November Capacity Planning: Booking Your Calendar Before the Rush

November starts in two weeks.

Your calendar should already be filling up.

The November Challenge

Thanksgiving week kills productivity.

End-of-year pressure builds.

Holiday commitments compete for time.

Plan now or chaos later.

The Available Days

November has 30 days:

Minus Thanksgiving week (4 days lost) Minus 8 weekend days = 18 productive workdays

You have less time than you think.

The Thanksgiving Week Reality

November 24-29 is low productivity:

Many offices closed Thursday-Friday Clients traveling Wednesday-Sunday Contractors and vendors unavailable Closings nearly impossible

Don't plan important work this week.

The Pre-Thanksgiving Push

November 1-22 is your window:

16 productive days Must book appointments now Must schedule closings strategically Must plan year-end activities

Front-load November.

The Capacity Calculation

If you book 2 appointments per day:

16 productive days x 2 appointments = 32 appointment slots Book 25 now, leave 7 for urgent needs

Fill your calendar this month.

The Appointment Types

Allocate slots:

12 buyer showings 8 listing consultations 5 contract signings 5 transaction meetings

Plan the mix.

The Closing Schedule

November closing dates:

November 1-15: Optimal window November 18-22: Acceptable November 24-29: Avoid November 30: Last resort

Schedule accordingly.

The Weekly Breakdown

Week 1 (Nov 1-7): 8 appointment slots Week 2 (Nov 8-14): 8 appointment slots Week 3 (Nov 15-21): 8 appointment slots Week 4 (Nov 22-30): 3 appointment slots (Thanksgiving)

Book now before slots fill.

The Time Blocking

Block November calendar now:

8am-10am: Prospecting (every day) 10am-12pm: Appointments 1pm-3pm: Admin and coordination 3pm-5pm: Appointments

Consistent schedule daily.

The Personal Commitments

Block these first:

Thanksgiving travel Family commitments Holiday events Personal appointments

Put these in calendar before work appointments.

The December Preview

Use Thanksgiving week to plan December:

Review year-end goals Set December targets Plan January setup Organize Q1 strategy

Quiet time is planning time.

The Client Communication

Tell clients now:

"I'm booking November appointments. My calendar is filling fast. Let's get you scheduled this month."

Creates urgency.

The Lender Coordination

Coordinate November closings with lenders:

Which dates work for their schedule? What's their Thanksgiving week availability? Can they commit to specific timelines?

Align calendars now.

The Title Company Planning

Check title company schedules:

Thanksgiving week closures Year-end deadlines November capacity

Plan around their limitations.

The Team Alignment

If you have a team:

Share November calendars Coordinate appointment coverage Plan for holiday absences Align on priorities

Everyone needs the same plan.

The Prospect Pipeline

November appointments come from October activity:

Today's calls = next week's appointments This week's showings = next week's contracts This month's listings = November closings

Work backwards from capacity.

The Buffer Days

Keep some flexibility:

2-3 unscheduled days Emergency availability Last-minute opportunities

Don't book 100% of capacity.

The Productivity Metrics

Track November goals:

20-30 appointments 8-12 contracts 4-6 closings $X in GCI

Measure against capacity.

The Common Mistakes

Assuming November is a full month. Not blocking Thanksgiving week. Waiting until November to plan. Overbooking without buffer time.

Plan realistically.

Your Next 48 Hours

Open your November calendar.

Block Thanksgiving week as unavailable.

Block personal commitments.

Schedule prospecting time daily.

Start booking client appointments.

November capacity planning happens in October. Do it now.

Tiffany Hampton is a seasoned real estate leader and MAPS Coach with over two decades of experience helping agents succeed through leadership, coaching, and innovative strategy. As the founder of AgentGrowth365.com, Tiffany delivers proven systems, tools, and training that empower agents and market center leaders to grow with clarity and purpose. Whether you're looking to hit 24 transactions, streamline your coaching systems, or lead your business with impact, AgentGrowth365 offers a full suite of solutions designed to meet today's challenges and scale tomorrow's success.