8 months ago
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As an agent, you’re always looking for high-quality, exclusive leads — and especially during current market conditions. One of the most efficient ways to build new business is to buy real estate leads. It’s a rapid, cost-effective way to build your pipeline of leads, expand your client list, and ultimately boost sales. We evaluated several providers to find the best places to buy real estate leads, and considered whether the leads are quality, qualified, and exclusive.
Buying real estate leads isn’t just for new agents. This strategy can complement traditional lead generation methods like open houses, first-time homebuyer seminars and social media marketing. Some providers, like Market Leader, offer a guaranteed monthly volume of exclusive leads.
Market Leader
Who should use it: Solo agents
Just as the name implies, Market Leader has a reputation for being a go-to tool suite for the world of real estate marketing. It dishes out everything from email and SMS marketing to effective lead capture forms and an integrated CRM system. Market Leader also has an ace team of in-house ad experts who help you generate exclusive real estate leads.
Market Leader’s all-in-one system offers a comprehensive solution for real estate lead generation, including website building, CRM and marketing automation. It stands out by guaranteeing a specific monthly volume of exclusive leads, though this amount will vary based on your geographic location. Market Leader’s unique approach focuses on nurturing leads for long-term client relationships, so it’s great for a solo agent who’s just starting to build their email list.
It also comes with an added feature called Network Boost, that provides additional exclusive social media leads with automated nurturing. However, Market Leader may not be ideal for larger teams or those looking for more customization. Users seem to praise Market Leader’s CRM and general ease of use, but also have concerns about the quality of their leads and the platform’s six-month minimum contract commitment
Buying Options
See Details
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Pricing
- Professional for Agents: $139 per month
- Professional for Teams: $139 per month plus additional per-user charges
- Business Suite for Brokers: $139 per month plus additional per-user charges
- Network Boost: Around 40+ leads for as little as $350 per month
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Pros + Cons
Pros:
- Email and SMS marketing services
- Built-in lead management CRM
- Lead capture forms
- Lead exclusivity
- Full marketing suite
Cons:
- Lead list generation comes with a fee
- Does not offer a concierge service
- Limited analytics
- No free trial period
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Features
- Automated workflow
- Social media integration
- Customizable reports
- Network Boost helps generate leads through social media ad campaigns
- HouseValues helps you get leads from a desired ZIP code
- Leads Direct helps run pay-per-click advertising campaigns
- Six-month contract minimum
Exclusivity: Yes
Trial period: No
Zurple
Who should use it: Real estate agents looking for automated email nurturing and conversion support
Zurple is a lead generation tool designed to help you nurture and convert real estate leads, with a focus on personalized follow-up and behavioral analytics. It offers multiple home search websites and proprietary nurture campaigns called Conversations.
Have you ever wanted an assistant to help you keep track of your email workflow and leads? Zurple is that assistant you’ve been looking for. It is a real estate lead generation and nurturing software with a focus on personalized communication and behavioral analytics. While its expensive setup fee and contract terms may not be ideal for all agents, Zurple’s emphasis on lead quality, lead prioritization and automated nurturing campaigns make it suitable for real estate professionals aiming to streamline the efficacy of their email marketing efforts. Customer reviews highlight the platform’s unique engagement and analytics features, which facilitate more effective lead nurturing and conversions. However, limited customer support and the absence of SMS marketing capabilities may not meet the needs of larger teams or agents looking for extensive customization options.
Buying Options
See Details
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Pricing
Set up fee of $799 + starting price of $309 per month ($299 + $10 for each MLS), with additional fees for multiple users (150/month for 5 users; $150/month to add a lender; $150 to import 5,000+ leads), as well as optional add-ons for extra lead support.
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Pros + Cons
Pros:
- Advanced “Conversations” tool for personalized and targeted email follow-ups.
- Automated email campaigns that read as natural and organic.
- Hot Behaviors feature to notify you when leads are ready for follow-up.
- Detailed reports on follow-up metrics.
Cons:
- Steep setup fee and required six- to 12-month contract
- No SMS marketing capabilities or task workflows within the CRM
- Customer support is limited to email
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Features
- Targeted communication
- Automatic alerts and task reminders
- Personalized targeted email follow-ups
- Lead behavior analytics and lead notifications
Exclusivity: Yes, based on ZIP code targeting
Trial period: No
Offrs
Who should use it: Agents looks for exclusive sellers leads (and a no-contract option)
Offrs has been honing its AI-powered predictive analytics tool for well over a decade. Hint: algorithms get better with each successful property sale. Offrs can help you find the most promising sellers based on hundreds of data points. You can purchase exclusive leads with no contract (for a slightly higher monthly price than their 12-month contract rate.
Their latest AI feature, RAIA, is was trained by licensed real estate agents. It’s an automated chatbot that can help to qualify and nurture your inbound leads, letting you deal with only the most qualified ones who are ready to sell, and who have answered a series of relevant questions like “When are you thinking of listing your home?” and “What’s your expected listing price?”. Super helpful!
Buying Options
See Details
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Pricing
Pricing starts at $499 per month for exclusive leads. Their no-contract option is more expensive than the 12-month contract option. Visit Offrs to request and demo and get their latest pricing.
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Pros + Cons
Pros:
- A no-contract option so you can try Offrs (for a slightly higher cost per month)
- A highly effective chatbot to qualify new leads by asking pertinent questions
Cons:
- No CRM, but if you are looking for seller leads and already have a CRM for your contact management, Offrs + RAIA is an excellent choice.
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Features
- Uses AI to analyze consumer and other data & market trends to identify homeowners most likely to list their property
- RAIA is an AI chatbot that qualifies leads via SMS, email, or on your website with a friendly chatbot
- RAIA is trained by licensed agents & ISAs
- Offrs gives you AI predictive lead scoring so you can understand how high- or low-funnel they are
- Available ROOF upgrade means ISAs will call the leads that Offrs provides for you, and nurture them even further
Catalyze AI
Who should use it: Data lovers looking for inherited property leads
Catalyze AI is an innovative platform designed to assist real estate agents in identifying and targeting their highest-converting leads effectively through data. It leverages predictive analytics, big data aggregation and real-time insights to offer agents a competitive edge in lead quality and accuracy.
Catalyze AI offers a solution to conventional real estate marketing’s uncertainty by using predictive analytics. What’s better than data to help you identify high-probability homes for more intelligent lead targeting, resulting in cost savings and increased conversion rates? The platform provides exclusive leads, although its availability may be limited in some markets. Its ability to predict property sales with 40% precision and offer localized leads within a 50-mile radius makes it a compelling choice for agents looking to optimize their lead generation efforts.
Buying Options
See Details
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Pricing
Starts at $360 per month for 30 leads ($12 per lead for homes under $1 million; $15 for higher-value homes)
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Pros + Cons
Pros:
- Predictive analytics with a reported 40% prediction precision for inherited property sales
- All leads provided are within a 50-mile radius of the agent, ensuring local relevance
- Exclusive leads are uploaded on a monthly basis, reducing competition for prospects
Cons:
- Limited to inherited property leads
- Data sets may not be fully available in all markets
- As a newer platform, it may have some minor issues or kinks that need to be addressed
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Features
- Utilizes historical data, behavior analytics, event-driven data and real-time insights to provide predictive analysis
- Predicts high-probability homes for efficient lead targeting
- Access to 400 million data points
Exclusivity: Yes, exclusive listing leads get pushed to your platform every month
Trial period: No, but select discounts may be available (must inquire)
Contract requirements: Can cancel at any time
Zillow Premier Agent
Who should use it: Brokerages that want to build brand awareness
Zillow Premier Agent is a program offered by Zillow, one of the most popular real estate and rental websites in the U.S. The program aims to provide real estate professionals with exposure on the Zillow platform, offering access to a wide range of features, tools and resources to generate leads and grow their businesses. The program is designed to help agents connect with buyers, improve their brand recognition and convert leads into clients.
Zillow Premier Agent is a powerful tool for real estate professionals looking to boost their online presence — as long as you know how to use it to your advantage. The name of the game here is search traffic and lead generation. Zillow Premier Agent is a prominent and reputable player used by most homebuyers along their journey. It allows agents, teams, and brokerages to purchase targeted display ads in chosen ZIP codes, putting them among the top agents on Zillow. And unlike generic Facebook or Google ads, these leads are actively seeking an agent.
Beyond lead generation, Zillow Premier Agent offers a suite of tools including a CRM with a mobile app, an IDX website, ROI calculator, and more. It’s an excellent way to increase exposure and steadily grow your lead volume, connecting you with Zillow’s partners like Trulia and RealEstate.com. However, note that costs can vary and leads are shared among agents who share your zip code, making Zillow Premier Agent a better fit for brokerages with a strong marketing budget (and even better follow-up skills) looking to earn some good reviews.
Buying Options
See Details
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Pricing
Depends on the ZIP code—around $20–$60 per lead
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Pros + Cons
Pros:
- Ready-to-buy leads — users actively search Zillow for real estate when they are most likely to convert into clients.
- Lots of tools for agents
- Prominent reviews can help build trust and credibility among clients.
Cons:
- Leads are given to multiple agents in the same zip codes
- Six months minimum contract
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Features
- Automatic lead placement in Zillow’s mobile-friendly CRM
- Priority status when claiming properties on Zillow
- IDX website
- ROI calculator
- Virtual home tours
- Team profiles for brokerages
Exclusivity: No
Trial period: No
Contract requirements: Six-month minimum commitment
zBuyer
Who should use it: Agents who want to attract sellers interested in cash offers
A family-owned company, zBuyer focuses on customer satisfaction and offers verified, pre-vetted leads. Using analytics, it identifies potential sellers and prompts them to explore their home’s value on HousingNow.com, where leads must provide information to view listings. These vetted leads are then sent to agents in real time. While not exclusive, zBuyer shares leads with a maximum of six agents per area.
zBuyer stands out as a real estate lead generation service because of its unique approach, targeting potential home sellers interested in cash offers. While these leads are not expensive, nurturing them will be essential for gauging their interest in cash offers or introductory home valuations. Subscribers gain access to zBuyer’s prospecting list — a valuable database of local leads spanning two years — and the lead replacement program alleviates the stress of dealing with ineffective or duplicated leads.
Buying Options
See Details
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Pricing
Minimum monthly spend of $400; buyer leads around $12, seller leads range from $13 to $17 (varies by zipcode)
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Pros + Cons
Pros:
- Verified leads
- No contracts
- Reasonably priced
- Excellent customer service
Cons:
- Leads may be limited in some areas
- Non-exclusive leads
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Features
- Industry mastermind group
- Customizable lead packages
- Lead replacement policy
- Connected to HousingNow.com
Exclusivity: No
Trial period: No (but no contract)
Contract requirements: Flexible, no minimum
Our methodology: How we chose the best places to buy real estate leads in 2024
HousingWire is the destination for industry leaders and decision makers to stay informed and stay ahead of what’s going on in the constantly evolving U.S. housing industry.
To determine which real estate lead generation companies are best for industry professionals, HousingWire analyzed dozens of products and platforms, weighing the pros and cons of each alongside both quantitative and qualitative data like price, special features, ease of use, return on investment, client support, and customer reviews.
We crawled the web so you don’t have to, analyzing a wide sampling of reviews across social media, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and online discussion forums.
Frequently asked questions
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1. Should I pay for leads in real estate?
Paid leads may offer quantity, but their quality can definitely vary. Decide whether you prefer a smaller number of high-quality leads or a larger volume with potentially more “cold” prospects. It’s also wise to diversify your lead generation methods. While paid leads can be a part of your strategy, don’t overlook organic methods like referrals, networking and your overall online presence.
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2. Where do real estate agents get most of their leads?
Real estate agents source their leads from various channels. One effective method is through lead generation providers that come with additional marketing tools, such as Market Leader, REDX, Zillow Premier Agent, zBuyer, Catalyze AI and Zurple. These platforms offer a wide range of services to help real estate professionals better understand how to generate leads. These providers use a combination of strategies, including pre-verified leads, prospecting tools and marketing platforms to connect agents with potential buyers and sellers.
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3. How do I generate leads in 2024?
To generate real estate leads in 2024, real estate agents and brokers have several options. They can buy leads from the platforms we’ve mentioned in this guide (Market Leader, REDX, Zillow Premier Agent, zBuyer, Catalyze AI and Zurple) and take advantage of their additional marketing services such as email automation, lead capture forms, phone-based outreach, personalized follow-up and predictive analytics to attract and nurture leads.
Additionally, you can always fall back on more traditional lead generation methods like open houses, home buying seminars, referrals and online marketing to supplement your lead generation efforts.
Choose the option that best fits with your personality and goals. Be sure you choose marketing tactics you feel you can do consistently, as it takes a bit of momentum to build your pipeline of leads and close sales regularly.
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4. Where do real estate agents make the most money?
Your specific location and market conditions play a significant role in your earning potential. High-demand markets with favorable conditions may offer more lucrative opportunities.
Your potential for high earnings depends on your ability to effectively convert leads into clients and provide quality service. If you have a knack for consistently closing sales in lower-cost-of-living areas, you may find it is easier than generating revenue in high-end or luxe markets where eligible buyers are harder to come by.
Using platforms like Zillow Premier Agent can help to expand your online presence and connect with leads who are actively searching for real estate services.
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5. Is it worth it to buy real estate leads?
The decision to buy real estate leads depends on your preferences and business goals. Paid leads can offer quantity, but their quality can vary depending on the source.
You may prefer a smaller number of high-quality leads, while others may opt for a larger volume with potentially more “cold” prospects. No matter which option you choose, diversifying your lead generation approach is always a smart idea.
We suggest combining paid leads with organic approaches like asking for referrals from past clients and networking at events until you find your “sweet spot.”Each of the lead generation providers mentioned in this article has its advantages and challenges, and the benefit of buying real estate leads will depend on your ability nurture those leads until they’re ready to buy or sell.
The full picture: Where to buy real estate leads in 2024
With low inventory and homeowners hanging on to their low interest rates from recent years, you need a source for high-quality leads. Relying on a real estate lead generation service can be a crucial resource for your success for the rest of this year and in 2024.
Market Leader, a comprehensive real estate lead generation system, is suitable for solo agents, offering features like email and SMS marketing, lead capture forms and an integrated CRM to manage your leads. It focuses on nurturing leads for long-term client relationships.
For those who like the comfort of a household name, Zillow Premier Agent provides major brand recognition and exposure on the Zillow platform, while also offering tools and resources to connect with buyers and convert leads. On the other hand, zBuyer specializes in attracting potential home sellers interested in cash offers, and Catalyze AI uses predictive analytics to help agents identify high-probability inherited property leads.
And for personalized email follow-up and task reminders, Zurple is your best friend with insights into lead behavior analytics, making it suitable for agents looking to streamline email marketing efforts. Meanwhile, REDX is an option for individual agents who prefer phone-based outreach and offers subscription plans, script templates and pre-verified leads.
No matter where you decide to buy leads from, when considering real estate lead generation, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons of paid leads, always consider diversifying your lead generation methods, and don’t overlook organic methods like referrals and traditional networking. Take this downtime to meet new potential clients and build relationships, too.
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