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Sam Lauron
Sam Lauron
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Sam is a freelance contributor to Newsweek’s small business team. Having worked directly with small businesses throughout her career, Sam understands the challenges of owning a business and is dedicated to helping small business owners navigate their industries and grow. You can find Sam in Austin, TX, usually working from one of her favorite local coffee shops.
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Christina Levandowski
Christina Levandowski
Contributor
Christina is a freelance editor and contributor with Newsweek’s small business team. With a passion for small business optimization and strategy, Christina has successfully launched her own business and now works to help others do the same. She has studied extensively at Arizona State University on the pre-medical track, and is now an entrepreneur, author, strategist and editor. She is based out of Los Angeles, CA.
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Real estate leads are essential to any agent or broker’s job, no matter how long you’ve been in business. However, driving organic business can be difficult. Whether you’re new to the industry or want to supplement the rest of your marketing efforts with guaranteed leads, it might be time to consider using a real estate lead generation service.
Real estate lead generation services provide you with lists of buyers and sellers who may be looking to connect with an agent. While the qualifications and data of these leads vary depending on which service you choose, they can offer a quick and targeted way to get you in front of clients.
Whether you’re new to real estate and curious if buying real estate leads is worth it, or if you’re a veteran agent and need a refresher on which services are out there, we’re here to help. Our experts have broken down the pros and cons of this tried-and-true sales channel. Read on to learn more about real estate leads, and buying real estate leads in 2024.
Our Methodology
Our research is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of small business services and products that best suit your needs. To help you in the decision-making process, our expert contributors compare common preferences and potential pain points, such as affordability, accessibility and credibility.
Our Picks
- Best Overall: Market Leader
- Best for Niche Targeting: REDX
- Best for Marketing: Real Geeks
- Best for Teams: CINC
- Best for Buyer Leads: Zillow Premier Agent
If you’re interested in buying real estate leads to boost your business, there are several tools and services that can help. Here are the best real estate lead generation services to consider, depending on your needs and goals.
Best Overall
Price
Pricing available upon request
Lead Type
Buyers and sellers
CRM
✔
Guaranteed Leads
✔
Why we chose it
Market Leader is our expert pick for the best platform for securing guaranteed real estate leads. Market Leader generates leads from three different sources, including HomeValues.com, PPC advertising campaigns through your IDX website and social media campaigns. The leads you pay for are exclusive to you, which means they won’t be shared with the competition.
Key Features
- Custom scalable pricing options
- Ability to target specific zip codes
- Multiple lead generation products available
Pros
- Guaranteed number of leads per month
- Robust native customer relationship manager (CRM)
- Pay only for leads instead of impressions or visitors
Cons
- Pricing goes up if you’re using it for teams
- Requires a six or 12-month contract to start
- Technical support can be limited
Best for Niche Targeting
Price
$49.99-$129.99 per month
Lead Type
Sellers
CRM
✔
Guaranteed Leads
✔
Why we chose it
REDX is a sales prospecting tool that focuses on niche sales leads in categories like For Sale by Owner (FSBO), pre-foreclosure and expired listings. If you’re looking to connect with real estate seller leads, this platform is a highly targeted, efficient way to do that.
Key Features
- Native prospecting tools like Power Dialer automate the process
- Lists are regularly updated
- Access to Ad Builder included; helping streamline social media ad creation
Pros
- Niche targeting is less competitive than alternatives
- User-friendly interface, no learning curve
- Connects agents directly to active sellers
Cons
- Every lead channel is a separate cost
- Must pay extra for email addresses
- Market trend data not included in standard plans
Best for Marketing
Price
$299-$1599 per month
Lead Type
Buyers and sellers
Guaranteed Leads
Why we chose it
Real Geeks is an all-in-one sales and marketing solution and real estate lead manager. After sourcing leads from online channels like Google and Facebook, Real Geeks will handle the lead generation process using its built-in CRM and automation channels.
Key Features
- Customizable IDX website
- Geek AI available for automated lead communication
- Automated drip campaign workflow options
Pros
- Tailored for teams
- Responsive customer service
- Native CRM offers real-time lead monitoring
Cons
- One-time sign-up fee
- Can be pricey for solo agents
- Some customers say CRM design is dated
Best for Teams
Price
Pricing available upon request
Lead Type
Buyers and sellers
CRM
✔
Guaranteed Leads
Why we chose it
If you’re a broker interested in buying real estate leads for your team, CINC is the best option. CINC is an all-in-one solution that provides real estate lead generation services in addition to a powerful CRM, unified communication tools and automated lead tracking. Plus, you can send leads to team members, a key feature for those in charge of managing a real estate team.
Key Features
- Lead nurturing automations available
- Custom search ads, social ads and team listing ads
- Proprietary lead generation data
Pros
- Supports over 80 property type niches
- Extensive resource library offers scripts and tips
- Conversational AI automations available via CINC AI
Cons
- Features like CINC AI and Dialer are available as add-ons only
- Must contact sales team for detailed pricing quote
- May be too costly for solo agents
Best for Buyer Leads
Price
Pricing varies by zip code
Lead Type
Buyers
CRM
Guaranteed Leads
Why we chose it
With 60 million monthly visits, Zillow is the most popular real estate website in the US. If you want to tap into that massive network of homebuyers, Zillow’s Premier Agent service is the best way to connect. By advertising with Zillow, the platform will connect you with buyers who are interested in a certain listing in your target zip code.
Key Features
- Can pay for exposure in Agent Finder, a searchable directory of real estate professionals
- Buyer insights available to help purchasers understand clients wants and needs
- Leads sourced from multiple real estate websites including Zillow, Trulia and StreetEasy
Pros
- Mobile app available, offering real-time notifications
- Advanced reporting available
- Self-service ad management for flexibility and autonomy
Cons
- Pricing varies by zip code
- Your budget determines how much share you get of a zip code
- Some zip codes offer few leads, if any
- Users report lead quality isn’t consistent
Vault’s Viewpoint on Real Estate Leads
- Buying real estate leads can be a worthy investment if you want to connect with potential clients quickly.
- Real estate lead generation services can be expensive, so it’s worth investing in a tool that offers multiple features that support your real estate business.
- The quality of leads can vary depending on the type of service you choose, and how much you pay per lead.
What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Buying Real Estate Leads?
Like any sales or marketing tactic, there are tradeoffs. Here are the pros and cons of buying real estate leads.
Pros
- Buyers will get direct contact information for members in their targeted demographic, whether they’re homeowners or buyers.
- Buyers can target highly specific areas or niches, making real estate lead harvesting a cost-effective choice for many.
- Buyers can track lead generation efforts through built-in CRMs, allowing them to tailor and refine the lead gen process more effectively than other methods.
Cons
- Lead generation can be costly.
- The quality of bought real estate leads can vary.
- Real estate leads that are purchased aren’t always guaranteed or exclusive to the buyer.
How to Generate Real Estate Leads
There are several ways to generate real estate leads, whether you’re getting your business off the ground or entering a new market. Here are a few tips to help you get started, courtesy of our experts.
Use a Lead Generation Service
Any of the lead generation services we mentioned above can be a helpful way to generate more business as a real estate agent or broker. While these services come at a cost, they can lead to more relationships and transactions—making them an important business expense.
Consider building these services into your marketing budget if you want to build up your contact database and get in front of more clients.
Build Your Online Brand
If you want to take the organic route to generate more real estate leads, then you must have digital marketing and content creation built into your marketing plan. These days, the first place people turn to when they’re looking for an agent is the internet. Whether or not you use a lead generation tool to boost your search engine and social media ranking, you still need to have a strong online presence to persuade potential clients to work with you.
You can build a strong online brand by making sure your website is optimized and regularly updated. We also recommend posting consistently on social media—particularly on the channels where your target clients spend the most time—and actively contributing your real estate expertise to online communities.
Track Your Leads
There’s more to lead generation than just collecting contact information. If you’re looking to get the most out of your lead generation efforts, consider using a CRM to store your lead information and track your outreach efforts.
Some of the lead generation services we mentioned above include a built-in CRM feature, which can make the process more seamless. However, you can also use separate CRM tools to track and manage your leads.
Network in Your Market
Sometimes the best way to generate leads is by connecting with potential clients in person through good old-fashioned networking. To start, you can attend community events, open houses, and other local meet-ups to expand your network within your area.
The more people you meet, the more contacts you can add to your CRM database. Don’t forget to include any details you glean from your conversations so that you can refer to those details when you next touch base with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it Worth Buying Real Estate Leads?
Buying real estate leads can be worth it if you’re new to the industry and don’t have a network to tap into yet. It can also be helpful if you’re looking to accelerate your business’s growth in a more strategic, predictable way. Using a lead generation service to buy real estate leads can help you get in front of buyers and sellers who are looking for an agent.
Where Do Most Realtors Get Their Leads?
Realtors get their leads from multiple sources, including lead generation services. In addition to lead generation services, real estate agents and brokers get their leads from referrals, organic marketing and in-person events.
How Much Do Realtors Spend on Leads?
How much you spend on real estate leads depends on which lead generation service you choose. On average, certain package-based real estate lead generation tools cost anywhere from $200 per month up to $1,500+ per month. Some services charge per lead.
Related Articles
- Real Estate Investing Guide 2024
- How to Invest in Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
- Best Mortgage Lenders
Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. We may earn a commission from partner links on Newsweek, but commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
Sam Lauron
Contributor
Sam is a freelance contributor to Newsweek’s small business team. Having worked directly with small businesses throughout her career, Sam understands the challenges of owning a business and is dedicated to helping small business owners navigate their industries and grow. You can find Sam in Austin, TX, usually working from one of her favorite local coffee shops.
Read more articles by Sam Lauron
