overdue", "Today", "Active Transactions", and "Stalled Leads" as Favourites so they're one click away each morning. * **Combine Category + Activity** on People to find past clients who haven't heard from you in over a year — this is one of your highest-ROI lists. * **Use the Relationship filter** to pull your full referral network and send a quarterly thank-you touch. Never let your referrers forget you exist. * **The "Stalled Leads" list is a weekly discipline.** If an Opportunity hasn't been modified in 30 days, something needs to happen — even if that's marking it Lost so your board stays clean. * **Organise Smart Lists into folders** (e.g. People, Opportunities, Projects, Tasks) so your sidebar stays navigable as your list grows. *** ## Making It Your Own Everything in this guide is a starting point, not a rulebook. Daylite is highly configurable, and the best setup is the one that matches how you actually work — and that will evolve as your business evolves. Once you've been using Daylite for a few weeks, you'll have a feel for what's working and what's creating friction. That's the right time to adjust. Some things to consider revisiting: * **Categories and keywords** — if you're not using a category or keyword, remove it. A short, clean list beats a comprehensive one you ignore. * **Pipeline stages** — if a stage is always empty, or you always skip it, simplify. Fewer stages that reflect your actual process are more useful than a detailed model that doesn't match reality. Real estate moves fast — your pipeline should too. * **Activity Sets** — the first version is an educated guess. After a few listings and a few closings, you'll know exactly what to add, remove, or reorder. * **Smart Lists** — pin the ones you check every day, remove the ones you never open. Your sidebar should feel like a control panel, not a filing cabinet. * **Custom fields** — if you find yourself writing the same thing in notes on every transaction (condo corporation name, possession instructions, lockbox code), that's a signal it should be a custom field on the Project. > **Tip for teams:** Individual users can personalise certain settings — default views, Smart List favourites, task display preferences — without affecting anyone else's experience. Encourage your team to make Daylite feel like their own tool, not a shared spreadsheet. *** ## Using Daylite as a Team If you run a real estate team — or plan to grow from a solo practice — establishing clear conventions before you add a second person to Daylite is the most important setup decision you'll make. A shared database only works if everyone enters data the same way. **Establish clear ownership conventions.** Every record in Daylite — contacts, opportunities, projects, tasks — has an Owner. For real estate teams, the most common model is: the agent who brings in the lead owns the Opportunity; once it converts to a Project, the lead agent or a transaction coordinator takes ownership. Decide this upfront. The Opportunities and Projects Boards filter by Owner, so clean ownership means each person sees their own pipeline without noise from everyone else's work. **Set a shared visibility policy.** By default, records are visible to all users. For most real estate teams this is exactly right — everyone should be able to see every client and transaction. Visibility enables hand-offs; hidden records create information silos. Keep permissions open unless there is a specific reason to restrict access (e.g. a surprise referral). **Use delegation for task handoffs.** When a transaction coordinator needs to handle a task, delegate it to them rather than mentioning it in a group chat. Delegated tasks appear in the recipient's task list and remain visible to the assigning agent — so nothing falls through the cracks and you don't need to chase people for updates. **Create shared Smart Lists for team dashboards.** Build a core set of Smart Lists that everyone on the team uses as shared ground: | Smart List | Who uses it most | What it answers | | ---------------------------- | ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | | 🔥 Active Transactions | Everyone | What's open right now across all agents? | | ⚠️ Conditional This Week | Transaction coordinator | Which deals need condition management today? | | 🟠 Stalled Leads | Team lead | Which opportunities haven't moved in 30+ days? | | 🚨 Overdue Tasks | Everyone | Who has tasks past due? | | 🏡 Past Clients — No Contact | Team lead | Who haven't we touched in over a year? | **Agree on naming and data entry conventions.** Opportunity naming, keyword choices, and pipeline stage transitions only work if everyone uses them consistently. Before onboarding a second person, document your conventions in a shared note — what the categories mean, how to name an opportunity (e.g. `[Client Last Name] – [Address or Search Area] – [Month Year]`), which keywords to apply on intake. A one-page cheat sheet prevents the database from fragmenting. **Assign Activity Set tasks deliberately.** When you apply an Activity Set to a project, each task is assigned to a specific user. Configure your Activity Sets upfront so that tasks land with the right person — listing prep tasks to the listing coordinator, condition follow-ups to the lead agent, possession-day tasks to the admin. *** ## Tips for Day-to-Day Use * **Start every morning with your Boards and Smart Lists, not your inbox.** Scan the Opportunities Board for gaps at the top of funnel, stuck leads, and overdue forecasted close dates. Check the Projects Board for active transactions, approaching condition deadlines, and upcoming possessions. Open your key Smart Lists before touching email. This keeps you proactive rather than reactive — the single most important discipline in real estate. * **Link every email to the relevant contact and deal.** Use Daylite Mail Assistant to attach inbound and outbound emails to the corresponding Person and Project. A complete email thread attached to a transaction record is your protection if a dispute arises over what was communicated and when. Build this habit from day one. * **Add a brief note after every call, showing, or meeting.** Three sentences is enough: what was discussed, what the next step is, and anything the client told you that matters. Over time, this builds a record that makes every future interaction feel personal and prepared — and protects you if anything is ever disputed. * **Use the Referral relationship, not a keyword.** When a past client refers someone to you, link the new contact to the referrer with "Referred by" in Daylite's Relationships panel. Then pull your referral network as a Smart List, see who your top referrers are, and thank them specifically and often. Keywords can't show you the chain — Relationships can. * **Keep your Opportunities board clean.** If a lead has gone cold and you've genuinely given up on it, mark it Lost with a reason. An Opportunity board cluttered with zombie leads makes it impossible to forecast accurately or focus on real deals. Clean data is as important as comprehensive data. * **Trigger Activity Sets the moment a deal stage changes.** When a listing goes live, apply the New Listing Activity Set immediately. When an offer goes conditional, apply the Conditional Period Activity Set. Don't wait until you remember what needs to happen — let Daylite tell you. *** ## Quick-Start Checklist **People Setup** * [ ] Define and enter all People Categories * [ ] Define all People Keywords (grouped by theme) * [ ] Define Roles for use on Opportunities and Projects * [ ] Set up Relationship types (Referred by / Referred to, Partner of, Colleague of, Works with) **Companies Setup** * [ ] Define Company Categories * [ ] Define Company Types and Industries * [ ] Define Roles used on Company records **Opportunities** * [ ] Create Listing (Seller) Pipeline with all stages * [ ] Create Buyer Pipeline with all stages * [ ] Define Opportunity Categories * [ ] Define Opportunity Types (how deals come in) * [ ] Define Win Reasons * [ ] Define Loss Reasons * [ ] Set a default pipeline for new Opportunities **Projects** * [ ] Create Listing Transaction Pipeline with all stages * [ ] Create Buyer Transaction Pipeline with all stages * [ ] Define Project Categories * [ ] Define Project Keywords (property types, conditions, etc.) * [ ] Set up Custom Fields on Projects: Property Address, MLS Number, List Price, Sale Price, Condition Expiry Date, Possession Date **Calendar** * [ ] Set up all Calendar Categories with colours **Activity Sets** * [ ] Build New Listing Activity Set * [ ] Build Active Buyer Activation Activity Set * [ ] Build Conditional Period Activity Set (with both After start and Before end tasks) * [ ] Build Post-Closing Activity Set * [ ] Attach relevant Activity Sets to Pipeline stages **Forms & Custom Fields** * [ ] Build Buyer Intake Form (on Opportunity) * [ ] Build Seller Intake Form (on Opportunity) * [ ] Configure Custom Fields on Project records **Letter & Email Templates** * [ ] Create Buyer Welcome Email template * [ ] Create Seller Welcome Email template * [ ] Create Conditional Acceptance Confirmation template * [ ] Create Congratulations — Possession Day template * [ ] Create Home Anniversary template * [ ] Create additional templates: showing confirmation, review request, market update, open house follow-up, referral thank-you **Smart Lists** * [ ] Build all People Smart Lists * [ ] Build all Companies Smart Lists * [ ] Build all Opportunities Smart Lists * [ ] Build all Projects Smart Lists * [ ] Build all Tasks Smart Lists * [ ] Build all Appointments Smart Lists * [ ] Pin daily-use lists as Favourites in the sidebar **Data Migration** * [ ] Import existing contacts in groups by Category * [ ] Apply keywords to imported contacts in bulk via Spreadsheet View * [ ] Create Opportunities for all active buyer and seller leads * [ ] Create Projects for all transactions currently in progress * [ ] Link people, companies, tasks, and appointments to relevant records --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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