Looking for a Realtor.com leads alternative
The two models put the cost in completely different places, and which one is cheaper depends entirely on how often you close.
How a portal referral program works
The portal owns the consumer relationship. Someone searching for a home arrives on the portal, and the portal routes that person to an agent — with a referral fee owed on any transaction that results.
The appeal is obvious: no money leaves your pocket until a deal closes, so the downside on a lead that goes nowhere is your time rather than your cash.
Its current programs, fee structures and market availability are its own to publish and change from time to time. Check its site rather than any third party's summary, including ours.
What paying up front changes
You own the lead outright. There is no fee at closing, no share of the commission, and no obligation attached to the relationship afterwards — repeat business and referrals from that client are entirely yours.
The risk moves to you as well. A lead that never converts is money already spent, which is why being able to judge a lead before buying it matters so much more in this model.
The arithmetic is not subtle. A referral fee is a percentage of a commission and scales with the price of the house; a lead is a fixed cost that does not.
Which is actually cheaper for you
Work it out on your own conversion rate rather than on anyone's marketing page. Take what you pay per lead, divide by the share you close, and compare that with the referral fee you would owe on a typical commission in your market.
At high price points and decent conversion, owning the lead usually wins by a wide margin. At low conversion, paying only on success is genuinely the safer structure and there is no shame in choosing it.
Many agents run both, and the honest reason is cash flow rather than strategy.
Questions people ask
Do you charge a referral fee on closings?
No. You pay for the lead and nothing at closing. What you earn on the transaction, and on everything that client sends you afterwards, is yours.
Is the lead exclusive to me?
Yes. Each lead is sold once, to one buyer, and comes off the board when it is claimed.
Can I see what the lead is before I pay?
You see the location, the property details and what the seller actually said about the situation and timing. Contact details unlock when the lead is yours.
Not affiliated. Realtor.com is a trademark of its owner. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with Realtor.com, and this page describes the two business models rather than that company’s current features or pricing — check www.realtor.com for those.
Other comparisons
Get leads in your markets
Pick your states, set a weekly cap, and pause whenever you want. Every lead is sold once, to one buyer.