Tech Reviews – The Close Your #1 Source For Actionable Real Estate Advice Mon, 26 Aug 2024 19:04:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://assets.theclose.com/uploads/2017/12/theclosefbprofile2-60x60.png Tech Reviews – The Close 32 32 Offrs Review: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons (2024) https://theclose.com/offrs-review/ https://theclose.com/offrs-review/#respond Mon, 19 Aug 2024 15:33:43 +0000 https://theclose.com/?p=16820 Offrs leverages the power of big data to analyze consumer behavior and property trends and hand over exclusive seller leads to agents. Let's take a deeper look into what Offrs does, how it works, how much it costs, and ultimately, whether it's right for you and your business.

The post Offrs Review: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons (2024) appeared first on The Close.

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Finding high-quality real estate leads is more crucial than ever to stay ahead of the competition. Offrs is an industry leader in real estate lead generation, providing predictive analytics that pinpoints which property owners are likely to sell. It saves time and maximizes conversion rates by having agents work on prospects with the greatest potential. My review will detail how the platform works, key features, Offrs reviews from current users, and how it stands out in the saturated field of lead gen tools. Let’s dive into how Offrs can increase your business!

The Close Scorecard

Offrs scorecard
Pros
  • Has built-in lead capture tools
  • Has integrations with CRM
  • Provides phone and email support
  • Leverages artificial intelligence for lead conversions
Cons
  • Doesn’t provide free trial
  • Lacks IDX website features
  • Doesn’t offer team distribution capabilities
  • Only provides customer service during business hours
The Close Score
4.7
Pricing:
3.8
Lead generation features:
4.4
Advanced lead generation features:
3.4
Customer service:
2.5
Customer rating:
3.1
Expert score:
3.9
out
of
5

My Verdict on Offrs & Why You Should Trust It

As a meticulous real estate technology tracker, I spent hours researching and testing lead generation platforms to offer agents sound insights. My immense experience lets me provide an in-depth Offrs review and draw sharp conclusions based on a profound understanding of the product and needs of real estate professionals at large.

What differentiates Offrs from the rest in the ocean of lead generation tools is its advanced predictive analytics and the ability for agents to obtain exclusive leads that their brokerages may otherwise not provide. Offrs’s value for agents lies in its leverage of artificial intelligence to identify potential sellers before their homes ever hit the market. However, like any other tool, it may not always fit into the wheelhouse of every real estate agent, especially those looking to represent buyers.

Desktop view of the Offrs dashboard.
Offrs dashboard (Source: Offrs)

All in all, Offrs provides a rather well-built lead gen solution, especially for those users who benefit from the early stages of seller leads. After a close look at the feature set, usability, and value proposition, I came to this conclusion so that you can use this review as a guide in your decision-making process.

Offrs Alternatives

Some agents might look for other alternative lead generation platforms due to cost, the learning curve for its advanced features, or the need for an all-in-one platform that covers more in terms of marketing and CRM tools. Exploring other options could provide a better budgetary fit, more functionality, or a better match with the overall business strategy.

Platform
Why It’s a Great Alternative
Learn More
Ready to Purchase?
cinc-logoAllows agents to create IDX websites for lead generationCINC Review
Visit CINC
Market Leader logoCan distribute leads via round-robin to team members Market Leader Review
Visit Market Leader
zurple logo.Provides access to voicemail scripts that can help agents convert leadsZurple Review
Visit Zurple

What Current Users Think of Offrs 

Offrs has quite a mix of reviews from all its users, with an overall customer rating of 3.3 out of 5 on Sitejabber. Some agents have found value in its Big Data capabilities and lead generation. Others’ experiences have been quite varied. Before deciding, it’s helpful to read Offrs reviews to see how other agents have benefited from the platform.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I can’t say enough about the team at Offrs. They work hard to make their customers happy. Many people don’t understand marketing or how much effort it takes to truly run a business, and I can say having Offrs as a partner was a good choice.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I personally license a lot of data to fuel my marketing campaigns, and this company has provided me with the best data I have found (including the big data companies). I leverage it mostly to target the right homeowners with my services. It’s definitely worth investing if you are looking to grow your business.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I got my first listing with Offrs. Lead Feed is very cool. All types of seller leads in one place. The automated email marketing system has allowed me to reach out to quality leads without having to spend hours manually researching and crafting emails. It’s so easy to use and the results have been amazing! Our first Just Sold campaign was a great success! Consistent marketing helps to keep your business top-of-mind for leads, even if they are not yet ready to list.

Some real estate agents have expressed concerns about certain aspects of the platform, which have contributed to the overall rating. Here is what one user had to say about their less-than-ideal experience.

⭐

This product is not at all what they say in their videos, they sell you on the likelihood of these sellers selling in the next few months, but it’s not true. The system in difficult to use. There is very poor training if any and is really just a waste of time and money.

Key Features of Offrs 

Offrs has positioned itself as a top option for any real estate agent looking to harness the power of predictive analytics for their lead generation. Offrs believes it’s arming agents with the edge they need to win listings by providing leads for potential sellers before they ever hit the market. Its technology and approach set it apart in the crowded lead generation space. Below, we’ll run through five top features that help Offrs stand out as a real estate professional.

Free Marketing Plan

Screenshot of a question in the marketing plan
Marketing plan question (Source: Offrs)

It includes a free marketing plan as part of the full service offered by Offrs. This plan provides a personalized way for agents to maximize their lead generation effort by suggesting how many leads are needed from Offrs for agents to reach their desired gross commission income. The plan also considers the zip code agents are interested in to obtain their lead number. The marketing plan gives agents a starting point for helping them reach their desired financial goals from the platform alone. 

Exclusive Leads

Screenshot of a map with selected area
Territory selector (Source: Offrs)

One of the standout features of Offrs is its exclusive leads offering. Unlike other platforms that sell leads to multiple agents, Offrs exclusively provides leads within a specified territory. This uniqueness reduces competition and increases the chances of converting that lead into a client. This specificity allows an agent to focus on cultivating these leads without fighting for the same prospects as other professionals.

ISA Team

Graphic of lady in front of a laptop with headset
Inside sales team (Source: Offrs)

Another critical factor that makes Offrs standout is the ISA Team. This team of inside sales agents ensures pre-qualification of leads, so the agents only deal with people ready to engage. They make the initial contact, confirm interest, and gather details necessary to make it easy for the agents to follow through on closure. This support layer streamlines the lead conversion process and generally raises productivity.

Predictive Seller Leads

Screenshot of dashboard with seller information listed
Seller leads dashboard (Source: Offrs)

Predictive seller leads are at the very core of what is offered by Offrs. Using sophisticated algorithms coupled with big data analysis, Offrs points out those homeowners likely to sell soon. Knowing exactly when people sell lets real estate agents get in touch before they list their properties, providing a much-needed edge in securing new listings. One of the biggest reasons agents join Offrs is this predictive lead generation accuracy, which allows them to get an edge over the competition.

Lead Capture Ads

Screenshot of a lead capture from asking housing value questions
Lead capture ad (Source: Offrs)

Offrs also provides lead capture ads and landing pages designed to help agents generate leads directly from their online advertising campaigns. The ads are specifically set up and optimized to capture contact information from interested prospects and place it directly into the agent’s lead pipeline. With Offrs handling ad creation and targeting, agents can focus on converting the leads into clients. It’s a great feature for real estate agents and those looking to grow and attract new business through digital marketing.

Offrs Pricing

Offrs has variable pricing depending on the size of the region or zip code that an agent would want to target but requires a 6-month commitment to a contract. This pricing scheme allows agents to scale their lead generation efforts according to their budget and desired market coverage while committing to a longer-term investment. It is also worth noting that the pricing may vary by zip code, and no free trial or free plans are available in Offrs. 

Subscriptions start as low as $200 per month to target a region with about 4,000 homes. For example, for those targeting coverage of a whole zip code, it would cost around $300 a month for nonexclusive access and $600 per month for exclusive rights to the leads of a specific area. Their pricing model is a per-property fee, wherein Offrs charges $0.05 a month for every property in a targeted area and $0.10 per property if someone wants exclusivity.

Methodology

Our team at The Close performs extensive research to identify a list of the most efficient lead-generation platforms for real estate professionals. With due care, we have considered Offrs’ ability to generate leads, available features, ease of use, pricing framework, and quality of customer support extended to users. In addition, we went through user feedback and ratings to find out if Offrs serves its purpose and meets the requirements and expectations of real estate agents.

Accurate and reliable insight empowers agents and brokers by allowing them to make informed decisions in a very competitive marketplace. Through this research, we aim to provide our readers with the critical information required to succeed in real estate.

How we came up with our Offrs.com review: 

  • Pricing: 3.75 out of 5
    • Assessed the cost of plans relative to the value offered and compared to other platforms
  • Lead generation features: 4.38 out of 5
    • Evaluated the platform’s core lead generation capabilities, focusing on predictive analytics and exclusivity
  • Advanced lead generation features: 3.38 out of 5
    • Reviewed the availability and effectiveness of more sophisticated tools beyond basic lead generation
  • Customer service: 2.5 out of 5
    • Considered the methods for contacting support and the consistency of the assistance provided
  • Customer rating: 3.06 out of 5
    • Looked at how past clients rated the platform and its popularity 
  • Expert score: 3.88 out of 5
    • Derived from expert analysis and hands-on experience with the platform’s overall performance

Read more about our methodology here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)




The Bottom Line: Is Offrs Worth Your Money?

Unparalleled analytics and exclusive leads, combined with a free marketing plan, make Offrs perfect for the agent looking for seller lead generation. Its ISA Team provides further value in pre-qualifying leads for agents who need the team to support their lead-generation efforts. However, limited customer service hours and a lack of advanced CRM features could be detractions, along with committing to a required 6-month contract with no free trial.

If you’re at a point in your career where you are ready for more seller leads and securing exclusive opportunities, the price through Offrs is a worthy investment. It may be short on advanced features and top-tier support, but no one can match its real estate lead generation capabilities to help any agent looking to get ahead in the market.

The post Offrs Review: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons (2024) appeared first on The Close.

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The 11 Best Real Estate CRMs of 2024 https://theclose.com/best-real-estate-crm/ https://theclose.com/best-real-estate-crm/#comments Mon, 19 Aug 2024 15:08:01 +0000 https://theclose.com/?p=3456 Ask any top-performing real estate agent what their can’t-live-without tool is, and chances are they’ll say a great real estate CRM. But which is best?

The post The 11 Best Real Estate CRMs of 2024 appeared first on The Close.

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Ask any top-performing real estate agent what their go-to, must-have, can’t-live-without tool is, and the answer is usually a stellar customer relationship management (CRM) system. However, with so many CRM platforms available, finding the best real estate CRM for your needs can be challenging. That said, I’ve spent countless hours evaluating and scoring dozens of CRMs. Let’s take a look at the ones that topped the list.

The Close’s Top Picks for Real Estate CRMs

Real Estate CRM
Best For
Starting Monthly Price
Learn More
Pipedrive
Email marketing, pricing
$14
Pipedrive review
Wise Agent
Transaction management
$49
Wise Agent review
LionDesk
Texting and calling
$25
LionDesk Review
Follow Up Boss
Real estate teams
$58
Follow Up Boss review
IXACT Contact
Contact management
$46.75
IXACT Contact Review
Realvolve
Automating workflows
$94
Realvolve Review
Lofty
Lead generation
$449 + $15 per seat
Lofty Review
Real Geeks
Marketing
$299
Real Geeks review
Market Leader
Lead generation
$189
Market Leader review
Sierra Interactive
Real estate website
$499.95
Sierra Interactive review
Top Producer
Lead nurturing
$129
Top Producer review
Featured Partner

Get a 30-Day Free Trial of the Industry-Leading CRM.

Top Producer logo
  • Automated lead follow-up: Text & email drip campaigns educate & engage leads
  • All-in-one system: Manage contacts & transactions in a centralized, intuitive dashboard
  • Powerful integrations: MLS data, 150+ lead providers, plus Gmail, Outlook, iCloud and more

Why Real Estate Agents Need a CRM

As real estate agents, making connections and building a network are essential to success. You must consistently communicate with them to nurture leads from your sphere of influence or your other marketing strategies. If you try to do all this manually without keeping track of your contacts and communications, you’ll inevitably (and probably immediately!) see some potential clients fall through the cracks.

Real estate CRMs are designed to solve this problem. Instead of trying to manually keep track of things and do all of the marketing tasks you want to do, a CRM is like an all-in-one tool to maximize your productivity. This increased efficiency will generate more leads and more clients. In 2023, a survey from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that 36% of Realtors said their CRM gave them the highest volume of quality leads.

However, every CRM is different—just like every agent and team’s business is different. These are a few features to look for in a strong realtor CRM:

  • Contact management: A CRM should make it easy to import contacts, keep track of their contact information and communications with them, and even evaluate how likely they are to become a client.
  • Lead generation: This can look significantly different, but many CRMs include landing pages, real estate websites, social media contacts, or advertising.
  • Automated follow-ups: This follow-up includes emails, texts, direct mail, and sometimes phone calls. 
  • Task management: A good CRM will help you organize the tasks involved with leads, clients, and transactions and use reminders, calendar features, or workflows.
  • Analytics: Reporting tools are key for helping you track progress and determine what is and is not working within your marketing and nurturing strategies.
  • Mobile app: Not all CRMs have a mobile app, but this is ideal for real estate agents who are often on the go and not near a desk.
  • Pricing & plans: There are plenty of free real estate CRMs. There are also plenty that cost two or three figures per month. For new or individual agents, it’s best to find a CRM with multiple package options or add-ons so it can grow with your business.

Pipedrive: Best for Email Marketing

Pipedrive
Pros
  • Most affordable CRM on our list
  • 14-day free trial
  • Easy to use
  • AI Assistant
  • Unlimited, customizable workflows
Cons
  • Limited integrations
  • Limited functions in mobile app
  • Security alerts and two-factor authentication only available on higher tiers
  • Phone support only available in higher tiers
  • No free forever plan
The Close Score
4.9
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
5.0
Advanced Features:
4.0
Customer Service:
5.0
Customer Rating:
4.7
Expert Score:
4.6
out
of
5

Why I Chose Pipedrive

  • Pricing: Plans start at $14 per month

I chose Pipedrive as the top realtor CRM for many reasons, but it stands out for its extensive and easy-to-use email marketing tools and its affordable price. Pipedrive is designed for sales professionals, so it includes a variety of beautiful and functional email templates that realtors can tailor to their branding and audience. 

Their email marketing platform also includes segmentation, which connects to the data from the CRM to help you create the most personalized and effective emails. Plus, analytics make it easy to see your open rates, click-through rates, and engagement metrics. The variety of Pipedrive’s features at its affordable price makes it the best realtor CRM.

Pipedrive calendar view
Pipedrive calendar management (Source: Pipedrive)

Additional Features

  • Integrations: Pipedrive rivals the integrations of Follow Up Boss with a giant library of tools. These include integrations for lead generation, lead qualifying, nurturing, video meetings, document management, payment tracking and invoicing, and project management.
  • Pipeline management: Pipedrive focuses on creating a highly visual platform to manage your pipeline without letting leads slip through the cracks. The dashboard is customizable, easy to use, and helps prioritize leads and deals.
  • Lead automation: Tasks such as reminders and email follow-ups are automated, streamlining the agent client management process. Automation helps improve response times and gives agents a better chance of converting leads into clients.

Wise Agent: Best for Transaction Management

Wise Agent
Pros
  • User-friendly
  • 14-day free trial
  • Mobile app
  • Customizable landing pages
  • Unlimited document storage
Cons
  • No phone dialer
  • No mobile app
  • No texting capability
  • No live chat support
  • Credit card required in the free trial
The Close Score
4.9
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
4.8
Advanced Features:
4.8
Customer Service:
4.0
Customer Rating:
4.6
Expert Score:
4.2
out
of
5

Why I Chose Wise Agent

  • Pricing: Plans start at $49 per month

Wise Agent is one of the top real estate CRMs because it is designed to be a one-stop shop for agents and brokers, providing tools to manage clients from beginning to end. Some of my favorite Wise Agent features allow transaction and listing management and drip campaigns. Real estate professionals can also create customized landing pages and integrate them with multiple social media tools.

WiseAgent CRM analytics dashboard and commission report
Wise Agent analytics dashboard (Source: Wise Agent)

Additional Features

  • Real estate content: The platform includes an extensive library of stock photos and real estate content for emails, written letters, text messages, newsletters, postcards, and flyers. There is even an AI writing assistant to help you create content more effectively.
  • Customer service: Wise Agent has standout customer service available 24/7, unlike other real estate CRMs with strict business hours.
  • Team and broker options: Although Wise Agent is often used by individual realtors, it includes multiple tools and add-on options built specifically for teams and brokers.

LionDesk: Best for Texting & Calling

LionDesk
Pros
  • Affordable pricing
  • 14-day free trial
  • Power dialer
  • Automated drip campaigns for text and email
  • Customizable dashboard
Cons
  • Unsophisticated transaction management
  • Basic analytics
  • Not ideal for scaling teams or brokerages
  • Not the most user-friendly platform
  • No AI assistant
The Close Score
4.8
Pricing:
4.0
General Features:
5.0
Advanced Features:
5.0
Customer Service:
3.5
Customer Rating:
4.0
Expert Score:
4.1
out
of
5

Why I Chose LionDesk

  • Pricing: Starting at $25 per month

LionDesk is another top CRM for real estate because it was specifically designed for realtors. It offers a fully customizable dashboard that helps you decide what you want to see in your CRM. It also includes the most important tools for real estate agents, like contact organization, task reminders, email marketing, transaction management, lead generation, and a power dialer. LionDesk stands out because it includes automation tools for texting clients and email drip campaigns.

LionDesk CRM dashboard example
LionDesk dashboard (Source: LionDesk)

Additional Features

  • Customizable landing pages: Although this is an add-on feature, LionDesk allows agents to create customizable landing pages. It also includes landing page templates to build high-converting landing pages tailored to your brand.
  • Video email & texting capabilities: LionDesk is the only realtor CRM able to send videos through your emails and texts. Videos in real estate are compelling, and LionDesk is an ideal tool to leverage this marketing strategy.
  • Integrations: It has a large library of third-party integrations for everything from lead generation, contact management, and communication to finances.

Follow Up Boss: Best for Real Estate Teams

Follow Up Boss
Pros
  • Easy-to-use platform
  • 250-plus integrations
  • 14-day free trial
  • Phone dialer
  • Great for solo agents and teams
Cons
  • Setting up can be time-consuming
  • Limited features in mobile app
  • No live chat support
  • Costly premium plan
  • Difficult cancellation process
The Close Score
4.7
Pricing:
4.0
General Features:
5.0
Advanced Features:
4.3
Customer Service:
3.3
Customer Rating:
4.7
Expert Score:
4.6
out
of
5

Why I Chose Follow Up Boss

  • Pricing: Plans start at $58 per month.

Follow Up Boss is a well-known realtor CRM with various features, such as texting, email drip campaigns, text automation, and built-in calling. It stands out for teams because it’s an open platform with over 250 integrations. Its collaboration features are woven into the platform, with public comments, communication tracking, lead distribution, and visual tracking of each agent and each lead. Plus, real estate CRM reviews praise the fact that the interface is simple and can easily be integrated with the majority of other tools on the market.

Follow Up Boss lead activity
Follow Up Boss team activity dashboard (Source: Follow Up Boss)

Additional Features

  • Advanced lead routing: The platform automatically assigns leads to individual agents based on specific criteria and organizes leads for each agent.
  • Mobile app: The mobile app is user-friendly and instantly notifies each agent of new leads. It makes it easy to send emails and texts or call new or current clients, even on the go.

IXACT Contact: Best for Contact Management

IXACT Contact
Pros
  • 5-week free trial
  • Mobile app
  • Lead generation website tools
  • Detailed contact profiles
  • Email marketing tools
Cons
  • No audience segmentation
  • Lack of automation
  • Clunky user interface
  • Limited website customization
The Close Score
4.7
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
4.3
Advanced Features:
4.5
Customer Service:
3.3
Customer Rating:
4.2
Expert Score:
4.1
out
of
5

Why I Chose IXACT Contact

  • Pricing: Plans start at $46.75 per month

This CRM says it all in its name: IXACT Contact is an ideal tool for managing contacts from their first connection through every transaction. Every new lead, current client, and past client has a detailed contact profile that shows their phone number, address, email address, family information, birthdays, anniversaries, property details, and all your referral and communication history. Plus, real estate CRM software reviews say the interface is highly user-friendly, and users love the 5-week free trial.

IXACT Contact example of contact profile
Lead profile in IXACT Contact (Source: IXACT Contact)

Additional Features

  • Direct mail: IXACT Contact includes various built-in direct mail newsletter options. “The Preferred Client Update” sends mail to your past clients, and “Homeowner Update” is for marketing to homeowners in your farm area.
  • Social Stream: This add-on feature allows agents to select exclusive real estate articles and videos to share with their network. While you can’t create custom content, it’s a great way to automate social media content.
  • Personalized agent roadmap: The IXACT Contact CRM includes a personalized roadmap. This feature allows agents to set specific goals within the platform, and it will generate a plan to help reach them with specific tasks and activities.

Realvolve: Best for Automating Workflows

Realvolve
Pros
  • In-depth contact management
  • Mobile app
  • Great for individuals and teams
  • Suite of marketing tools
  • Efficient task management
Cons
  • No 24/7 customer support
  • No assisted onboarding for basic plan
  • May be too complex for newer agents
  • No website and landing page creation features
  • One of the higher-priced CRMs on our list
The Close Score
4.7
Pricing:
4.0
General Features:
5.0
Advanced Features:
4.3
Customer Service:
4.3
Customer Rating:
4.1
Expert Score:
4.6
out
of
5

Why I Chose Realvolve

  • Pricing: Plans start at $94 per month

Realvolve is one of the top real estate CRMs for individuals and teams. It includes the most important features in a CRM, like a visual dashboard, contact organization tools, and lead nurturing strategies. However, its most standout feature is its workflows and automation that help real estate professionals scale. There are many workflow templates to customize, and the Realvolve platform is remarkably flexible and adjusts to your activities. Realvolve is an ideal real estate CRM for individuals or teams focusing on productivity and efficiency.

Realvolve CRM dashboard example
Realvolve dashboard (Source: Realvolve)

Additional Features

  • Document management: Realvolve keeps all your documents organized. Each workflow includes a comprehensive checklist of all necessary documents to complete a transaction. 
  • Automated drip campaigns: Realvolve includes prebuilt lead sequences for buyers and sellers through email and text. These sequences are customizable and are designed to have a more personal touch than other automations.
  • Integrations: The platform integrates seamlessly with some of the most-used apps, like Google and Zapier.

Lofty (formerly Chime): Most Advanced Lead Generation & Nurturing

Lofty
Pros
  • 33 different lead generation features
  • Mobile app
  • Google PPC advertising tools
  • 360° marketing to target customers on multiple platforms
  • Customizable IDX websites
Cons
  • No free trial
  • Steep learning curve
  • Most expensive CRM on our list
  • No 24/7 customer service
  • Not ideal for solo agents
The Close Score
4.3
Pricing:
1.0
General Features:
5.0
Advanced Features:
5.0
Customer Service:
4.3
Customer Rating:
4.2
Expert Score:
4.6
out
of
5

Why I Chose Lofty

  • Pricing: Specific pricing is not available on their website, but our team found that plans start at $449 per month, plus $15 per seat, per month

Of all the real estate CRMs I’ve found, Lofty offers the most extensive and impressive combination of advanced lead generation tools and features. It is one of the only CRMs to offer exclusivity to your farm area, which means no other agent who uses Lofty in your area can target the same leads. However, its real estate CRM pricing reflects its advanced features and is the most expensive on this list. It might not be ideal for beginner agents, but Lofty offers packages specifically crafted for agents, teams, and brokers.

Lofty CRM dashboard view
Lofty CRM dashboard (Source: Lofty)

Additional Features

  • Automated lead nurturing: Lofty automatically imports leads from multiple sources. It also creates property alerts for your leads, sends regular market analyses, and will match listings to leads automatically.
  • Power Dialer: Lofty’s 3-line power dialer allows you to click to call leads until you connect. You can leave prerecorded voicemails, schedule follow-ups, or leave notes. When a call goes through, the call is transferred to you or an available agent on your team.
  • Social Studio: This is a built-in social media management tool. It allows you to create content within Lofty’s platform and automatically share it on multiple real estate social networks simultaneously. 
  • AI Assistant: Automated assistant helps you become more efficient and minimize the Lofty learning curve at every step. The assistant will customize workflows, manage and organize leads with tags and notes, set reminders, and send automated responses.

Real Geeks: Best for Marketing

Real Geeks
Pros
  • Modern, intuitive interface
  • Multichannel marketing campaigns
  • CRM available on desktop and mobile app
  • Website visitor tracking analytics
  • Variety of integrations
Cons
  • Significant learning curve
  • One of the more expensive CRM options
  • Limited customization
The Close Score
3.7
Pricing:
1.0
General Features:
5.0
Advanced Features:
4.0
Customer Service:
2.3
Customer Rating:
4.4
Expert Score:
3.3
out
of
5

Why I Chose Real Geeks

  • Pricing: Plans start at $299 per month + one-time $250 sign-up fee

Similar to some of the other top real estate CRMs, Real Geeks offers complete support from prospect to closing, including a website and lead generation tools. It’s a great all-in-one CRM for individual agents, small teams, and expanding brokers. Its website and CRM work seamlessly together, making managing leads and automating your marketing and nurturing strategies easy.

Real Geeks CRM dashboard on desktop and mobile.
Real Geeks CRM view (Source: Real Geeks)

Additional Features

  • IDX websites: Real Geeks offers some of the best real estate website templates, with IDX capabilities and built-in lead generation strategies. Websites include property valuation tools, landing pages, a property search app, and many other integrations.
  • AI Chatbots: The GeekAI assistant helps you speed up the follow-up process with an automatic chatbot. There are premade scripts that you can customize to provide specific information for your clients.
  • Email & SMS marketing: Automate your communications and follow-ups with all your leads with drip campaigns on email and text. These are built through CRM, so you can ensure each lead gets precisely what they need.
  • Facebook & PPC advertising: Real Geeks has a unique Facebook marketing tool to streamline your ad creation and maximize your return on investment. Alternatively, Real Geeks also offers managed Facebook and PPC ads.

Market Leader: Best for Lead Generation

Market Leader
Pros
  • Exclusive buyer and seller leads
  • Powerful and user-friendly CRM
  • Great mobile app
  • Easily scalable to teams and full brokerages
  • Transaction management
Cons
  • No free trial
  • No live chat support
  • No advanced analytics feature
The Close Score
3.7
Pricing:
1.5
General Features:
4.5
Advanced Features:
3.5
Customer Service:
2.5
Customer Rating:
4.3
Expert Score:
3.8
out
of
5

Why I Chose Market Leader

  • Pricing: Plans start at $189 per month for agents

Market Leader is primarily a lead generation company, but it also offers a CRM that is so good that it needs to be included in the conversation. Market Leader is one of the only CRMs to offer exclusive buyer and seller leads—plus, you can integrate the platform with virtually any real estate lead source! As if that wasn’t enough, the CRM is intuitive and includes some of the most valuable and powerful tools, like marketing automation, real estate websites, print marketing tools, and a mobile app.

Contacts of CRM on a tablet and mobile phone
Intuitive dashboard (Source: Market Leader)

Additional Features

  • Customizable websites: Market Leader includes a variety of customizable, professional, prebuilt website templates for your brand. They have IDX capabilities, so your clients can search for properties on your site!
  • Listing marketing system: Easily create single property websites for your listings, and Market Leader automatically generates a professional listing email and social media posts for Facebook and LinkedIn. You can also customize ready-to-print flyers and postcards for each listing.

Sierra Interactive: Best for Real Estate Websites

Sierra Interactive
Pros
  • SEO website optimization
  • Powerful website lead generation tools
  • Lead-specific action plans for personalized automation
  • Mobile app
  • Variety of integrations
Cons
  • Pricey—which doesn’t work for some solo agents
  • Relatively limited customizations
  • Limited email marketing strategies
  • No analytics and reporting
The Close Score
3.5
Pricing:
1.0
General Features:
5.0
Advanced Features:
3.5
Customer Service:
2.5
Customer Rating:
3.9
Expert Score:
3.3
out
of
5

Why I Chose Sierra Interactive

  • Pricing: Starting at $499.95 per month

Sierra Interactive is a versatile real estate platform with a powerful real estate website creation tool, a good CRM, and marketing automation capabilities. Sierra Interactive’s websites are some of the most advanced in the industry, and they offer an unrivaled level of SEO optimization that can allow you to generate thousands of website views and organic leads.

I have personally worked with multiple brokers who use Sierra Interactive. Both teams had well-optimized content on their sites and generated millions of website visits from Google. Plus, the websites include various lead capture tools and are well integrated with the CRM, so it’s easy to attract high-quality, organic leads and nurture them through text and email.

Screenshot of an action plan that is customizable and runs automatically to your leads and sphere of influence
Custom automation with triggers (Source: Sierra Interactive)

Additional Features

  • Powerful IDX platform: Users can search for properties using detailed search filters. Agents can also generate specific listing results on different pages throughout the website.
  • Ad management: Multiply your reach by outsourcing advertising to Sierra Interactive. They manage a variety of ad types, including Google search, Facebook retargeting, and Facebook listings.
  • Lead routing: It offers multiple methods of distributing leads to team members, like price, location, property type, or round robin.

Top Producer: Best for Lead Nurturing

Top Producer
Pros
  • 30-day free trial
  • Listing alerts for agents and clients
  • Automated SMS marketing
  • Excellent transaction management features
  • Detailed reporting
Cons
  • Many features not available on Pro Plan
  • No storage system
  • No document management features
The Close Score
3.4
Pricing:
1.0
General Features:
5.0
Advanced Features:
3.5
Customer Service:
3.5
Customer Rating:
3.6
Expert Score:
3.3
out
of
5

Why I Chose Top Producer

  • Pricing: Starting at $129 per user, per month

Top Producer is one of the OGs in the real estate CRM space. It recently updated its CRM platform, which is called Top Producer X. This update includes tons of valuable features, like a 360° contact view that includes social media activity, branded MLS reports, email and text message templates, and an AI assistant. Top Producer also has dynamic workflows to help with transaction management, like syncing with calendars, contacts, and over 150 real estate lead sources.

Top Producer dashboard on desktop.
Contact view in Top Producer dashboard (Source: Top Producer)

Additional Features

  • Market reports: Top Producer automatically creates and sends a branded “Market Snapshot Report” to clients periodically. This tool keeps your leads and clients engaged and educated and shows professionalism while saving you time.
  • Automated communication: Like other CRMs, Top Producer includes email and SMS marketing. It also autosends new listings and price updates to each customer, so you don’t have to spend hours scouring the MLS.
  • Training webinars: Top Producer has a library of support articles and bimonthly training webinars in addition to live onboarding.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)




Methodology: How I Chose the Best Realtor CRM

As an experienced real estate writer, I’ve spent many hours researching and evaluating real estate CRMs over the last five years. However, you don’t have to just take it from me! At The Close, we have a team of real estate professionals, researchers, and editors who have developed a detailed rubric to evaluate a dozen top realtor CRMs objectively. You can read more about our methodology here.

We’ve based our evaluation on the following:

  • Pricing (20%)
    • I checked, updated, and evaluated each CRM’s pricing, subscription plans, and whether there are free trials and bulk discounts.
  • General CRM Features (20%)
    • I considered basic features such as contact management, text and email capabilities, task management, task reminders and notifications, lead management, pipeline or dashboard customizability, audience segmentation, transaction management, and integrations.
  • Advanced CRM Features (25%)
    • This includes listing management, customized reports and analytics, document management, storage, AI lead assist or lead automation, team management, marketing tools, social media integrations, and mobile apps.
  • Ease of Use (10%)
    • I evaluated each CRM’s user interface, customizability, and how easy it is to operate and set up each one.
  • Customer Service (5%)
    • Should real estate agents need additional support, customer services such as live chat, phone, email, and ticket systems are necessary.
  • Customer Rating (10%)
    • We collect information from multiple third-party sources to determine how real users have rated each CRM.
  • ri
    • The Close reviews each realtor CRM for standout features, additional considerations, and value for money spent from a real estate expert’s perspective. 

Your Take

So, what is the best CRM for real estate? After reading this guide, you should understand that the top real estate CRMs are as different as the individual agents who make up the industry. We’ve evaluated, researched, and compared the top CRMs to help you make the best choice, but our advice is to try, try, and try again! Think about what is most important for you in a CRM, and then take advantage of the free trials to find what really clicks.

Which CRM do you use? Tell us how you like it!

The post The 11 Best Real Estate CRMs of 2024 appeared first on The Close.

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https://theclose.com/best-real-estate-crm/feed/ 144 The 10 Best Real Estate CRMs of 2024 Looking for the best real estate CRM to grow your business? See our extensive overview of the best CRMs so you can make the best decision. Buyers Guide,FAQ,best real estate crm Top Producer logo Pipedrive unnamed – 2024-08-16T163832.032 Wise Agent unnamed – 2024-08-16T163835.608 LionDesk unnamed – 2024-08-16T163838.771 Follow Up Boss unnamed – 2024-08-16T163842.159 IXACT Contact unnamed – 2024-08-16T163845.727 Realvolve unnamed – 2024-08-16T163849.678 Lofty unnamed – 2024-08-16T163852.843 Real Geeks unnamed – 2024-08-16T163856.381 Market Leader unnamed – 2024-07-31T173056.552 Sierra Interactive Screenshot 2024-03-14 at 1.34.37 PM Top Producer unnamed – 2024-08-16T163907.370 expand/collapse expand/collapse expand/collapse
Real Geeks Review: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons (2024) https://theclose.com/real-geeks-review/ https://theclose.com/real-geeks-review/#comments Thu, 15 Aug 2024 16:20:14 +0000 https://theclose.com/?p=12730 With Real Geeks, you can take advantage of some powerful tools, but is the benefit worth the price tag? In this review, we dive into the features, pricing, and how it can help you grow your business, to help you decide if Real Geeks is right for you.

The post Real Geeks Review: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons (2024) appeared first on The Close.

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Staying ahead of the real estate competition requires the right tools to generate leads, optimize marketing efforts, and close deals. Real Geeks is an all-encompassing marketing and CRM platform built to help agents and brokers generate quality leads and nurture relationships. With custom IDX websites and Real Geeks CRM functionality, the platform enables agents to execute marketing efforts and manage their leads seamlessly. I’ll examine features, pricing, and Real Geeks reviews to assess whether Real Geeks fits your real estate business.

Real Geeks
Pros
  • Has IDX integrations
  • Includes a mobile-friendly website
  • Has CRM integrations
  • Has help center for assistance
Cons
  • Lacks social media posting capabilities
  • Lacks free plan or free trial offered
  • Charges a set-up fee
  • Doesn’t include white label capabilities
The Close Score
4.1
Pricing:
1.0
General features:
3.6
Advanced features:
4.3
Customer support:
2.0
Ease of use:
5.0
Customer feedback:
4.4
Expert score:
4.6
out
of
5

My Verdict on Real Geeks & Why You Should Trust It 

After rigorous research and examining the platform’s capabilities, along with taking into account the Real Geeks reviews provided by current users, I can adequately review Real Geeks unbiasedly. With my experience in reviewing real estate technology platforms, user feedback, and comparison with industry trends, I am well versed in giving a trustworthy assessment of this platform.

Real Geeks dashboard on desktop and tablet.
Real Geeks CRM platform (Source: Real Geeks)

Real Geeks is a robust real estate platform designed to suit an agent’s needs. While it does have some learning curve and a few design limitations, it’s a powerful website creator and CRM to help any agent or broker create a more efficient business operation. The platform allows agents to serve their clients better and grow their businesses. Real Geeks strikes the right note between functionality and support for real estate technology.

Real Geeks Alternatives

While it’s a powerful marketing tool, Real Geeks won’t always be a good fit for everyone. There are a few worthy competitors that may be a better fit for some business needs or personal preferences. It’s important to explore different options to find the tool that best puts you at the top of this competitive real estate market.

SoftwareWhy It’s a Great AlternativeLearn More Ready to Purchase?
Placester logoIs a budget-friendly website builder without sacrificing essential featuresPlacester ReviewVisit Placester
luxury presence logoProvides robust social media integrations for agents to connect their website and marketing efforts seamlesslyNo review yetVisit Luxury Presence
Easy Agent PRO logoAllows real estate professionals to brand the platform as their own with white-label capabilities fullyNo review yetVisit Easy Agent PRO

Real Geeks Reviews: What Current Users Think

Real Geeks is well-known to real estate professionals, as reflected in the impressive rating of 4.6 stars out of 5 on G2. Many reviews have mentioned that the system is a complete toolset with an easy-going user interface and an excellent way to manage leads and clients. All the reports indicate that Real Geeks has become part of the everyday activities of real estate agents since it has assisted them in growing their business. Here are a few Real Geeks reviews from current agents: 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Real Geeks was just what I needed to create an incredible website. I am not tech savvy but they are always quick to answer any questions and I am loving going through the library of training videos at my convenience to learn more. I highly recommend Real Geeks to give your business a boost.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I have found their interface to be simple and clean. Their backend is easy to use but the best part is their customer service. The reps are always helpful, and resolve any question I have very efficiently. Their CRM is effective and the real leads outnumber the tire kickers by far. They are also the only software I have contacted that is able to use two different MLS boards for searching.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use — from ease of creating profile for clients, and customizing tracking with tags, to ability to have ALL content via the mobile application. Customer support has also been very responsive. And my favorite is the ease of impersonating clients’ searches in the MLS to build customized searches for them. This encourages them to search properties via my website and helps me see what they are interested in touring.

As with any platform, Real Geeks could be better. Users have expressed concerns over specific areas of the service that point out where improvements could be made.

⭐

Customer support is seriously lacking. They are quick to point out it isn’t their fault but slow to help fix issues.

Key Features of Real Geeks

Real Geeks offers a feature set that helps support the different needs of many real estate professionals. From lead generation to client management, the platform binds all necessary tools into one easy-to-use system. Let’s dive into what makes this platform extremely valuable for real estate agents and brokers. Here’s a short video overview of the Real Geeks platform:

Property Valuation Tool

A valuation tool on both desktop and mobile
Property valuation tool (Source: Real Geeks)

One of the most distinguished features of Real Geeks is its property valuation tool, arming agents with a sales weapon to procure Real Geeks leads based on instant property value estimates for prospects. Very few tools on the market can interest homeowners as much as knowing the current market value of their property. 

It invites visitors to input their property details through a user-friendly interface. In return, they receive an estimation of the value of such property based on current market trends. This estimation will help generate more leads for the agents and make them an information-rich source within their local market. 

Powerful Integrations

Graphic showcasing the integrations available to Real Geeks
Integrations for Real Geeks (Source: Real Geeks)

Real Geeks excels at offering powerful integrations that give agents more versatility and functionality from the platform. It connects very well with third-party tools and services, allowing agents to customize and extend the platform’s capabilities in many of the workflows that real estate professionals want to use. 

It integrates well with email marketing services, analytics platforms, and other real estate software to ensure all tools are within a working agent’s reach. These integrations will smooth operations by reducing the need for switching between different applications, which makes it much easier for an agent to maintain a cohesive and efficient workflow. 

Facebook & Google PPC Management

Example of a google ad on Facebook and Google
Example Google Ad (Source: Real Geeks)

Real Geeks offers turnkey Facebook and Google Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ad management to help agents increase their visibility online and attract high-quality leads. With this add-on service, Real Geeks’ expert team will create and manage the perfect mix of strategies for lead generation across social media, search engines, and remarketing campaigns. This hands-off approach allows agents the freedom to pursue a core business while availing professional, data-driven advertising strategies that maximize ROI while consistently delivering quality leads.

Customer Relationship Manager

CRM dashboard on desktop and tablet
CRM dashboard (Source: Real Geeks)

The real estate CRM with Real Geeks is another one of the base elements of this product to help real estate professionals manage and cultivate their leads. It offers mobile app access, so no matter where they are, every agent has at their fingertips the contacts, tasks, and important client information necessary for responding to inquiries and following up. 

The CRM also has SMS text capabilities, so agents can communicate directly with leads and clients via text messaging. This feature is especially valuable for quick, informal communication, allowing one to send appointment reminders, property updates, and follow-up messages right to a client’s phone. 

MoveTo Application

Mobile interface of a property search
Mobile real estate search tool (Source: Real Geeks)

Another innovative feature set provided by Real Geeks is the MoveTo application, intended to enhance the client’s experience by making the property search process very smooth. Leveraging MoveTo, clients can access property listings and push notifications to update them on their selected listings. Additionally, MoveTo integrates well with the Real Geeks platform to ensure that all activities related to a client are logged and managed within the CRM. 

Real Geeks Pricing

Real Geeks offers a tiered pricing structure, which can be a big consideration for prospective agents. The plans are split into three tiers targeting different sizes and business needs. At $299 per month, it provides users access to the platform’s core features. Those needing further advanced tools or support will use the Grow plan at $599 monthly. An available $999 per month Expand plan and a $1599 per month Conquer plan will give the product’s most comprehensive set of features and capabilities.

Real Geeks pricing
Real Geeks pricing (Source: Real Geeks)

It’s worth noting that the Real Geeks pricing offers no free plan or trial and no money-back guarantees. There’s also a $250 setup fee tacked on. Agents should be confident in their decision before subscribing. The pricing is steep, and it could prove to be too pricey for smaller teams or individual agents who want all of its features compared with other real estate platforms.

Methodology 

Our team of real estate-centered analysts and editors did deep research to come up with the best website builders for professionals in the real estate industry. We have observed Real Geeks regarding features like its lead generation, CRM functionality, ease of use, pricing, and how support is offered to users. We also took the time to look through Real Geeks reviews and feedback to understand if the product meets the needs and expectations of real estate professionals.

Our mission is to deliver accurate and dependable insights to agents and brokers for informed decision-making and workflow optimization within this highly competitive market. Essentially, we want to help you answer the question, “Is Real Geeks worth it?” Our fair and extensive research will equip our readers with the most correct and valuable information necessary for success in real estate.

Here’s how we came up with our Real Geeks review:

  • Pricing: 1 out of 5
    • We evaluated the cost of plans and the value for your money versus competitors.
  • General features: 3.63 out of 5
    • We reviewed the overall functionality and range of standard tools available on the platform.
  • Advanced features: 4.25 out of 5
    • We looked at Real Geek’s more sophisticated tools and capabilities, like landing pages, lead capture forms, and IDX integrations. 
  • Customer support: 2 out of 5
    • We based this on the availability of customer service along with methods for contacting support. 
  • Ease of use: 5 out of 5
    • This score determined if technical capabilities were required to set up and operate the platform. 
  • Customer feedback: 4.35 out of 5
    • We evaluated the reviews and user satisfaction rating of Real Geeks.
  • Expert score: 4.56 out of 5
    • We based the score on industry experts’ reviews and our hands-on experience with the platform.

Read more about our methodology here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)




The Bottom Line: Is Real Geeks Worth Your Money? 

Real Geeks offers a comprehensive package for real estate professionals because it’s an extremely easy-to-use platform that generates leads, manages clients, and runs all marketing campaigns. It provides a solid suite of tools for enhancing productivity and allowing agents to stay closer to their clients from outside the office. 

However, the platform’s limitations in terms of design flexibility and lack of a free trial, coupled with its higher price point, should be considered for smaller teams or budget-conscious users. Real Geeks is good at what it does if you can cover its monthly pricing fee.

The post Real Geeks Review: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons (2024) appeared first on The Close.

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https://theclose.com/real-geeks-review/feed/ 3 Real Geeks Review: Features, Pros & Cons, & Pricing Considering upping your game with an all-in-one real estate platform? Check out this deep-dive review of the Real Geeks lead gen system. real geeks review Real Geeks unnamed – 2024-08-15T195738.751 placester luxury presence logo Easy Agent PRO unnamed – 2024-08-15T201000.886 unnamed – 2024-08-15T201005.184 unnamed – 2024-08-15T201008.081 unnamed – 2024-08-15T201010.879 unnamed – 2024-08-15T201013.735 unnamed – 2024-08-15T201016.571 expand/collapse expand/collapse expand/collapse
The Top 17 Real Estate Software Programs for 2024 https://theclose.com/real-estate-software/ https://theclose.com/real-estate-software/#comments Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:17:09 +0000 https://theclose.com/?p=800 Check out our list of game-changing software products to automate and streamline your business this year—whether you're a solo agent or leading a team.

The post The Top 17 Real Estate Software Programs for 2024 appeared first on The Close.

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With so many real estate software programs on the market, choosing the right tools takes work. To help you navigate these choices, I’ve compiled a list of the top 17 software solutions across various categories. From lead generation to transaction management, my list covers the best options to help you simplify your workflows, keep you organized, and, ultimately, scale your real estate business.

The Close’s Top Picks for Best Real Estate Software

Software
Best For
Starting Monthly Price
Learn More
LionDeskCRM
$25
LionDesk review
Zillow Premier AgentLead generation
Market dependent; around $300 to $1,000
Zillow Premier Agent review
ZurpleAutomated lead nurturing
$309
Zurple review
Catalyze AIPredictive analytics
$180
No review yet
REDXProspecting and phone dialer
$50
REDX review
Market LeaderExclusive and affordable leads
$189
Market Leader review
Curb HeroOpen houses
Free
No review yet
StyldodVirtual staging
$16
No review yet
ShowamiShowings
$39
Showami review
Luxury PresenceLuxury IDX websites
Undisclosed
No review yet
PlacesterWebsite builder
$29
Placester review
CanvaDIY design and free templates
Free; Subscription at $10 per month
Canva review
Agent CrateSocial media posting on-the-go
$29
Agent Crate review
Coffee and ContractsMarketing templates
$54
Coffee and Contracts review
SlackCommunication and collaboration
Free; Subscription at $8.75 per month
No review yet
DotloopTransaction management
$31.99
No review yet
AgentlyAgent coaching and goal-setting
$59
Agently review

1. LionDesk

  • Best for: CRM
  • Monthly cost: Starts at $29
LionDesk CRM dashboard
(Source: LionDesk)

If you’re looking for a user-friendly and affordable customer relationship manager (CRM) as you scale your real estate business, try LionDesk. Starting at $29 per month, LionDesk provides essential tools, such as bulk email, drip campaigns, and automation, along with other features like integrated landing pages and a digital ad portal. While its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual assistant Gabby isn’t included in the platform anymore, LionDesk is still an excellent option for agents who want to streamline business operations without breaking the bank.

2. Zillow Premier Agent

  • Best for: Lead generation
  • Monthly cost: Depends on the market; around $300 to $1,000
Screenshot of a Zillow Premier Agent's profile
An example of a Zillow Premier Agent profile (Source: Zillow)

Created by one of the best real estate tech companies, Zillow Premier Agent is a lead generation service that connects agents with potential buyers and sellers through Zillow’s extensive network. If you use this service, you get featured in property listings, which boosts your visibility and attracts more qualified leads. Although pricing can be steep, many agents find it a valuable investment due to the sheer volume of potential clients it delivers. Additionally, Zillow Premier Agent offers tools to help agents efficiently manage these leads, such as CRM, performance analytics, and integration capabilities.

3. Zurple

  • Best for: Automated lead nurturing
  • Monthly cost: Starts at $309
Laptop and mobile phone with Zurple interface on both screens
Get exclusive leads (Source: Zurple)

Do you ever wish you could figure out when your leads are ready to buy or sell before they’re ready? Zurple lets you do just that. This real estate agent software is designed to help agents identify when leads are ready to move, allowing for a timely engagement. Zurple starts by generating exclusive leads for you. But instead of generic drip campaigns, Zurple’s intelligent nurturing system sends them personalized emails and texts based on their behavior. When a lead shows signs of being ready to buy or sell, Zurple alerts the agent, making it easier to step in and close the deal. It takes all the guesswork out of lead nurturing so you can focus on selling.

4. Catalyze AI

  • Best for: Predictive analytics
  • Monthly cost: Subscription starts at $180
Catalyze AI Recommended Leads dashboard
Identify the highest-converting leads with Catalyze AI. (Source: Catalyze AI)

Catalyze AI is a predictive analytics platform for agents to identify motivated sellers likely to sell their properties soon. Like real estate chatbots, Catalyze AI leverages advanced data analysis to help agents focus their marketing efforts on properties that will likely hit the market. You’ll receive new leads each month and begin building relationships that make you the natural choice when choosing a realtor.

5. REDX

  • Best for: Prospecting and phone dialer
  • Monthly cost: Starts at $50
A screenshot of REDX's power dialer
Make the most of your prospecting calls using the Power Dialer (Source: REDX)

If you’re cold calling without using a real estate phone dialer, you’re leaving money on the table. Ask any agent who cold calls. There’s no way your fingers can keep up with the numbers you need to dial or deal with voicemails, hang-ups, and wrong numbers. So if you want to start cold calling FSBOs, expired, or to effectively connect with prospects living around one of your listings, then you owe it to yourself to upgrade to REDX + Power Dialer. Even better, REDX offers The Close readers $150 off the setup price, automatically deducted when you click over to their site from this article.

6. Market Leader

  • Best for: Exclusive and affordable leads
  • Monthly cost: $189
Screenshot of Market Leader Network Boost interface
Market Leader Network Boost interface (Source: Market Leader)

Since the previous software we’ve mentioned tends to be on the pricier side, here’s a budget-friendly real estate solution that offers agents exclusive leads: Market Leader. The platform ensures you get the number of leads you expect while keeping costs manageable. Market Leader also has powerful CRM and marketing tools to help you nurture your leads. If you want to experience the best of Market Leader, check out Network Boost.

7. Curb Hero

  • Best for: Open houses
  • Monthly cost: Free
A digital sign-in sheet on a tablet's screen
An example of a digital sign-in sheet (Source: Curb Hero)

Formerly known as Block Party, Curb Hero provides agents with free open house sign-in software. It might not have all the bells and whistles of competitors like Open Home Pro and Spacio. Still, Curb Hero stands out with its touchless QR code sign-in, single-property websites, and the ability to gather background information. Additionally, it integrates with over 200 CRMs—all for free.

8. Styldod

  • Best for: Virtual staging
  • Monthly cost: Starts at $16-$23 per photo
Side-by-side photos of an empty living room and a virtually staged living room using Styldod
Example of a virtually staged property on Styldod (Source: Styldod)

Want to stage your property listing the quickest way possible? Use virtual staging. Styldod is a virtual staging platform that allows agents to transform unappealing or empty spaces into attractive, fully furnished properties. Agents can choose from a variety of design styles to suit their listings. Styldod offers 3D renders, furniture replacement, and virtual renovations to enhance listings and attract potential clients. For as low as $16 per photo, you’ll get your staged images in as little as 48 hours. What’s not to love about Styldod?

9. Showami

  • Best for: Showings
  • Monthly cost: Starts at $39
showami logo.

Do you currently have many property listings and don’t know how you’ll get through several showings and meetings? If you’re a busy agent who needs help showing properties, Showami is the answer. The software connects agents with other licensed agents who are available to assist. Showami operates on a pay-per-showing model, allowing agents to manage their time without worrying about losing business due to schedule conflicts. By using Showami’s services, you’ll be able to accommodate more clients and grow your business without being physically present at every showing and losing your commission.

10. Luxury Presence

  • Best for: Luxury IDX websites
  • Monthly cost: Undisclosed; contact Luxury Presence for pricing
A screenshot of Ginger Martin's real estate website, which was created by Luxury Presence
Let Luxury Presence’s team build your dream website (Source: Luxury Presence)

Establishing a solid personal brand is key to your success if you want to navigate the high-end real estate market, and your website should be one of your priorities. As one of the pioneers in luxury real estate website design, Luxury Presence should be at the top of your list for realtors software that helps you create a stunning website. Known for crafting sleek and attractive websites, Luxury Presence offers solutions catering to luxury real estate agents. Its platform provides many design options and integrates essential tools like SEO optimization, IDX home search, and lead generation features.

11. Placester

  • Best for: Website builder
  • Monthly cost: Subscription starts at $29
Example of a website created using Placester

Placester is a website builder that offers IDX integration, built-in lead capture forms, CRM for managing client relationships, and its best-selling feature—do-it-for-me concierge services. Additionally, Placester offers helpful features like prewritten content libraries and a brand-new services marketplace to help you quickly find design and tech talent. While it is no longer the most affordable website builder, Placester is still an ideal choice for agents seeking a robust online presence.

12. Canva

  • Best for: DIY design and free templates
  • Monthly cost: Free; subscription starts at $10
Canva dashboard
Design free real estate templates using Canva (Source: Canva)

Canva makes it easy for real estate agents to create professional-looking marketing materials, social media content, and website graphics, even for those with little design experience. This real estate software for agents is popular for a good reason. At just $10 monthly, Canva lets you use various customizable templates. While the free version offers plenty of resources, subscribing unlocks additional features like a custom branding kit, premium assets, background removers for photos and videos, and a social media scheduling tool, offering even more creative flexibility.

13. Agent Crate

  • Best for: Social media posting on-the-go
  • Monthly cost: Subscription starts at $29
Screenshot of Agent Crate's template library
Agent Crate’s Template Library (Source: Agent Crate)

Agent Crate is an all-in-one software for real estate agents that includes customizable websites, lead gen tools, and automated marketing solutions like social media templates, email campaigns, and branded assets. Agents can easily manage their online presence and maintain branding across various channels. For only $29 per month, you’ll get access to a content library filled with ready-to-use marketing materials and a built-in design studio. 

14. Coffee and Contracts

  • Best for: Marketing templates
  • Monthly cost: $54
Screenshot of the Coffee & Contracts dashboard with the favorites tab clicked and several templates showing
Get premium marketing materials to boost your online presence. (Source: Coffee and Contracts)

Here is another option for your real estate marketing templates, our agents’ favorite at The Close: Coffee and Contracts. This real estate software provides agents with many marketing tools and resources to help them build their brand. Coffee and Contracts’ customizable templates make it easy for agents to maintain a consistent online presence. Want to post a trendy real estate topic or educational content? Coffee and Contracts has a template for you.

15. Slack

  • Best for: Communication and collaboration
  • Monthly cost: Free; subscription starts at $15 per user
Slack channels and chat interface
Team chat and collaboration on Slack (Source: Slack)

One of the best real estate software programs on this list, Slack is a powerful communication tool that enhances collaboration among teams and brokerages. The platform offers multiple channels for various topics and conversations, allowing agents to send instant messages, share files, and engage in huddles and video conferences. My favorite feature of Slack is how easy it is to search past messages through its history. Slack also integrates with some of the most popular office software, including Dropbox, DocuSign, Google Drive, Zoom, and Microsoft Outlook.

16. Dotloop

  • Best for: Transaction management
  • Monthly cost: Subscription starts at $31.99
Screenshot of Dotloop Premium interface
Dotloop Premium dashboard (Source: Dotloop)

If your office doesn’t offer real estate software like Dotloop and other perks, it might be wise to sign up and track your deals with Dotloop. Dotloop is a user-friendly transaction management software that allows agents to create, edit, and e-sign documents in one place. This functionality reduces the need for multiple tools and apps, making transactions less prone to errors. The platform improves collaboration by providing real-time updates and secure communication, helping agents stay organized.

17. Agently

  • Best for: Agent coaching and goal setting
  • Monthly cost: Subscription starts at $59
A solo agent's dashboard upon logging into Agently - today's tasks, goal tracker, and training courses to be completed
Set your goals and track your performance using Agently (Source: Agently)

Looking for productivity realtors software for your small team? Try Agently. The platform provides automated agent onboarding and coaching, tailored action plans, financial goal tracker, social media templates, and more. Agently helps agents maintain consistency and efficiency in their daily operations. By automating tasks like social media posting and client follow-ups, Agently allows agents to focus on business growth, weekly challenges for their CGI goals, and client interactions.

Methodology: How We Selected the Best Real Estate Software Programs

Our expert researchers, agents, writers, and editors at The Close researched and reviewed dozens (if not hundreds) of real estate apps and software. We analyzed each software and based our top picks on the following criteria:

  • Pricing
    • How does each software’s price compare to competitors? We evaluated the cost of each software, how much each subscription package is, the value of features provided, and whether it offers a free trial.
  • Utility
    • We reviewed each software’s functionality and features, focusing on whether its tools streamline workflows, make agents’ lives easier, or complicate tasks even more.
  • Ease of Use
    • We considered how intuitive and accessible each software is for agents of different skill levels. Was the real estate software program easy to navigate, even for beginner agents? How user-friendly was the interface? Does the software allow agents to focus on their tasks without getting bogged down by technical difficulties?
  • Reputation
    • We evaluated each realtor’s software’s reputation by reviewing verified user reviews and expert opinions. How has each software’s user base grown over the years? Real estate software programs with a strong track record of reliability and positive reviews from industry experts were considered for this list.

Read more about our methodology here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)




Bringing It All Together

When choosing real estate agent software programs, consider how well they align with your business needs and goals. Any life-changing realtor software we’re missing out on? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Top 17 Real Estate Software Programs for 2024 appeared first on The Close.

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Market Leader Review: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons (2024) https://theclose.com/market-leader-review/ https://theclose.com/market-leader-review/#comments Wed, 31 Jul 2024 15:56:16 +0000 https://theclose.com/?p=31590 There’s no shortage of companies offering paid real estate leads. Many promise qualified leads and big opportunities but may not provide adequate tools to effectively deliver on that promise. Market Leader claims to be the answer to that problem. But is it?

The post Market Leader Review: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons (2024) appeared first on The Close.

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Market Leader makes the real estate market much easier to navigate. This platform helps you capture, convert, and close leads more effectively, from new lead generation to managing client relationships. I reviewed how effective Market Leader is for generating and managing leads, its ease of use, the value of its cost, and its effect on your business. I looked at Market Leader reviews along with its advanced features, pricing, and usability to conclude whether or not it’s the right choice for your real estate needs.

Market Leader
Pros
  • Available integrated payment processing features
  • User-friendly interface provided
  • SMS text capabilities included
  • Customizable dashboard
Cons
  • No free trial available to interested users
  • Audience segmentation capabilities not provided
  • Document management is not available
  • High monthly costs compared to competitors
The Close Score
4.8
Pricing:
3.4
Lead gen software features/general:
4.6
Advanced lead generation features:
3.5
Help and support:
2.5
Customer rating:
3.4
Export score:
3.8
out
of
5

My Verdict on Market Leader & Why You Should Trust It 

I’m an experienced real estate writer and former real estate operations executive who has taken the time to consider and try many real estate platforms. I deeply understand what every real estate business person needs and faces as a challenge, so I invested the time to review these tools and give you accurate and reliable insights in this Market Leader review. My hands-on experience and in-depth research into the feature set of Market Leader, user feedback, and market positioning ensure this review is comprehensive and trustworthy.

Contacts of CRM on a tablet and mobile phone
Intuitive dashboard (Source: Market Leader)

Market Leader is a robust, end-to-end real estate process automation tool that ranges from lead generation to deal closing. It provides a suite of tools covering all real estate marketing and client management phases. With comprehensive features and a user-friendly interface, it is a mighty companion for any serious real estate professional. That said, you have to balance the platform’s benefits against the cost, which can be a pricey expense for an agent, depending on their deal flow. 

Market Leader Alternatives

While Market Leader can provide a lot of tools within its comprehensive suite for real estate professionals, there may be some cases wherein looking at the alternatives that provide more pocket-friendly pricing, customization, or the ability to integrate with present systems in the best possible way would be necessary. Other real estate lead generation platforms can provide different strengths, such as affordable monthly fees, extended customer service support hours, or AI capabilities.

Platform
Why It’s a Great Alternative
Learn More
Ready to Purchase?
zurple logo.Leverages advanced AI capabilities to personalize follow-up communication and predict lead behaviorZurple Review
Visit Zurple
Highly rated by customers for its robust predictive analytics and marketing automationSmartzip Review
Visit SmartZip
cinc-logoExtended customer support hours, providing more accessible and timely support CINC Review
Visit CINC
Platform
Why It’s a Great Alternative
Learn More
Ready to Purchase?
zurple logo.Leverages advanced AI capabilities to personalize follow-up communication and predict lead behaviorZurple Review
Visit Zurple
Highly rated by customers for its robust predictive analytics and marketing automationSmartzip Review
Visit SmartZip
cinc-logoExtended customer support hours, providing more accessible and timely support CINC Review
Visit CINC

Market Leader Reviews: What Current Users Think

The existing users’ experiences help identify Market Leader’s actual performance. Analyzing user feedback helps us understand just how much Market Leader satisfies the needs of real estate professionals and what the users like or feel it lacks. Market Leader received an overall customer rating of 4.47 out of 5 on Cuspera. Here is what others are saying in their Market Leader reviews: 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I’ve been using Market Leader leads for almost a year now, and I’ve had lots of success with them. I’ve had two closed listings from these leads and have gotten at least two buyers from sign calls for those listings. The leads are very reasonably priced and I typically get more leads than I pay for each month. Love it”!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I’ve been a REALTOR® for less than a year, and I’ve been buying leads from Market Leader and don’t intend to ever stop doing that. I want to be able to buy even more!”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“We’re capturing leads from all over the country, thanks to the competitive advantage that Market Leader gives us. Market Leader Business Suite is the best tool out there and providing leads is what keeps agents with our office.”

Even though so many customers like the richness in features and functionality in their Market Leader reviews and all the leads it offers, experiences are not all positive. For some, challenges arose that affected the user’s experience. Let’s look at a negative review of one user from G2 to present a balanced view of the performance of Market Leader.

⭐

“Service isn’t good after your signed up. I just talked to a gentleman that started lecturing me about why I signed up. I requested to cancel my service and then the lecture started. Bottom line, I’m not happy with your product and would like to cancel my contract. I will also pass this information on to other agents I’ve spoke to who inquired about the company.”

Key Features of Market Leader

Market Leader is full of features geared towards making the process of real estate easy and productive. It offers an all-rounded toolkit to help agents at each stage of their business, from lead generation and management to marketing automation and client engagement. These features are designed to help real estate professionals capture more leads, stay organized, and close deals efficiently. Now, let’s dive into some standout features that make Market Leader an asset for real estate agents.

Mobile Application 

The mobile application enables any real estate agent to continue working on the go. It facilitates the management of contacts, leads, and even marketing activities directly from your smartphone or tablet. Given the real-time notifications and the ease of access to data on clients, responding to queries, making appointments, and recording updates are easy without being deskbound. This flexibility ensures that agents can stay productive and be connected even when they are out of the field, enhancing the ability to deliver service to clients in a timely and efficient way.

Mobile phone with client contact information displayed
Mobile Market Leader Application (Source: Market Leader)

Social Media Integrations 

The social media integrations provided by Market Leader enable real estate agents to seamlessly integrate their CRM with popular social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. It gives the agent an automated way of marketing their listings and interacting with potential clients across various social media channels. With this integration, agents can attract more leads without much manual effort by increasing their reach and building an online presence.

Listing information across multiple device types
Listing marketing tools (Source: Market Leader)

Exclusive Real Estate Leads 

One of the significant strengths of Market Leader is the ability to generate and manage real estate leads. One of its standout offerings is access to exclusive real estate leads through partnerships with HouseValues, Leads Direct, and Network Boost. These platforms enable agents to directly receive high-quality, targeted leads, ensuring a steady flow of potential clients. By leveraging these exclusive lead sources, real estate professionals can maximize their lead generation efforts and focus on converting prospects into successful transactions.

Laptop with lead generation website loaded
Lead capture website (Source: Market Leader)

Customizable Website

Agents can create custom Market Leader websites to engage and convert prospects into leads. It has websites focused on agent branding and customizable templates for property search functions and lead capture forms.

With a professionally done website builder, agents will grow their online presence and be able to display listings, share market insight, and even provide relevant resources to prospects. This marketing opportunity adds credibility to the agent and helps enhance his lead generation and high-quality lead-capturing ability from online channels.

Living room with white walls and grey furniture as hero image on website
Website with hero image (Source: Market Leader)

Engagement Co-pilot

The engagement co-pilot in Market Leader has acted like a virtual assistant to the real estate agent in staying engaged with Market Leader real estate leads and clients through automated and personalized communication. It can send personalized emails, schedule follow-ups, and reminders for key activities to ensure agents have consistent, meaningful interactions with their contacts. 

By automating routine engagement activities, the engagement co-pilot allows an agent to manage other strategic sides of his business and ultimately improve client relationships while increasing productivity.

Reminder box with task listed for real estate agent to complete
Engagement reminder (Source: Market Leader)

Market Leader Pricing

You may be wondering how much Market Leader costs. While most competitors are quite upfront about their pricing, Market Leader does not transparently post its price on its website, nor is there a free trial or tiered pricing. Below is a breakdown of what you can expect for costs:

  • Market Leader Professional (for individual agents): $189 per month (includes a $20 data services fee)
  • Market Leader Teams (for small real estate teams): $329 per month for up to 10 users on the same account
  • Market Leader Business Suite (for teams and brokerages): Custom pricing

Leads products—can be added to any of the above software products:

  • Network Boost: $399 per month for an average of 25 leads per month. The price includes the Market Leader Professional software system, which is required for agents who want to use Network Boost leads.
  • Search engine lead products (HouseValues and Leads Direct): Generally $25 to $50 per lead, depending on your market. Leads in markets like Boston and Los Angeles are typically more expensive than leads in more affordable markets like Kansas City. 

Methodology 

Our team of real estate-focused analysts and editors researched many lead-generation platforms to give real estate professionals the best options. We have studied Market Leader’s features in depth, including its unique lead-generation capabilities, ease of use, value for money, and support provided. Market Leader reviews from users also contributed to understanding how well it performed in the real world and whether people were satisfied with it. 

We aim to deliver to real estate agents and brokers that can assist their decision-making and workflow optimization in a very competitive market. This commitment to researching and reviewing products fairly ensures that our readers get the most efficient and effective reliable information that will make them well-rooted in success in the industry.

Here’s how we came up with our Market Leader review:

  • Pricing: 3.44 out of 5
    • We evaluated Market Leader’s cost-effectiveness and the value it offers relative to its pricing structure.
  • Lead gen software features/general: 4.63 out of 5
    • We assessed the platform’s comprehensive set of tools designed for general lead generation and management.
  • Advanced lead generation features: 3.5 out of 5
    • We looked at Market Leader’s advanced capabilities, such as exclusive lead sources and lead quality. 
  • Help and support: 2.5 out of 5
    • We rated the availability and quality of customer support, noting the lack of live chat and 24/7 assistance.
  • Customer rating: 3.44 out of 5
    • We compiled and analyzed user reviews to gauge the overall satisfaction and effectiveness of the platform.
  • Export score: 3.75 out of 5
    • We evaluated the ease and efficiency of exporting data and integrating Market Leader with other tools and platforms.

Read more about our methodology here.

FAQs




The Bottom Line: Is Market Leader Worth It? 

Market Leader equips real estate professionals with powerful lead management, integrated marketing features, and custom websites and is easy to use. Their training resources and branding features make it worth the cost and provide value-added help to agents maximize productivity and efficiency. At the same time, it can be expensive for solo agents or small teams, while other users may find the customization possibilities too limited. The other thing is that it is chock full of different features, so using all of them will be a learning curve for anyone who isn’t so tech-savvy. 

Overall, Market Leader is suitable for people with a budget looking for an all-in-one solution to help them in their real estate operations. If the Market Leader pricing is a principal factor in your decision or you need further customizations, it pays to shop around. Market Leader reviews can provide additional insights into whether it fits your specific requirements. Ultimately, your CRM should align with your business needs and resources.

The post Market Leader Review: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons (2024) appeared first on The Close.

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The 9 Best Places to Buy Real Estate Leads in 2024 https://theclose.com/buy-real-estate-leads/ https://theclose.com/buy-real-estate-leads/#comments Tue, 30 Jul 2024 16:25:21 +0000 https://theclose.com/?p=3309 Looking to buy real estate leads? Well, you’re in luck because there are plenty of companies that want to sell them to you.

The post The 9 Best Places to Buy Real Estate Leads in 2024 appeared first on The Close.

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Investing in high-quality leads is a strategy that many agents overlook despite its potential to transform their business and boost their sales. While it can be a game-changer for some, it may also be a waste of resources if not used wisely. And with many lead generation platforms offering paid leads, it can take time to determine the best option for your business. That said, I’ve listed the best places to buy real estate leads, why I chose them, and their standout features.

  • Market Leader: Best for monthly guaranteed leads
  • Offrs: Best for seller leads
  • REDX: Best for prospecting leads
  • Zurple: Best for digital marketing and automation
  • CINC: Best for paid search advertising
  • SOLD.com: Best for preferred agent network and referral leads
  • Zillow Premier Agent: Best for buyer leads
  • zBuyer: Best for on-demand leads generated via cash offer
  • Catalyze AI: Best for AI-driven listing leads

The Close’s Top Picks for Best Places to Buy Real Estate Leads

CRMBest ForStarting Monthly PriceLearn More
Market LeaderMonthly guaranteed leads$189Market Leader review
OffrsSeller leads$299Offrs review
REDXProspecting leads$50REDX review
ZurpleDigital marketing and automation$309Zurple review
CINCPaid search advertising$900CINC review
SOLD.comPreferred agent network and referral leadsFree to joinNo review yet
Zillow Premier AgentBuyer leadsDepends on market; around $300 to $1,000Zillow Premier Agent review
zBuyerOn-demand leads generated via cash offer$400 minimum spendzBuyer review
Catalyze AIAI-driven listing leads$360No review yet

1. Market Leader: Best for Monthly Guaranteed Leads

Market Leader logo
Pros
Cons
  • Lead volume every month is guaranteed.
  • It has advanced lead behavior tracking.
  • Contact info is guaranteed.
  • It offers a refund for fake leads with bogus emails and phone numbers.
  • It is excellent for long-term business forecasting.
  • Lead quality isn’t always premium.
  • It can be cost-prohibitive.
  • it may not be ideal if you already have a robust and active website.
  • It has a minimum six-month contract.

Why I Chose Market Leader

Market Leader has a long-standing reputation and a proven track record for real estate lead generation. It’s ideal for agents who have calculated their conversion rates and have a healthy budget. These agents know precisely how to buy real estate leads and how many leads they need each month to make paid lead generation profitable. Consequently, Market Leader makes that possible with its lead guarantee, ensuring agents get the expected results.

Screenshot of Market Leader Network Boost interface
Market Leader Network Boost interface (Source: Market Leader)

Additional Features

  • Starting monthly prices:
    • Professional for Agents: $189 + $10 to $50 per lead (for one user only)
    • Market Leader Teams: $329 + $10 to $5 per lead (up to 10 users)
    • Market Leader Business Suite: Custom
    • Teams (up to 10): $329
  • Network Boost: $399 per month for an average of 25 leads per month. The price includes the Market Leader Professional software system, which is required for agents who want to use Network Boost leads.
  • HouseValues: Market Leader’s HouseValues provides homeowners with free home valuations, capturing their contact information. These seller leads are then given to agents so they can proactively connect with potential sellers early in their decision-making process.

2. Offrs: Best for Seller Leads

Offrs Logo
Pros
Cons
  • It uses predictive analytics.
  • It offers guaranteed leads.
  • You can claim a ZIP code and join their nationwide referral network.
  • It offers excellent value for its annual price.
  • Nurturing time for leads can be long.
  • ROOF referral fee is expensive.
  • It has no CRM.
  • It has limited third-party integrations.

Why I Chose Offrs

Offrs is one of the best places to purchase real estate leads because it uses predictive analytics to identify homeowners most likely to sell, offering high-quality, targeted leads. Its Smart Data feature analyzes over 200 data points to ensure agents receive leads with a high probability of conversion. 
Offrs is the only predictive analytics company that guarantees a certain number of leads: 30 leads per month in your targeted ZIP code and 90 leads within five ZIP codes if you upgrade to the premium package. Offrs is great for agents because these leads are targeted at sellers who are ready to list. And you know what they say—leverage those listings to get even more leads.

 A screenshot of Offrs agent dashboard
Offrs agent dashboard (Source: Offrs)

Additional Features

  • Starting monthly prices:
    • 10 cents per month for each lead
    • $400 per month for leads in one ZIP code
    • $800 per month for exclusive leads in one ZIP code
    • RAIA (AI-powered lead conversion): $499 per month
    • Premium: $799 per month
    • Premium + ISA: $1,199 per month
  • ROOF Lead Platform: ROOF is a great feature that acts as an inside sales agent (ISA). ROOF will contact, qualify, and convert your leads to be ready for you. One of the biggest points in buying real estate leads is ensuring you can follow up and convert. This feature solves that pain point.
  • RAIA (AI chatbot): Offrs’ RAIA (real estate artificial intelligence advisor) uses SMS and email to qualify leads. It leverages advanced AI to predict homeowner selling behavior, offering agents accurate leads.

3. REDX: Best for Prospecting Leads

RedX
Pros
Cons
  • It has unlimited lead generation potential for a single monthly fee.
  • It offers excellent value for money.
  • It is great for agents who are comfortable with cold calling.
  • It has a fantastic user interface, including its Vortex lead management system.
  • CRM has no automation options.
  • It is not great for agents who are discouraged by rejection.
  • Outbound lead gen means more work for you on the front end.
  • It has a high percentage of inaccurate data.

Why I Chose REDX

REDX is an outbound real estate lead marketing system that provides data on property details, FSBO and expired listings, and contact information for buyers and sellers. This data is organized in VORTEX, its customer relationship manager (CRM), to help agents in their outbound prospecting. REDX is ideal for budget-conscious agents willing to invest time in phone or door-knocking. Success with REDX requires consistent effort and a proactive approach to lead gen. So, if you’re going with REDX, practice your cold-calling scripts and have your CRM handy.

Laptop screen with REDX GeoLeads interface
Use GeoLeads to get leads on-demand. (Source: REDX)

Additional Features

  • Starting monthly prices:
    • Expired Leads: Starting at $69.99
    • GeoLeads: Starting at $69.99
    • FSBO Leads: Starting at $49.99 
    • FRBO Leads: Starting at $59.99
    • Preforeclosure Leads: Starting at $49.99
    • Ad Builder: $49.99
    • Brand Builder Social Video Edits: $267
    • Brand Builder UNLIMITED: $899
    • Brand Builder Social Management: $699
    • Power Dialer Products: Starting at $59 
    • Vortex®: Free with any subscription
  • Power Dialer: The Power Dialer helps agents connect with more prospective clients by automating the dialing process, saving time, and increasing efficiency. It has up to four lines, so you can make the most of your prospecting calls.
  • Ad Builder: For only $49.99, REDX’s Ad Builder simplifies creating and managing social media ads for agents. It customizes the audience who’ll see ads, ensuring their brand is seen by homeowners likely to sell.

4. Zurple: Best for Digital Marketing and Automation

zurple logo.
Pros
Cons
  • It offers exclusive leads.
  • It has a powerful lead nurturing system.
  • It has an easy-to-use platform with minimal learning curve.
  • It has excellent analytics.
  • It includes extra features, such as social media schedulers and video messaging.
  • It has limited integrations.
  • It doesn’t offer training.
  • Customer service needs improvement.
  • It can be expensive for some agents.
  • Six-month contract is required.

Why I Chose Zurple

Zurple is another place to purchase real estate leads. It generates leads using community-specific landing pages that capture contact information in exchange for home valuations or IDX searches. If you’re a tech-savvy agent seeking robust analytics, Zurple might be your ideal fit. Its seamless integration with Facebook and Google Ads can benefit agents with a strong online presence. Additionally, Zurple’s automatic follow-up tools make it a great choice for agents who are not using their CRM to its highest potential.

Laptop and mobile phone with Zurple interface on both screens
Get exclusive leads with Zurple. (Source: Zurple)

Additional Features

  • Starting monthly prices:
    • Basic Package: $309
    • Auto Leads: $448
    • Additional Sites: $100/month per site
    • Pipeline Boost: $609
  • Lead-capturing Websites: Zurple’s lead-capturing websites are branded, customizable IDX sites that display up-to-date MLS listings and property search features. These sites include lead capture tools like forms for scheduling showings and requesting home valuations, converting visitors into potential clients.
  • Pipeline Boost: Pipeline Boost is a cost-effective solution that helps agents grow their databases through targeted Instagram and Facebook ad campaigns managed by experts. It generates buyer leads interested in specific listings and engages them automatically with personalized email and text messages.

5. CINC: Best for Paid Search Advertising

cinc-logo
Pros
Cons
  • AI automation can follow up on your behalf.
  • It has a private referral network.
  • It is a great CRM and mobile app focused on real estate.
  • Its platform is geared toward teams and top performers.
  • It has lead nurturing and seller lead capture.
  • Getting started can be expensive.
  • It takes time to get a return on investment.
  • It is not recommended for new agents because of cost.
  • AI feature is an additional cost.

Why I Chose CINC

CINC is an excellent platform to buy leads in real estate as it uses Google and Meta to generate leads via hyper-local advertising done for you by the CINC team. Instead of only advertising, CINC funnels leads directly into its proprietary system using paid search, remarketing campaigns, and cash offer ads. This approach ensures potential clients are reached and directed into a streamlined management system. If you already have a solid digital footprint, I’d recommend investing in CINC, which can widen your reach even more.

CINC home estimator
Use ads to grow your listings. (Source: CINC)

Additional Features

  • Starting monthly prices: CINC’s all-in-one lead generation platform starts at $899 per month for single agents and $1,299 per month for teams. For more details about pricing for the Guaranteed Sales Program and additional advertising promotions available to new clients, please reach out directly to a CINC sales rep.
  • CRM and Mobile App: The CRM and mobile app are top-notch, and with artificial intelligence (AI), CINC nurtures and responds to your leads 24/7, no matter when they engage with your ads. That way, you can always ensure that you take care of your leads promptly and automatically.
  • Alex (CINC AI Bot): Alex engages with leads by sending personalized messages, thereby streamlining communication and enhancing lead conversion rates. It’s available 24/7, ensuring timely responses to potential clients.

6. SOLD.com: Best for Preferred Agent Network + Referral Leads

sold.com logo
Pros
Cons
  • It has a private referral network.
  • It doesn’t require a contract.
  • It has an easy and free sign-up process.
  • You can pay for Guaranteed Display to get more referral leads.
  • Agent referral fee is not indicated on the website.
  • It is not ideal for new agents.
  • It has onboarding and learning curve.

Why I Chose SOLD.com

SOLD.com is a pay-at-closing real estate lead company designed to connect real estate agents with motivated buyers and sellers. It uses data-driven insights and proprietary algorithms to match you with serious clients. You create your profile, set your preferences for leads, and convert the leads you’re sent. However, I’ve seen some reviews stating that if an agent is new and signs up, they may not see many leads. So if you’re a new agent, I’d recommend signing up, but don’t expect a flood of leads to come your way.

Screenshot of an agent's history of referrals on Sold.com
Agent’s referral data (Source: SOLD.com)

Additional Features

  • Starting monthly prices: Signing up on SOLD.com is free, but agent referral fees are undisclosed as of this writing.
  • Agent Portal: Upon logging in, agents can view their wins, losses, and the number of their SOLD.com leads. They can also check their agent ranking within their ZIP codes and explore opportunities to boost their rankings and get more referrals.
  • Marketplace: As members of SOLD.com’s referral network, agents gain access to vendor offers in the Marketplace. These offers include discounts, educational resources, and sales performance incentive funds (SPIFs).

7. Zillow Premier Agent: Best for Buyer Leads

Zillow premier agent logo
Pros
Cons
  • You can capture buyer leads earlier than competitors.
  • It has automated digital advertising.
  • It has broker management tools.
  • It allows multiple integrations.
  • It has a built-in CRM.
  • It lacks price transparency.
  • Leads aren’t exclusive.
  • Customer service needs improvement.
  • Zillow CRM is very basic.
  • Cost per lead can be higher than other platforms.

Why I Chose Zillow Premier Agent

If you want more buyers leads real estate, Zillow Premier Agent (ZPA) should be on your radar. Zillow places advertisements for participating Premier Agents next to listings on its platform. When consumers select you, they fill out a quick form with their contact information, and Zillow sends you that information. Most of these leads are going to be buyers who are near the top of the funnel. Becoming a ZPA widens your reach, as you’ll receive premium placement on Zillow and its network sites like Trulia, StreetEasy, and RealEstate.com.

A screenshot of Zillow Premier Agent's web and mobile interface
Zillow Premier Agent’s web and mobile interface (Source: Zillow Premier Agent)

Additional Features

  • Starting monthly prices:
    • Price starts at about $1,000 for major metro markets
    • For markets outside of major metros, Premier Agents pay between $300 and $500
  • Third-party CRM Integrations: ZPA integrates with various CRMs, allowing agents to manage and nurture their leads from multiple platforms seamlessly. Some CRMs that can be integrated into Zillow include Top Producer, Follow Up Boss, and Lofty.
  • Training Resources: ZPA offers a range of training resources for agents, including courses and guides designed to improve lead gen and client management skills. These resources help agents use Zillow’s tools effectively, maximize their presence, and enhance their overall business performance.

8. zBuyer: Best for On-demand Leads Generated via Cash Offer

zbuyer logo
Pros
Cons
  • Lead count is guaranteed.
  • It offers a lead replacement policy.
  • It has email and SMS marketing.
  • It offers on-demand leads and requires no contract.
  • It has built-in lead capture tools.
  • Leads are not exclusive.
  • There is a $400 per month minimum spend.
  • It lacks CRM.
  • It lacks a concierge program.
  • Lead nurturing and conversion takes time.

Why I Chose zBuyer

zBuyer maintains a solid commitment to customer satisfaction that some of the larger software companies can’t match. It has an excellent track record of supplying valuable, verified leads by targeting potential sellers’ interest in cash offers and directing them to HousingNow.com. The site is similar to Zillow, where buyers can browse listings—after inputting their contact information. 

What makes zBuyer different is its process of verifying leads for agents to ensure they are ready to transact. While the leads aren’t exclusive, zBuyer only shares each with a maximum of six agents. So, if an area has that many agents already active, it will be sold out.

Lead pipeline example (Source: zBuyer)

Additional Features

  • Starting monthly prices:
    • $400 per month minimum (leads cost between $12 and $17 each)
    • No contract or startup fees
  • Lead Count Guarantee: When you sign up with zBuyer, you can select the monthly number and type of leads you want to receive, such as 20 buyer leads and 15 seller leads. If these numbers aren’t met, zBuyer will provide additional leads or adjust the price for the following month to ensure you reach your target.
  • Lead Replacement: zBuyer ensures agents receive a replacement for every bad lead, maintaining the value of their investments. This extra layer of security allows agents to focus on engaging with viable prospects.

9. Catalyze AI: Best for AI-driven Listing Leads

Catalyze AI logo
Pros
Cons
  • Lead count is guaranteed.
  • It offers a lead replacement policy.
  • It has email and SMS marketing.
  • It offers on-demand leads and requires no contract.
  • It has built-in lead capture tools.
  • Leads are not exclusive.
  • There is a $400 per month minimum spend.
  • It lacks CRM.
  • It lacks a concierge program.
  • Lead nurturing and conversion takes time.

Why I Chose Catalyze AI

Catalyze AI uses over 400 million data points to predict hot listing leads accurately. Unlike other platforms, it specializes in providing exclusive inheritance-based seller leads that are likely to list properties. With no setup fees and flexible plans, Catalyze AI delivers leads monthly without requiring a contract, allowing agents to access high-quality leads with minimal commitment. If you have experience with probate leads and a fixed marketing budget, Catalyze AI may answer your “Where to buy real estate leads?” dilemma.

Catalyze AI Recommended Leads dashboard
Recommended Leads page of Catalyze AI (Source: Catalyze AI)

Additional Features

  • Starting monthly prices:
    • $360 per month for 30 leads under $1 million
    • $450 per month for 30 leads over $1 million
  • Radius-based Leads: I love how Catalyze AI offers leads within a 20-mile radius of your search area, allowing agents to focus on local markets.
  • Predictive Analytics Tools: Catalyze AI uses advanced techniques that combine real-time and historical data, behavioral analytics, and event-driven insights to predict which homes are most likely to sell.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)





Methodology: How I Chose the Best Places to Buy Real Estate Leads

Our team of expert researchers, agents, writers, and editors at The Close evaluated dozens of lead generation companies to find the best places to buy real estate leads. We analyzed each platform and based our top choices on the following criteria:

  • Pricing: We looked at the average price per lead for buyer and seller leads, exclusive leads, subscription costs, the minimum required ad spend, and whether a contract is required.
  • General Features: This category covers the main features of each lead generation company. This includes lead-capture tools, lead management, built-in CRM, multiple integrations, mass marketing tools, analytics and reporting tools, and IDX websites. 
  • Advanced Features: Do these lead gen companies offer advanced features? Some notable advanced functionalities include lead scoring, lead nurturing, team distribution, scripts, and AI tools.
  • Reputation: I assessed each lead generation company’s reputation by considering feedback from verified users.

Read more about our methodology here.

Your Take

Getting paid real estate leads isn’t the only strategy for success in the industry, but it is an essential part of your business development. Where do you buy your leads? Did your favorite make it to our list? Let us know in the comments!

The post The 9 Best Places to Buy Real Estate Leads in 2024 appeared first on The Close.

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https://theclose.com/buy-real-estate-leads/feed/ 30 Market Leader logo unnamed – 2024-07-29T171518.274 Offrs Logo unnamed – 2024-07-29T171521.768 REDX_Wordmark_Logo_CA1600 unnamed – 2024-07-29T171525.745 zurple_logo unnamed – 2024-07-29T171530.647 CINCPRO_logo unnamed – 2024-07-29T171534.780 sold-logo unnamed – 2024-07-29T171538.380 Zillow premier agent logo unnamed – 2024-07-29T171542.729 zbuyerlogo unnamed – 2024-07-29T171546.466 Catalyze AI unnamed – 2024-07-29T171550.147 expand/collapse expand/collapse expand/collapse expand/collapse
2024 Review: Is Zillow Premier Agent Worth the Cost? https://theclose.com/zillow-premier-agent-worth-cost/ https://theclose.com/zillow-premier-agent-worth-cost/#comments Mon, 22 Jul 2024 13:25:58 +0000 https://theclose.com/?p=3107 Have you been wondering what your ROI would be from the Zillow Premier Agent program? We dig in to figure out if it's worth your time, money, and effort.

The post 2024 Review: Is Zillow Premier Agent Worth the Cost? appeared first on The Close.

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Zillow Premier Agent (ZPA) is a paid advertising program that connects agents to buyers. It offers agents enhanced visibility on Zillow’s platforms, giving them priority placement in property listings and exclusive access to leads. However, with the platform’s lack of pricing transparency, is Zillow Premier Agent worth it? I evaluated its key features, weighed its pros and cons, looked into pricing, analyzed third-party reviews, and gauged whether it was worth the investment. Let’s dig in!

Zillow Premier Agent
Pros
  • You can capture buyer leads earlier than competitors.
  • It has automated digital advertising.
  • It has built-in CRM.
  • Zillow Live Connections puts you in contact with leads over the phone.
  • You get increased exposure.
  • It has broker management tools
  • It has multiple integrations.
  • It has detailed analytics and ROI report.
Cons
  • It lacks price transparency.
  • It has upfront costs, regardless of lead volume or closings.
  • Customer service is not strong.
  • Zillow CRM is very basic.
  • Leads aren’t exclusive.
  • The price per lead can be higher than other platforms.
The Close Score
4.5
Pricing:
3.1
General Features:
4.3
Advanced Features:
3.6
Customer Service:
3.2
Customer Rating:
3.0
Expert Score:
4.0
out
of
5

My Verdict on Zillow Premier Agent & Why You Should Trust It 

As one of The Close’s staff writers, I have extensive research experience on various real estate topics and solution providers. I can provide readers with an objective and comprehensive review of Zillow Premier Agent, including an overall analysis of its strengths and limitations.

What is Zillow Premier Agent, and how does it work? In 2024, an average of 217 million unique visitors browse Zillow each month, searching for homes and real estate agents. Zillow Premier Agent leverages this site traffic, allowing agents, teams, and brokers to purchase display ads in specific ZIP codes across the Zillow network. This process helps capture leads who might be casually browsing properties long before they contact an agent. The platform then displays ads in key positions next to properties for sale, boosting Zillow Premier Agents to the top of the agent directory.

A screenshot of Zillow Premier Agent's web and mobile interface
Zillow Premier Agent’s web and mobile interface (Source: Zillow)

The biggest challenge with Zillow Premier Agent is the cost, which can be substantial, particularly in highly competitive markets. Agents must ensure they have the budget to sustain the investment and effectively convert the leads they receive. Additionally, the competition among agents on the platform can make it difficult to stand out and secure many leads. Therefore, having a solid profile and lead follow-up process is essential. If you want to guarantee you’ll get leads, consider pay-at-closing lead companies like Zillow Flex and Clever.

Zillow Premier Agent Alternatives

Zillow Premier Agent offers many advantages but is not the perfect fit for everyone. The cost and competition can be challenging for some agents, especially those just starting. If you feel Zillow Premier Agent isn’t the right platform, here are some alternatives worth considering.

Platform
Why It’s a Great Alternative
Learn More
Ready to
Purchase?
zurple logo.It offers exclusive buyer and seller leads with a robust profiling and nurturing system.Zurple ReviewVisit Zurple
Market Leader logoYou’ll get a guaranteed number of exclusive leads every month.Market Leader reviewVisit Market Leader
cinc-logoIt uses paid ads on Google, Instagram, and Facebook to target hyperlocal leads.CINC ReviewVisit CINC
zbuyer logoAgents aren’t tied to a contract. Plus, the company offers free replacements for bogus leads.zBuyer reviewVisit zBuyer
Platform
Why It’s a Great Alternative
Learn More
Ready to
Purchase?
zurple logo.It offers exclusive buyer and seller leads with a robust profiling and nurturing system.Zurple ReviewVisit Zurple
Market Leader logoYou’ll get a guaranteed number of exclusive leads every month.Market Leader reviewVisit Market Leader
cinc-logoIt uses paid ads on Google, Instagram, and Facebook to target hyperlocal leads.CINC ReviewVisit CINC
zbuyer logoAgents aren’t tied to a contract. Plus, the company offers free replacements for bogus leads.zBuyer reviewVisit zBuyer

What Current Users Think of Zillow Premier Agent

The platform isn’t perfect. Our readers have varying opinions on Zillow, and it’s important to remember that every agent runs their business differently. Upon scouring the internet for Zillow Premier Agent reviews, we saw that as of writing, ZPA has a 4.7 out of 5 rating on Featured Customers based on 3,347 reviews and a 2.2 out of 5 rating on G2 based on 51 reviews. Here are some verified Zillow lead reviews from the platforms as mentioned earlier:

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

What I find the most helpful, or my favorite feature is the dashboard. In the dashboard I am able to see all my past sales, reviews, current leads in my pipeline as well as past messages with clients. 

What I dislike the most about Zillow Premier Agent is the pricing and availability of new leads. Multiple times I have wanted to branch out in to a new zipcode/area, however due to the pricing I have been hesitant and eventually decided against it. Most times I am unable and also unwilling to pay the specified price in order to get leads in a zipcode, only to be at the bottom of the list of suggested agents when viewing a property. Consumers are rarely going to scroll all the way down to one of the bottom agents shown and reach out/choose them. I also had ongoing issues with leads being interested in renting a property instead of outright buying, and I/my office does not deal with rentals/leases, thus wasting my money on a lead that could not be converted into a client/deal.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

With over 6 years of sponsorship, I wonder how I could be any happier with the Zillow systems? I’ve always had a wonderful account representative who coached me on best practices. I’ve done my best to implement all of their advice and believe I’m a better real estate agent for it. Without Zillow whispering in my ear and always having my back, I’d just be another agent in a sea of Realtors. They’re more than just a lead, they’re a mentor and a coach, making sure I have everything I need to be a winner. It’s hard to say who the sponsor is in our relationship.

⭐⭐⭐

The downsides are the leads are of poor quality. Many of the leads are other agents and most of the others already have an agent and just wanted to ask a question.

Key Features of Zillow Premier Agent

Obtaining leads is the most significant benefit of using Zillow Premier Agent, but there is more to this platform than just prospects. Some of my favorite ZPA key features include the following:

Zillow Premier Agent Profile

Agents can create a solid ZPA profile to stand out. A complete Zillow profile leverages the SHARP model, which stands for sales, headshot, advertising markets, reviews, and professional bio. This means you should claim all your past transactions on Zillow, have a current realtor headshot, work in the applicable markets, beef up your reviews, and spice up your agent bio.

Christopher Panagos' Zillow profile; an example of a Zillow Premier Agent
An example of a Zillow Premier Agent profile (Source: Zillow)

If you have an active profile and your listing is on Zillow, you should be displayed first as the listing agent, regardless of your Premier status. But you won’t have that opportunity if you haven’t claimed the listing or are inactive on Zillow. Premier agents also appear next to their purchased share of every listing in their chosen ZIP codes (plus any of their listings, regardless of whether they are in their chosen ZIP code). This expands their exposure significantly.

📌   Pro Tip

You should have an active profile on Zillow, at the very least. It’s free; you can use it to collect reviews, claim listings, and organically increase your brand visibility.

Third-party CRM Integrations

Zillow Premier Agent offers seamless integration with various third-party CRMs, such as Follow Up Boss, Top Producer, and Lofty (formerly Chime), which enhances lead management efficiency. For instance, ZPA supports two-way sync with Top Producer CRM, ensuring any updates on one platform reflect on the other.

A screenshot of Zillow Premier Agent settings when syncing it with Follow Up Boss CRM
Syncing Zillow with Follow Up Boss CRM (Source: Zillow)

Performance Analytics

Zillow Premier Agent offers analytics and tracking tools to help agents manage and optimize their lead performance. The platform has detailed reports on lead volume, response rates, and conversion metrics, allowing agents to see how well their advertising efforts are paying off. If you’re a team lead, ZPA’s performance analytics also track the effectiveness of team members and everyone’s lead volume and status, ensuring everyone contributes efficiently to your team’s overall success.

A screenshot of Zillow Premier Agent's lead report page
Get insights from your reports. (Source: Zillow)

Training Resources

Zillow Premier Agent provides comprehensive training resources and education materials to support agents. These include courses and guides on using Zillow’s tools effectively, managing your ZPA advertising, using ZPA’s CRM, nurturing inactive customers, converting your leads, and more.

A screenshot of Zillow Premier Agent's training resources page
Learn how to be successful with the Zillow Premier Agent program. (Source: Zillow)

Zillow Premier Agent Pricing

Is Zillow Premier Agent free? Of course not. If you’re researching the pricing of ZPA, I’m afraid you won’t find it either. Zillow does not publish specific pricing details, as costs vary significantly based on several factors. You’ll need to contact Zillow directly to get accurate pricing information and discuss your particular market and advertising goals. However, I’ve gathered information from some agents that I hope will provide useful estimates.

How much do Zillow leads cost?

The cost for Zillow Premier Agent lead depends on four factors:

  • Your ZIP code
  • The average home price in your area
  • The number of competing agents
  • The percentage of leads you want to capture

According to some of our readers, leads can cost as low as $20 to $75 each in less competitive markets. However, in competitive and high-priced markets, the cost can rise dramatically, with some agents reporting leads costing $450 to $500 each.

How much does it cost to be a Zillow Premier Agent?

You’re probably wondering, “How much are Zillow leads per month?” Since Zillow does not provide market-specific pricing estimates, The Close reached out to agents in our network. Based on feedback from agents who are successfully profiting with Zillow Premier Agent, we found the following pricing estimates to be accurate:

  • The typical monthly price for major metro markets starts at about $1,000.
  • For markets outside of major metros, ZPA agents pay between $300 and $500 per month.

While we disagree with the company’s lack of price transparency, I still believe that Zillow Premier Agent is a valuable service that agents should consider in their paid lead generation strategies.

Methodology

In my assessment of Zillow Premier Agent, I conducted thorough research to ensure accuracy in my review. Our team of expert researchers, agents, writers, and editors at The Close scored Zillow Premier Agent against dozens of other lead generation companies. We analyzed its platform, pricing structure, features, user feedback, and reputation, and then based our evaluation on the following criteria:

  • Pricing (20%)
    • We looked at the average price per lead for buyer and seller leads, exclusive leads, subscription costs, the minimum required ad spend, and whether a contract is required.
  • General Features (25%)
    • We evaluated the main features of each lead generation company. This includes lead-capture tools, lead management, built-in CRM, multiple integrations, mass marketing tools, analytics and reporting tools, and IDX websites. 
  • Advanced Features (20%)
    • This category includes advanced functionalities such as the quality of leads generated, lead nurturing, lead scoring, triggers and alerts, team distribution, and scripts.
  • Customer Service (10%)
    • We reviewed how easy it is for real estate agents to reach out to a customer service representative. We also considered agents’ access to phone or email support and a concierge program.
  • Customer Rating (10%)
    • The reputation of each lead generation company was evaluated by considering feedback from verified users.
  • Expert Score (15%)
    • The expert score covers other standout features not mentioned in the above criteria.

Read more about our methodology here.

Frequently Asked Questions





Bottom Line: Is Zillow Premier Agent Worth It?

At the start of this review, you might have asked, “What is Zillow Premier Agent?” And now that I’ve run you through its most essential features, would you say the platform is worth it? For me, Zillow Premier Agents is an investment real estate agents, teams, and brokers should consider. 

The lead gen landscape is constantly evolving. There are always new players, approaches, and lead generation ideas, but Zillow has remained a visible and vital part of this conversation. To be clear, Zillow Premier Agent isn’t as cost-effective for every agent. In some US markets, costs are so high that agents may barely break even. However, no other online lead source offers the same traffic, exposure, and opportunity as Zillow Premier Agent.

Is the platform perfect for every agent? No. But is Zillow Premier Agent worth it or at least worth considering? Absolutely. As long as you have an adequate budget, an impeccable profile, and effective follow-up skills to convert your leads into clients, we can stand behind your investment in Zillow Premier Agent. But if you’re a new agent, consider your budget before committing.

Your Take

Where do you buy real estate leads? Have you ever tried Zillow Premier Agent? What did you think? I’d like to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Want more leads? Download our free e-book.

The post 2024 Review: Is Zillow Premier Agent Worth the Cost? appeared first on The Close.

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https://theclose.com/zillow-premier-agent-worth-cost/feed/ 60 Is Zillow Premier Agent Worth the Cost? Is Zillow Premier Agent worth the time, cost, & effort? Yes, but there’s a catch. Find out how top agents made it work. Zillow for premier-agent-worth-cost,zillow premier agent cost Zillow Premier Agent unnamed – 2024-07-22T144508.552 zurple_logo Market Leader logo CINCPRO_logo zbuyerlogo zurple_logo Market Leader logo CINCPRO_logo zbuyerlogo unnamed – 2024-07-22T144514.790 unnamed – 2024-07-22T144519.793 unnamed – 2024-07-22T144523.181 unnamed – 2024-07-22T144526.235 expand/collapse expand/collapse expand/collapse expand/collapse
Predictive Analytics in Real Estate: Best Practices & Software for Agents https://theclose.com/best-real-estate-predictive-analytics-companies/ https://theclose.com/best-real-estate-predictive-analytics-companies/#comments Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:16:01 +0000 https://theclose.com/?p=41865 Imagine predicting exactly who will sell their property in the next 12 months. It used to take a mind reader to get that kind of inside intel, but now you just need some big data and the right artificial intelligence company to interpret it. Here are a few worth checking out.

The post Predictive Analytics in Real Estate: Best Practices & Software for Agents appeared first on The Close.

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Imagine knowing exactly which homeowners in your area will sell their property in the next 12 months. It used to take a mind reader (or a lot of luck) to get that kind of inside intel on your local real estate market, but now it’s achievable with big data and the right predictive analytics company. 

You need to embrace this technology and use it to help more clients (and help your pockets grow, too)! I will break down what predictive analytics in real estate are, how you can use them, their benefits, and which real estate analytics software you can use to boost your business. Here we go! 

What Is Predictive Analytics in Real Estate?

Predictive analysis is a technique that uses data, statistical algorithms, and machine learning to identify the likelihood of future outcomes based on historical data. It involves analyzing current and past information to predict future events. 

In real estate, predictive analysis can help agents forecast market trends, identify potential buyers and sellers, set competitive prices, and make strategic business decisions. These real estate analytics companies pull together millions (if not billions) of data points from multiple sources to give you important insights. 

Common data sources include the following:

  • Property
  • Demographics
  • Behavioral trends
  • Event data (user-generated activity data from products, software, or websites)

Why Predictive Analytics Matters in Real Estate

If you’re a MARVEL fan, you may remember in Captain America: The Winter Soldier the scene where Jasper Sitwell gets kicked off the roof by Black Widow for information about Zola’s algorithm. Ok, we won’t be kicking anyone off any rooftops, but Zola’s algorithm is a great example of predictive analysis. It provided data on who to target, when to target them, and how to take them down.

The same concept is applied to PA in real estate. Imagine if you had a list of homeowners in your farm area who were identified via predictive analytics as highly likely to sell their homes in the next 12 to 18 months. Think of the time, energy, and money you could save by marketing specifically to those homeowners. You can make it work for you in your real estate business with a company that knows how to harness it.

See leads available for zip codes in your area with Offrs
Find your territory with Offrs (Source: Offrs)

Ok, let me give you some actual data to consider. One of our top picks, Offrs, provides 30 guaranteed leads in a chosen ZIP code every month, and those leads come with an astounding 72% prediction accuracy rate. Assuming that prediction rate, you’d have about 20 solid leads each month. The average listing commission is over $12,000. So, if you convert half of your leads, that’s $120,000. As Offrs says: It’s not magic; it’s math.

Benefits of Using Predictive Analytics for Real Estate 

Real estate predictive analytics is changing the game, giving agents and brokers powerful tools to understand market trends and customer behaviors. With tons of data and smart algorithms, this tech helps you make better decisions, market more effectively, and stay ahead of the competition. 

Using predictive analytics in real estate offers several key benefits:

  • Accurate market predictions: Helps agents predict market trends, including which properties are likely to sell and when.
  • Targeted marketing: Allows more accurate marketing efforts by identifying potential buyers and sellers, leading to better conversion rates.
  • Improved pricing strategies: Assists in setting competitive sales prices based on data-driven insights rather than gut feelings.
  • Enhanced customer insights: Provides a better understanding of customer preferences and behaviors, allowing you to personalize your services.
  • Competitive advantage: Gives agents an edge over competitors who may not use predictive analytics.
  • Increased sales: Ultimately leads to higher sales and revenue through more effective and targeted business strategies.

How Agents Can Use Predictive Analytics

Now that you know what PA is, why it’s important, and what the benefits are, it’s time to put predictive analysis to work for your business. While residential real estate analytics isn’t fully on par with the commercial side yet, we’re getting closer to seeing every agent, team, and broker using AI or data analytics tools in 2024.

Here are a few ways you can start to incorporate PA into your business practices: 

  • Identify potential sellers
  • Competitively price the properties
  • Optimize lead generation
  • Improve client relationships
  • Predict future market trends

The Best Predictive Analytics Companies in 2024

Wondering which companies are at the forefront of predictive analytics in real estate? These companies are transforming how agents predict market trends and make informed decisions. If you’re considering integrating predictive analytics into your real estate strategy, here are some top recommendations for real estate data analytics companies that are reshaping how agents predict market trends, identify potential clients, and optimize their business strategies.

Take a look at some of the top players in the game.

CompanyBest For
Starting Monthly Prices
Read Our Review
SmartzipSeller leads
$299
Smartzip Review
OffrsSeller leads + marketing
$300
Offrs Review
Catalyze AILeads related to inherited property
$360
No review yet
Top Producer All-in-one lead generation and CRM solution
$399
Top Producer Review

1. Smartzip: Best for Sellers Leads

SmartZip logo

Pros


  • It has easy-to-use CRM and dashboard.
  • Smart Targeting product allows automated print marketing.
  • It is easily applicable to an existing real estate farming strategy.

Starting Monthly Prices


  • The company’s prices are based on the size of the geographic area you’re targeting.
  • Prices start at $299 per month with a 12-month contract.

Cons


  • Pricey—most Smartzip users spend at least $1,000 per month (or more).
  • Leads are nonexclusive.
  • It can take a long time to nurture and convert leads.

By combing through consumer data (from places like credit card companies), market data (from places like your MLS), and demographic data, Smartzip predicts which homeowners in your targeted region are most likely to sell. Realtors who sign up with Smartzip immediately get access to the Smartzip CRM, populated with “Smart Data” for their areas. 

Essentially, this is a list of all the property owners in your targeted area, ranked by how likely they are to sell their home in the next year and a half. Armed with this information, you can focus your outreach on only the most likely sellers, saving you time and money on marketing efforts and making your lead conversations more meaningful and fruitful.

Smartzip: Is It Right for You?

If you’re already investing heavily in real estate farming and seller lead nurturing, Smartzip is an excellent real estate predictive analytics tool for you. Since leads from Smartzip tend to take a little longer to nurture than traditional listing leads, you will need a solid keep-in-touch strategy. If you’ve got a good lead nurturing game in place, Smartzip is absolutely worth considering.

2. Offrs

Offrs Logo

Pros


  • It is the same great Smart Data that sister company Smartzip is built on.
  • Roof provides an entire inside sales and marketing team with no upfront costs.
  • Unique ad tools help connect your analog and digital marketing.

Starting Monthly Prices


  • It offers 30 guaranteed leads from one ZIP code for $299 monthly.
  • This includes predictive sellers, an ad budget, a customized territory builder, and a lead capture page.
  • If you want a larger target area, spring for the premium plan, which is five ZIP codes for $599 monthly.
  • Offrs does not require a contract.

Cons


  • Leads are nonexclusive.
  • Leads take longer to convert than organic or referral leads.
  • The Offrs Smart Data CRM isn’t as user-friendly as the Smartzip version.

While Offrs is owned by the same company as Smartzip, the actual product is very different. Both are built on the same Smart Data platform, but Offrs customers also have access to sophisticated and automated marketing and nurturing tools.

Plus, the Offrs Roof referral system is an added bonus. For a 25% referral fee, Offrs’ call center and email marketing team will initiate at least 30 touches in the first 90 days, starting immediately when a lead comes through. This makes the nurturing process even less of a lift, especially since about 67% of clients go with the first agent they speak with.

Offrs: Is It Right for You?

If you need automated marketing services, this is a platform you should absolutely consider. If you don’t need the more specialized lead types or automated marketing features, you’re probably better off going with Smartzip, with its upgraded CRM and user interface.

3. Catalyze AI

Catalyze AI logo

Pros


  • It has high accuracy percentage.
  • It offers exclusive, local leads.
  • It has an easy-to-use, intuitive dashboard.

Starting Monthly Prices


  • The two-tier pricing at Catalyze AI is relatively unique.
  • The first tier is for properties valued over $1 million dollars, which is $450 per month.
  • For $360 per month, you get leads on properties valued under $1 million.
  • There are no contracts, so agents can subscribe month to month.

Cons


  • Costs will add up if you subscribe every month over a year.
  • It relies on excellent interpersonal and follow-up skills.
  • Large radius may not work well for agents in urban areas.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of properties are inherited. Catalyze AI helps sort through all of the data points (over 400 million of them) to narrow these properties down to excellent leads. It is so excellent that it boasts that four out of 10 predicted leads sell within 12 months. Catalyze AI estimates this market represents $77 billion in property value each year.

I like that Catalyze AI offers leads within a 20-mile radius of your search area and that you can pay based on the value of the property: one monthly rate for properties valued above $1 million and one for below. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, these leads are exclusive, which makes them pretty darn valuable.

Catalyze AI: Is It Right for You?

Inherited property leads are fairly niche, and it takes someone with strong interpersonal skills to convert them, especially if the new property owner is recently bereft. It will also take patience and strong follow-up. That being said, this is a really strong market, and the leads are local, not outrageously expensive, highly probable to convert, and exclusive. Because it’s month-to-month, it’s definitely worth checking out Catalyze AI; it’s a company in the PA space that we’re excited to watch.

4. Top Producer

Logo Top Producer

Pros


  • It offers full end-to-end solution with top-notch lead gen, integrated marketing, and CRM.
  • CRM helps prioritize PA leads and follow-up.
  • It has excellent customer service.

Starting Monthly Prices


  • Top Producer’s Pro + Framing package includes the CRM plus AI-powered farming and marketing starting at $399 per month.
  • Pro + Leads includes the CRM plus social media leads starting at $429 per month.
  • The baseline Top Producer product—called Pro—starts $129 per user, per month.
  • The Top Producer Pro Teams package is $299 per user, per month.
  • A Top Producer website is an additional $35 per user, per month.

Cons


  • You can’t subscribe to just the PA solution.
  • It lacks 24/7 customer support.
  • It is not an option for agents who already have a CRM they like.

While Top Producer’s predictive analytics product, called Smart Targeting, isn’t far from what other PA companies are doing (in fact, its data is supplied by the same company as Offrs and Smartzip), it is unique to have the analytics as part of a larger lead generation and tracking ecosystem. There are some real advantages to having everything working together in the same place. If you’re using Top Producer, one of our favorite CRMs in the industry, to prioritize, track, nurture, and convert leads fed to your funnel by predictive analytics, you’re cooking with gas, as they say.

Top Producer’s biggest value is in its CRM, which allows a busy agent to rely on automatic follow-up with leads. It’s not cheap—in fact, it’s hard to tell exactly what Smart Targeting costs as it’s an add-on to the base price—but it is an exciting development in the industry. Synergy between all of your sales and marketing is a beautiful thing.

Grow your database with a steady stream of affordable, exclusive real estate leads from social media ads. Social Connect from Top Producer is designed to get you a high volume of leads and move them through your pipeline until they’re ready to buy and sell real estate. Connect with an average of 30 consumers interested in real estate in your local market for just $300 per month!

How Social Connect works:

  • Digital advertising experts create and run social media ad campaigns on your behalf
  • You get exclusive leads from your desired local area
  • All leads are automatically nurtured via text and email on your behalf until they’re ready to connect, saving you time and effort

Top Producer: Is It Right for You?

If you already have a CRM that you love, Top Producer isn’t for you. You’re better off subscribing to Offrs or Smartzip and integrating it into your existing CRM. It’s only if you’re already using Top Producer or you want to make a CRM change that you should consider jumping in with two feet. Real magic can happen when all of your systems are not only talking to each other and working together, but also taking advantage of cutting-edge technology that can skyrocket your business.

Are you a lender or homeowner interested in hearing about other great predictive analytics tools that are easy on the wallet? Check out our review of Homebot to kick off your search.

Methodology: How I Chose the Best Predictive Analytics Companies

Our methodology at The Close ensures that our team of professionals, writers, and editors thoroughly analyzes each platform. We meticulously evaluate the features, usability, integration capabilities, performance, and affordability of the AI tools available for real estate. 

Even though our team has decades of combined real estate experience, navigating through the wild, complex, and sometimes confounding world of data analytics wasn’t easy. To make sure we were using objective measures, in addition to our educated opinions, we looked at these five key criteria to select our picks for the top companies:

  • Affordability and value for money: Cost was an important consideration. We looked for tools that provided a good balance of features and return on investment.
  • Feature set and functionality: We evaluated the range of features each tool offers and focused on how impactful these features are to real estate operations. 
  • Usability and customer ratings: We looked for tools with intuitive interfaces, straightforward navigation, and comprehensive support resources. We want to ensure it can be easily integrated into an agent’s workflow. 
  • Integration capabilities: Because so many tools are needed in the real estate industry, we want to ensure that an agent’s technology stack can communicate with other tools necessary for business. 
  • Effectiveness and performance: We considered the effectiveness of each tool to make sure that it increased productivity and would achieve the desired outcomes that it promised. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)




Bringing It All Together

Data analytics, and predictive analytics specifically, is an exciting, cutting-edge field that has the potential to completely shake up our industry. I believe that agents, teams, and brokers will see a serious ROI with the right data analytics tool. I hope this guide has helped narrow down the options and decide what might be the right company (or companies) for your business. 

Are there any predictive analytics companies serving the real estate world that we missed? Who should we include the next time around? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Predictive Analytics in Real Estate: Best Practices & Software for Agents appeared first on The Close.

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The 7 Best Free Real Estate CRMs for 2024 https://theclose.com/best-free-real-estate-crm/ https://theclose.com/best-free-real-estate-crm/#comments Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:30:49 +0000 https://theclose.com/?p=5846 If you're not ready to pay for a CRM quite yet, we've picked the best free real estate CRM platforms to help you establish a consistent client communication plan.

The post The 7 Best Free Real Estate CRMs for 2024 appeared first on The Close.

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It can feel like you’re juggling a million things in the fast world of real estate transactions. That is why you need to have a trusty client relationship manager (CRM). You may be concerned about the financial commitment required to have access to such a platform, but I’ve been able to round up the best free real estate CRMs that have all the necessary features. From task management and slick marketing automation to some AI magic, The Close has got you covered. Find the perfect free CRM for real estate to level up your game all at no cost!

  • ClickUp: Best for task management and productivity features
  • HubSpot: Best for comprehensive email marketing capabilities
  • Agile CRM: Best for cloud-based device integration 
  • Bitrix24: Best for team collaboration tools
  • Freshsales CRM: Best for free deal management features 
  • Zoho CRM: Best for customizable workflows
  • Insightly: Best for project management features
Featured Partner

Top Producer CRM: Streamline your business & close more deals. Get a 30-day free trial now.

Top Producer logo
  • Automated lead follow-up: Text & email drip campaigns educate & engage leads
  • All-in-one system: Manage contacts & transactions in a centralized, intuitive dashboard
  • Powerful integrations: MLS data, 150+ lead providers, plus Gmail, Outlook, iCloud and more

The Close’s Top Picks for Best Free Real Estate CRM

Online Rent Payment SoftwareBest forNumber of UsersLearn More Below
Clickup logoFree subscription and accounting toolsFree for 1 user ClickUp ↓
HubSpot LogoAll-in-one solution and intuitive interfaceFree for up to 5 usersHubSpot ↓
agile crm logoSecured rent collectionFree for up to 10 users Agile CRM ↓
bitrix24 logoMobile appUnlimited Bitrix24 ↓
Freshsales logoNext-day rent paymentFree for up to 3 users Freshsales ↓
logo for Zoho, one of our top free CRMsNext-day rent paymentFree for up to 3 users Zoho CRM ↓
Insightly logoNext-day rent paymentFree for up to 2 users Insightly ↓
Online Rent Payment SoftwareBest forNumber of UsersLearn More Below
Clickup logoFree subscription and accounting toolsFree for 1 user ClickUp ↓
HubSpot LogoAll-in-one solution and intuitive interfaceFree for up to 5 usersHubSpot ↓
agile crm logoSecured rent collectionFree for up to 10 users Agile CRM ↓
bitrix24 logoMobile appUnlimited Bitrix24 ↓
Freshsales logoNext-day rent paymentFree for up to 3 users Freshsales ↓
logo for Zoho, one of our top free CRMsNext-day rent paymentFree for up to 3 users Zoho CRM ↓
Insightly logoNext-day rent paymentFree for up to 2 users Insightly ↓

ClickUp: Best for Task Management & Productivity Features

ClickUp
Pros
  • Has highly customizable dashboards
  • Integrates with numerous third-party apps
  • Has user-friendly interface with robust productivity tools
  • Has social media integrations
Cons
  • Provides access to mobile application for a fee
  • Requires some technical capability to set up
  • Does not offer phone support
  • Lacks free SMS texting included
The Close Score
4.9
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
4.5
Advanced Features:
5.0
Ease of Use:
5.0
Help and Support:
4.0
Customer Rating:
4.4
Expert Score:
4.6
out
of
5

Why I Chose ClickUp

I chose ClickUp because of its unrivaled task management and productivity features. This platform is tailor-made for real estate agents who really get a kick out of being organized and productive. Custom dashboards and integration with a huge variety of third-party apps make this tool quite versatile when it comes to daily task management. While not CRM-specific, strong productivity tools like team whiteboard and chat capabilities coupled with a great user interface make it easy for an agent to track work and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Internal chat feature within the ClickUp dashboard
Team chat interface (Source: ClickUp)

Additional Features

  • Wikis: ClickUp’s wikis allow agents to create and store important information in a centralized, easily accessible location.
  • Gantt charts: Gantt charts in ClickUp provide a visual timeline for projects, helping agents track progress, manage deadlines, and ensure all tasks are on schedule.

HubSpot: Best for Comprehensive Email Marketing Capabilities

HubSpot
Pros
  • Has free texting capabilities
  • Provides mobile application
  • Has social media integrations
  • Includes team collaboration tools
Cons
  • Requires technical skills to set up
  • Only has customer service during business hours
  • Can be expensive if you need premium features.
  • Has limited customization options in the free plan
The Close Score
4.6
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
5.0
Advanced Features:
5.0
Ease of Use:
3.0
Help and Support:
4.5
Customer Rating:
4.6
Expert Score:
5.0
out
of
5

Why I Chose HubSpot

What sets HubSpot apart from the other free CRMs is the fact that it offers email marketing capabilities in its free plan. If you’re a real estate agent looking to save hours of your time sending emails and collecting data via forms, this is the way to go. The ease of use and integration with other tools built by HubSpot make the user experience seamless. Although the free version is quite limited, there is still so much here to offer real estate agents in terms of building a marketing foundation.

Image of an email workflow of a nurture campaign
Email marketing workflow (Source: HubSpot)

Additional Features

  • Meeting scheduler: HubSpot’s meeting scheduler allows agents to book appointments directly through their calendar, syncs with their availability, and eliminates the back-and-forth of scheduling.
  • AI email writer: The AI email writer helps agents craft personalized emails to improve communication with clients and save valuable time on drafting messages.

Agile CRM: Best for Cloud-based Device Integration

 Agile CRM
Pros
  • Has 50,000 contacts in a free account
  • Provides unlimited deals, tasks, and documents
  • Includes email tracking in the free plan
  • Does not require credit card for sign-up
Cons
  • Has the lowest customer review rating
  • Does not offer customer service 24/7
  • Does not include call recording in the free plan
  • Requires technical skills to set up
The Close Score
4.8
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
5.0
Advanced Features:
5.0
Ease of Use:
3.0
Help and Support:
4.7
Customer Rating:
3.9
Expert Score:
4.1
out
of
5

Why I Chose Agile CRM

Agile CRM is cloud-based and easily accessed from any device, which provides flexibility and mobility in your real estate operation. It integrates CRM and marketing automation into one seamless solution to manage client relations and full-scale marketing campaigns on a single platform. The free CRM for realtors allows for 1,000 contacts, custom data fields, and appointment scheduling that can be accessed through the mobile application or via desktop. One benefit of the Agile CRM is that agents can switch between pricing plans at any time to scale the business up or down as needed.

Colorful Agile CRM dashboard with graphs and deal numbers
Agile CRM dashboard (Source: Agile CRM)

Additional Features

  • Email tracking: The email tracking feature allows agents to monitor when and how often clients open their emails, providing valuable insights into engagement and helping to tailor follow-up strategies effectively.
  • Custom deal milestones: It enables agents to set and track specific stages in their sales process, offering a clear view of deal progress and ensuring that each transaction moves smoothly.

Bitrix24: Best for Team Collaboration Tools

Bitrix24
Pros
  • Has a website builder
  • Provides 5GB of online storage
  • Has 15-day free trial
  • Includes automatic dialer
Cons
  • Does not offer customer support in the free plan
  • Needs additional fee for marketing tools
  • Only provides CRM access permissions on paid plans
  • Lacks listing management capabilities
The Close Score
4.8
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
4.6
Advanced Features:
4.2
Ease of Use:
5.0
Help and Support:
3.5
Customer Rating:
4.0
Expert Score:
4.5
out
of
5

Why I Chose Bitrix24

I chose Bitrix24 as one of the best free CRMs for realtors because it excelled in team collaboration tools, which are critical to a growing real estate business. It offers an all-inclusive free plan with many helpful features like a calendar, company social network, and project kanban. Although customer support is limited to free users, the setup process doesn’t require any technical skills, and it provides a lot of free real estate database storage space in the free account. Bitrix24’s available collaboration tools make it perfect for teams looking to enhance communication and productivity.

Image of Bitrix24 CRM displayed on mobile and desktop
CRM interface on desktop and mobile (Source: Bitrix24)

Additional Features

  • Bitrix24 sign: It allows agents to send and receive legally binding electronic signatures on documents.
  • Online store: This enables agents to create a storefront to market and sell real estate-related products.

Freshsales CRM: Best for Free Deal Management Features

Freshsales CRM
Pros
  • Has 21-day free trial
  • Includes kanban views
  • Provides live chat features
  • Has built-in phone dialer
Cons
  • Does not provide 24/7 support
  • Only offers activity dashboard in paid plans
  • Does not provide workflows
  • Has limited customization for free plan
The Close Score
4.7
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
3.0
Advanced Features:
5.0
Ease of Use:
5.0
Help and Support:
4.7
Customer Rating:
4.6
Expert Score:
5.0
out
of
5

Why I Chose Freshsales CRM

What drew my attention to Freshsales CRM is that, even in the free plan, it offers deal management capabilities. It gives an agent the ability to see how deals are efficiently tracked, managed, and closed without any extra cost. This results in agents being able to stay in control of the sales process and keep the business running at all times. While more advanced features like sales pipelines, dashboards, and detailed analytics are saved for paid plans, the best real estate CRM free version still offers excellent features like data importing, email templates, inbound caller ID, etc.

Image of Freshsales dashboard showcasing sales pipeline
CRM sales dashboard (Source: Freshsales)

Additional Features

  • Contact lifecycle stages: It allows agents to categorize and track contacts through different stages of the sales funnel, from prospecting to closing, providing a clear view of where each client stands. 
  • Unique fields: It helps differentiate records and prevents duplicate records.

Zoho CRM: Best for Customizable Workflows

Zoho CRM
Pros
  • Is free forever and has no trial period
  • Has Cloud-based data and file storage
  • Includes email marketing workflows
  • Provides lead capturing web form
Cons
  • Needs to improve its user interface
  • Has email parsing only in paid plans
  • Has limited analytics reporting in the free plan
  • Has overwhelming free plan to new CRM users
The Close Score
4.7
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
2.7
Advanced Features:
5.0
Ease of Use:
5.0
Help and Support:
5.0
Customer Rating:
4.5
Expert Score:
5.0
out
of
5

Why I Chose Zoho CRM

For real estate agents looking for a more customizable CRM experience, Zoho CRM is one of the best free CRMs because of its very customized workflows and integration options. In addition to the pocket-friendly pricing plans, the email notification tools and mobile application access give agents the flexibility to manage their businesses on the go. While the free version is missing more robust features like AI tools, the included features still make Zoho CRM a very powerful tool for agents who want a customizable solution for free.

Graphic showing custom fields created in Zoho CRM.
Conditional fields in Zoho CRM (Source: Zoho CRM)

Additional Features

  • Multiple pipelines: Agents can manage multiple sales processes by using different pipelines. 
  • Scoring rules: Lead scoring helps agents prioritize those most likely to close.

Insightly: Best for Project Management Features

Insightly
Pros
  • Includes up to 2,500 records in free plan
  • Has 14-day free trial
  • Has customizable page layouts
  • Provides multiple integration options
Cons
  • Limits users to 10 emails per day on free plan
  • Has limited email templates without upgrading
  • Only has customer support during business hours
  • Has expensive paid plans per user
The Close Score
4.5
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
2.7
Advanced Features:
4.6
Ease of Use:
5.0
Help and Support:
4.5
Customer Rating:
4.0
Expert Score:
4.5
out
of
5

Why I Chose Insightly

Of the many available free CRM options, Insightly may be one of the better choices for real estate agents dealing with numerous complex transactions and projects because it has very good project management features. Even in the free plan, agents get access to integrations with applications like QuickBooks Online, PandaDoc, and Xero, along with the ability to customize page layouts that can benefit your business operations. The platform’s ability to help agents scale their businesses through project management and lead management tools makes it ideal for agents looking to streamline their transaction processes.

Screenshot of available integration icons
Available Insightly integrations (Source: Insightly)

Additional Features

  • Custom data entry fields: Agents can create business-specific data fields unique to them.
  • Online help center: It provides 24/7 access to help articles and videos in the free plan.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)




Methodology: How I Chose the Best Free Real Estate CRM 

While choosing the best free real estate agent CRM options, we at The Close took a very meticulous and thorough review to make sure that we delivered the ones that were most reliable and effective. Our methodology took into account a detailed analysis of the various CRMs regarding a wide range of factors relative to the real estate professional. Our team of experts went through an accurate review and testing of these platforms for their suitability and to make sure they performed well in a real estate context.  

Below are the key criteria we evaluated for the best free CRM for realtors:

  • Pricing (30%):
    • We prioritized CRMs that offer robust features in their free plans, providing excellent value without hidden costs.
  • Features (20%):
    • We assessed the essential features available, such as contact management, mobile application, and website integration, to ensure they meet the core needs of real estate agents.
  • Additional Features (20%): 
    • We looked at extra functionalities like customizable reports, AI capabilities, and team collaboration that add significant value to the CRM.
  • Ease of Use (10%):
    • Technical skills required to set up and operate the platform were taken into consideration 
  • Help and Support (5%):
    • The availability and format of customer support were reviewed to ensure agents can get assistance when needed.
  • Customer Rating (5%):
    • We considered user feedback and ratings to gauge overall satisfaction and real-world performance.
  • Expert Score (10%):
    • Our team of experts provided an additional layer of evaluation, rating each CRM based on the overall features, value for money, and ease of use.  

Your Take

Cheap real estate CRMs could be a huge help for real estate agents in contact and deal management, but they could also automate marketing efforts, starting with zero cost. If you can effectively use a free CRM for your business, it would greatly help in enhancing your productivity levels and better management of your clientele. 

But that is not worth being shortsighted in your growth strategy. Though the free plans include useful features, many are limited in ways that will hinder your business as it expands. Upgrading to the paid plans as you grow will unlock advanced capabilities, provide scalability, and more, allowing you to take on new opportunities and secure long-term success.

The post The 7 Best Free Real Estate CRMs for 2024 appeared first on The Close.

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https://theclose.com/best-free-real-estate-crm/feed/ 17 Top Producer logo clickup-LOGO-900×400 HubSpot Logo Agile-CRM-Logo-900×400 Bitrix-Logo-900×400 Freshsales logo Zoho CRM logo Insightly logo clickup-LOGO-900×400 HubSpot Logo Agile-CRM-Logo-900×400 Bitrix-Logo-900×400 Freshsales logo Zoho CRM logo Insightly logo ClickUp unnamed – 2024-07-18T161924.399 HubSpot unnamed – 2024-07-18T161927.927 Agile CRM unnamed – 2024-07-18T161931.788 Bitrix24 unnamed – 2024-07-18T161935.790 Freshsales CRM unnamed – 2024-07-18T161939.386 Zoho CRM unnamed – 2024-07-18T161942.843 Insightly unnamed – 2024-07-18T161045.716 expand/collapse expand/collapse expand/collapse
The 6 Best Virtual Staging Software 2024 & Virtual Staging Guide https://theclose.com/virtual-staging-software/ https://theclose.com/virtual-staging-software/#comments Tue, 16 Jul 2024 12:47:13 +0000 https://theclose.com/?p=12212 Get your listings in the best light! In this updated guide, we review both the best virtual staging tools and done-for-you professional staging options on the market in 2023. We cover pricing, design quality, and examples of virtual staging from each provider.

The post The 6 Best Virtual Staging Software 2024 & Virtual Staging Guide appeared first on The Close.

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Ever seen a property listing with no furniture or really bad furniture? Since you’re a real estate professional, it may be easy for you to visualize the potential in those properties, but for most buyers, that is very difficult. Enter virtual staging: the perfect way to make a space beautiful and appealing when listing photos. I gathered the best virtual staging software based on pricing, design quality, and features so you can create stunning and realistic spaces. Also, I’ve included a guide of tips and tricks to help you along the way. Let’s get started! 

  • Styldod: Best for quick turn-around times
  • Tantify: Best for high-end, realistic staging
  • BoxBrownie: Best for a variety of virtual services
  • PadStyler: Best for customization and furniture selection
  • Stuccco: Best for do-it-yourself (DIY) and ease of use
  • Apply Design: Best for on-the-spot revisions

The Close’s Picks for Best Virtual Staging Software

Type of SoftwareBest ForPrice
Per Image
Learn More Below
StyldodQuick turn-around times$16Styldod ↓
TantifyHigh-end, realistic staging$69Tantify ↓
BoxBrownieVarious virtual services$24BoxBrownie ↓
PadStylerCustomization and furniture selection$29PadStyler ↓
StucccoDIY and ease of use$15Stuccco ↓
Apply DesignOn-the-spot revisions$10.50Apply Design ↓

Styldod: Best for Quick Turnaround Times

Styldod
Pros
  • Price savings for more than 8 images
  • Unlimited free revisions
  • Turnaround time: 24-48 hours
  • Customer satisfaction guarantee
  • Various design options
Cons
  • Limited customizations
  • Inconsistent quality
  • Basic furniture options
  • Slower customer support
  • Less realistic
The Close Score
4.9
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
2.6
Ease of Use:
4.5
Customer Service:
1.5
Customer Rating:
4.6
Expert Score:
4.6
out
of
5

Why I Chose Styldod

Talk about home improvement! With Styldod’s super-fast turnaround time (24 to 48 hours), agents will be listing properties in no time and attracting buyers right away. Plus, with prices starting at just $16 per image, it’s budget-friendly without skimping on quality. Customers love that Styldod offers a bunch of design options and super realistic renderings, making listings look their best. Not to mention, you get unlimited revisions if you want to make any changes.

Before and after photos of a bedroom using the glam design option.
Before and after using glam design template (Source: Styledod)

Additional Features

  • AI object removal: This is great for agents who want to remove an object or two from an existing photo without virtually staging an entire room.
  • Real estate video maker: Agents can create a free listing video in minutes with premade templates.

Tantify: Best for High-end, Realistic Staging

Tantify
Pros
  • Free consultations
  • Turnaround time: as little as 8 hours
  • Staging of complex properties
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • High-quality images
Cons
  • Higher pricing
  • Limited services
  • Complex ordering process
  • Targeted at the luxury market
  • Less flexibility for last-minute changes
The Close Score
4.5
Pricing:
3.0
General Features:
3.7
Ease of Use:
4.5
Customer Service:
4.0
Customer Rating:
3.2
Expert Score:
4.6
out
of
5

Why I Chose Tantify

Tantify is all about turning boring property photos into stylish, inviting spaces with its virtual staging magic. It provides high-end virtual staging that results in super-realistic, high-quality images that catch the eye of potential buyers. 

It has the best image quality and interior design taste that we know of among staging service providers. While it doesn’t offer virtual house staging software for real estate agents, it consistently puts out photorealistic virtual staging images with stunning interior design.

Virtual staging of a downtown apartment living room
High-end staging (Source: Tantify)

Additional Features

  • Realistic renderings: The bottom line—these photos look real. This may be the most expensive option, but it also produces the best results for luxury agents.
  • Quick redesign and virtual renovation: Remove unwanted furniture to upgrade a space without virtually staging the entire room. If you have a commercial space or a property that needs an overhaul, consider purchasing the renovation option for complex listings.

BoxBrownie: Best for Variety of Virtual Services

BoxBrownie
Pros
  • Realistic staging at an affordable price
  • Turnaround time: 48 hours
  • Unlimited revisions at no cost
  • Multiple furniture style choices
  • Easy online ordering
Cons
  • Higher cost for premium services
  • Quality can be inconsistent
  • Larger orders can take longer
  • Overwhelming amount of service options
  • Multiple revisions are often needed
The Close Score
4.5
Pricing:
3.0
General Features:
2.9
Ease of Use:
4.5
Customer Service:
5.0
Customer Rating:
4.6
Expert Score:
4.1
out
of
5

Why I Chose BoxBrownie

BoxBrownie does it all by offering virtual staging, photo editing, floor plan, 360° virtual tours and more. It’s actually my go-to for real estate photo edits, and so far it has not let me down. Sure, some of the premium options cost more, but the results are worth it. I love having everything I need in one place, no matter what project I’m working on. And its customer service?—Chef’s kiss!

Before and after virtual floor plans
Before and after virtual floor plans (Source: BoxBrownie)

Additional Features

  • Floor plans: Turn the typical, hard-to-read floor plan into a work of art with BoxBrownie’s virtually staged floor plans. I love seeing these on listings!
  • Professional copywriting: Now that you have these beautiful photos, you have to write a listing description. If you feel stuck, BoxBrownie has copywriting options for you.

PadStyler: Best for Customization & Furniture Selection

PadStyler
Pros
  • Rush delivery available
  • Exterior virtual staging
  • Unlimited design revisions
  • Price match promise
  • Free virtual tour included
Cons
  • On the higher end of pricing
  • No specified turnaround times
  • Less user-friendly platform
  • Limited additional services
  • Inconsistent customer service experiences
The Close Score
4.2
Pricing:
2.5
General Features:
2.6
Ease of Use:
4.5
Customer Service:
4.0
Customer Rating:
4.7
Expert Score:
4.3
out
of
5

Why I Chose PadStyler

I went with PadStyler because it lets me play interior designer without breaking the bank. Sure, it’s got a bit of a learning curve with all the customization options, but once you get the hang of it, you can really make each room pop. I love how I can pick from a huge library of furniture and decor to match any style I need. Plus, the detailed options mean I can get everything just right for each property. It’s like having a virtual decorating party right at my fingertips!

Before and after of an exterior deck with and without patio furniture
Exterior virtual staging (Source: PadStyler)

Additional Features

  • 3D walkthrough: Perfect for new construction properties, you can show potential buyers what the house can look like once it is finished. 
  • Schedule an actual photoshoot: If you’re in Austin, Texas—you’re in luck. Not only does PadStyler have virtual staging options, but it also has professional photographers available in your area.

Stuccco: Best for DIY & Ease of Use

Stuccco
Pros
  • Add or remove furniture and decor
  • Turnaround time: 24 hours
  • Discount on additional features with subscription
  • Library of style types to choose from
  • Unlimited revisions
Cons
  • Subscription required to unlock additional features
  • Limited additional services available
  • Pricing structure is more complicated than most
  • Some visuals appear to be lower quality
  • Requires high quality photos for best results
The Close Score
4.1
Pricing:
2.5
General Features:
2.6
Ease of Use:
4.5
Customer Service:
4.0
Customer Rating:
4.3
Expert Score:
4.3
out
of
5

Why I Chose Stuccco

Stucco gets the job done with its no-hassle virtual staging. It may not offer all the bells and whistles like some other providers, but you don’t have to be a design guru to get results you’ll love. If you’re looking for DIY virtual staging, this program is easy to use and perfect for an agent on a tight budget. While the pricing structure can seem overwhelming, it does allow you to only pay for what you need.

virtually staged office space with desk, chairs, shelving and accessories.
Virtually staged office space (Source: Stuccco)

Additional Features

  • Listing pages with stats: Listing pages allow you to manage who sees this page and its contents. When you share it, you’ll be able to track the buyer traffic, leads, and conversion rate.
  • Lead capture: Upgrade your plan so homebuyers can share their contact info on your property Listing Pages, making it easy to capture buyer leads and follow up with them.

Apply Design: Best for On-the-Spot Revisions

Apply Design
Pros
  • No design experience required
  • Turnaround time: 15 minutes
  • Item removal included
  • On-the-spot revisions in one click
  • First image is free
Cons
  • Limited service offerings
  • Less customizable than other designers
  • Takes time to learn the program
  • Geared towards quick results vs quality
  • DIYers will need an eye for design, at least
The Close Score
4.1
Pricing:
3.8
General Features:
1.6
Ease of Use:
4.5
Customer Service:
3.0
Customer Rating:
4.1
Expert Score:
3.6
out
of
5

Why I Chose Apply Design

Apply Design is an easy-to-use app that allows anyone to quickly stage their listings. Apply Design is one of the only virtual staging apps on the market that still allows agents to do their own virtual staging. It’s also very easy to use and includes a large number of tasteful, high-quality renderings of furniture, art, lighting, rugs, plants, and other home furnishings.

Two pictures of a living room before and after item removal features
One-click item removal (Source: Apply Design)

Additional Features

  • AI decluttering: Remove the existing furniture or other clutter automatically by simply checking a box.
  • On-the-spot revisions: Make quick changes with Apply Design’s drag-and-drop editor. Customize any real estate photo in a snap.

The Ultimate Virtual Staging Guide

So, you want to know how to do virtual staging? At the end of the day, picking a virtual staging software is just as important as knowing the best virtual staging tricks. That’s why I added this virtual staging guide to give you easy steps, insider tips, and cool examples to help you become a virtual staging pro. Whether you’re just starting out or already a staging whiz, this guide will help you rock any virtual staging tool and make your properties look amazing. 

As an added bonus, you can download our top 10 staging tips for free:

Download Your Free Staging Tips

What Is Virtual Staging?

Virtual staging is like magic for your property photos. Instead of lugging heavy furniture around, you use fancy tech to digitally spruce up empty rooms. It’s like giving your place a stylish makeover without breaking a sweat (or your back!). Virtual staging spruces up listings, making them look lived-in and super inviting to potential buyers. It’s the secret weapon for selling homes faster and making them look totally Instagram-worthy! 

 Instagram post from Apply Design showing the Scandinavian decor in a kitchenette.
Scandinavian decor virtual staging by Apply Design on Instagram (Source: Instagram)

When to Use Virtual Staging

When should you use virtual staging products when selling a home? Anytime is perfect for showcasing the potential of a space without the hassle and cost of physically staging it. Plus, you can target different buyer demographics by styling rooms to suit various tastes—turning that spare room into a cozy office or a kids’ playroom with just a few clicks.

Let’s take a look at some of the best reasons to use virtual staging: 

  • Empty spaces: Transform vacant rooms into furnished, inviting spaces.
  • Outdated decor: Update the look of a home with modern furnishings and decor.
  • Cost-effective makeover: Stage a property without the expense of traditional staging.
  • Targeted marketing: Customize staging to appeal to specific buyer demographics or lifestyles.
  • Quick sales: Attract more interest and potentially sell properties faster with visually appealing listings, especially if a property is lacking; uh-hum—appeal.
  • Creative flexibility: Experiment with different layouts and designs to showcase a property’s full potential.

Differences Between Traditional vs Virtual Staging

Many agents ask, Is virtual staging really as effective as traditional staging? Virtual staging can be a highly effective alternative to traditional home staging, offering cost savings, flexibility, and the ability to reach a wider audience with appealing pics. However, the effectiveness ultimately depends on the specific property, target market, and the quality of the virtual staging itself.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each type of staging to help you determine which method is right for your listing. First up, traditional staging:

Traditional Staging
Pros
Cons
  • Physically experience the space
  • Can be expensive
  • Perceived value by the buyer
  • Time-consuming physical labor
  • Immediate impact
  • Limited flexibility in actual spaces

Now, let’s take a look at the upside and downside of virtual staging:

Virtual Staging
Pros
Cons
  • Cost-effective option
  • Dependent on quality of original photos
  • Quick turnaround times
  • Tech skills needed to use software
  • Creative flexibility
  • Potentially misleading to buyers

Whichever way you decide to stage a home, be sure to chat with your sellers about how they feel about any disruptions or how easy it’ll be for them to use.

Decide Your Budget & Pick a Great Virtual Staging Software

When you’re choosing the best virtual home staging software, start by figuring out your budget. Software costs can vary a lot, so it’s important to find one that fits your wallet. Check out what each software offers by returning to the above section—things like lots of furniture choices, realistic-looking designs, and how easy it is to use. Then make sure your budget aligns and get to work! 

Do’s & Don’ts of Virtual Staging 

So, now that you know what you’re going to do, let’s talk about some best practices for virtually staging a property. Choose furniture setups that enhance the space without making it look cramped. Make sure the virtual staging shows off natural light and highlights what makes your property special. Skip the overly fancy or too-personal decorations that could distract potential buyers or renters. 

Keeping it simple and inviting will help you create digital presentations that catch eyes and make a great impression. It’s the little things that we can sometimes overlook, like curb appeal

Here are a few do’s and don’ts to get you started.

Do’s
Don’ts
  • Keep it neutral
  • Overdo it
  • Declutter
  • Leave personal items
  • Highlight key property features
  • Forget about the exterior
  • Consider the flow
  • Overlook the lighting

Show Off Your Masterpiece

You’re done, you did it! Now, gather those beautiful masterpieces and get to marketing your listing. The house won’t sell itself, but your newly staged photos just might.  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)





Methodology: How I Chose the Best Virtual Staging Software

Our methodology at The Close ensures that our team of professionals, writers, and editors thoroughly analyzes each software. We meticulously evaluate the affordability, features, usability, customer support, and reviews of the virtual staging software available for real estate to determine our expert score. 

We picked the best and most reliable virtual staging software to help real estate agents boost their business and sell their listings. Our thorough selection process ensures that our top picks make it easier for agents to streamline their work, impress clients, and hit their business goals.

Detailed criteria included the following to determine the best real estate virtual staging software: 

  • Affordability: Cost was an important consideration. We looked for tools that provide a good balance of features and affordability.
  • Features: We evaluated the range of features each tool offers and focused on how impactful this feature is to real estate operations. 
  • Usability and support: We looked for tools with intuitive interfaces, straightforward navigation, and comprehensive support resources such as tutorials, FAQs, and customer service. 
  • Customer ratings: We looked at what actual customers were saying about the product to ensure our research was unbiased.
  • Expert score: After we take all of the factors into consideration, we compile all the scores to determine our expert score.

Your Take

When virtually staging a home, think of yourself as a digital decorator with endless possibilities at your fingertips. Play around with different styles and setups to see what clicks best, but make sure you know your audience. Keep your visuals clean and focused on the property’s best features to really make your listings pop. 

Have great virtual staging software you swear by or a tip for our readers? Let us know in the comments.

The post The 6 Best Virtual Staging Software 2024 & Virtual Staging Guide appeared first on The Close.

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