The 6 Best Real Estate Referral Networks (2023 Updated!)

Sold.com is a platform that specializes in helping buyers and sellers through the real estate transaction process. However, they also offer a partner center that allows agents to apply to be considered for their exclusive network. Here’s a summary of how they operate:

How Sold.com Works: The services Sold.com provides to clients includes matching them with the best agent for their situation. If you demonstrate that you are effective in providing excellent customer service and closing deals, the platform will send more referrals your way.  How an agent appears on the Sold.com report depends on their individual performance history which is taken directly from MLS data, consumer reviews and the agents history working with Sold.com referrals. 

How to Join: Joining Sold.com is easy. All you need to do is fill out their sign-up form. The platform will send you an outline stating the terms of partnership. If you agree to the terms, your profile will be activated, and you can start growing your business.

Agent Referral: Agents on Sold.com will get a chance to receive 25% off their Guaranteed Display program if they refer another agent. The Guaranteed Display increases your local market presence as well as your presence within the algorithm.

Cloud is a pay at closing referral based lead generation service. They are a great option for brokers and teams, but can help solo agents too! With their in house lead generation team and low service fee at closing, Cloud helps make sure your money goes to exactly what you need to help your business. 

Cloud goes beyond with their PPC leads using a proprietary system to get you better quality leads, going above just getting the name and email. They have invested millions of dollars in A/B tests to help them effectively create, manage, and optimize Facebook and Google ads under your personal brand, including a full suite CRM with built-in call, text, and email.  They qualify those leads into appointments for you, and use their in-house team to follow up with the leads to help you focus on the leads that matter most! 

Cloud does require an advertising budget, with a minimum of spend, but there is no upfront cost. This helps make sure 100% of your money goes to lead generation. In addition to lead generation they offer ISA services for a small percentage of the commission at close, which is highly competitive to other providers. You also get to maintain ownership of all your leads. 

Another thing I like about Cloud is that you aren’t locked into a long term contract, and you can cancel anytime, you just have to give a 7 day notice. They also do not require any monthly fees! 

If you are looking to use a company that will help you get back some time, let you pay at close, and bring you quality leads, Cloud is a good option for you. With their in-house team nurturing the leads, their proprietary lead capturing system, and their low service fees at close help you to keep your focus where you need it! 

OpCity helps agents generate leads by offering lead generation tools. They claim to have helped thousands of agents generate 1.2 million leads last year alone. This is what they have to offer:

Lead Generation Software: OpCity offers lead generation software that provides done-for-you lead generation. It includes:

• Buyer and seller lead generation
• 40 landing page templates proven to convert
• CRM and marketing tools
• Complete setup

Automated Follow Up: The platform offers automated follow ups that get conversations started. They come in the form of:

• Emails and texts
• 2- way messaging
• Optional stealth voicemails
• Automated CloudCMA reports and market snapshot reports
• CRM integration
• Preset follow-up funnels

OpCity promises 5 times the return of investment on direct mail.

Other Benefits: The service claims to have great customer service and tools that help you grow your career. These include:

• Onboarding calls
• Support calls without a wait
• Daily training classes
• Lead conversion webinars

OpCity offer three packages for agents as follows.

• Lite: This package is recommended for new agents looking for leads and simple CRM
• Professional: The Professional Pack offers more features and is ideal for agents looking to grow their business.
• Advanced: Advanced offers even more features and is perfect for agents who are ready to take their business to the next level.

ZillowFlex is a program offered by Zillow Premier Agent. Here’s a summary of its features.

Connections with No Upfront Costs: Flex provides agents with leads from Zillow Premier Agent with no upfront costs. If the relationship moves forward, the agent will work with the client towards closing providing Flex with updates along the way. Once the closing occurs, the agent will pay Zillow a commission out of what they earn. Agents who do well with the program will receive more connections.

How it Works: ZillowFlex works by reaching out to a lead and confirming they are ready to work with an agent. If the client confirms, a rep sets up a live phone call between the agent and the client. The rep validates the connection based on the success of the phone call.

How to Qualify: Flex is currently available by invite only. The platform looks for high-performing agents that offer excellent customer service.

Maximizing the Flex Service: To get the most out of the ZillowFlex service you should actively engage with the Zillow Premier Agent app at least once a week. The more activity you show, the better. Responding quickly to client inquiries will also be helpful.

Other tips include:

• Converting phone conversations into in-person appointments
• Guiding clients to a successful transaction
• Providing great service to earn a high client experience score
• Keeping past sales up to date and adding new transactions as they occur

How Does ZillowFlex Differ from Zillow Premier Agent? Flex is similar to Zillow Premier Agent but unlike ZPA, no upfront fees are required.

Based on feedback from realtors who visit our site, we have created a brand new referral network group on Facebook.

The group is a private community of real estate professionals from around the country who are committed to supporting each other’s businesses by referring clients. If you have a client who is moving to an area you’re not licensed in, you use the group to find a realtor in their area who can help. The best part? You get a referral fee. It’s also a great way to find new clients who are getting referred by other agents.

One of the best things about the Facebook group is that it’s not just about referrals. It’s also a great place to learn about real estate lead generation. The members are very active and share their expertise on various topics, including marketing strategies, social media, and networking. You’ll find valuable resources, tips, and advice that you can apply to your own business.

When you join, don’t be shy! Please introduce yourself & share a question or strategy you’re using to grow your business.

Here’s what OJO has to offer:

Doing the Legwork: When The OJO Network provides agents with customer leads, they do their homework finding out where the buyer or seller is on their real estate journey. They conduct personalized interactions with potential clients to find out what’s important to them. This allows the agent to step in seamlessly and provide the client with the information they need to close.

Ongoing Support: The OJO Network does not simply introduce agents to clients. They stick around for the long haul offering support until closing.

Expert Customer Matching: The service does not merely throw agent referrals your way. They use an algorithm to find referrals that are best suited for you. The algorithm bases matches on three factors as follows:

• Responsiveness: To be successful with the OJO platform, you must show that you are responsive to client inquiries. OJO will keep track of your responsiveness rate throughout the transactions you complete and update ratings accordingly. Agents that are most responsive will get higher ratings and more clients.
• Effectiveness: OJO rewards agents who are effective in helping clients overcome challenges and provide great service with more referrals.
• Customer Satisfaction: OJO rates customer satisfaction in terms of how successful agents are in helping people reach their real estate goals.

Preferred Experience: OJO is more likely to accept you into the network if you have at least 3 years of agent experience and have closed around 25 transactions in the past year.

Referral Exchange is a lead generation service that provides agents with high quality leads that are ready to buy or sell. They qualify and nurture leads and give them back to you when they are looking to transact. Here’s how they operate.

How Referral Exchange Works: The platform uses a lead verification system to determine if a lead is real and can be contacted. They will then reach out to the potential client to find out if they are ready to start buying or selling. You can then determine if you want to continue pursuing the lead or if you’d rather refer them to the Referral Exchange nationwide network.

Is Referral Exchange Right for Me? Referral Exchange can help agents in the following situations:

• If you have difficulty verifying leads
• If you are getting more leads than your team can handle
• If you don’t have time to follow up and nurture your leads
• If you are getting leads and clients that don’t match your area, pricing, or specialty
• If you are retiring or going part time and want to continue making income off your work
• If you have personal referrals that you want matched with a reputable agent

To be eligible for Referral Exchange you must be:

• Handpicked: To qualify you must have an excellent track record and show a commitment to service
• Monitored: Agents are monitored through their journey with Referral Exchange. If they are performing poorly, they will be forced to leave the program.
• Experienced: Most Referral Exchange agents have been in the industry for at least 8 years and have generated at least $5 million in sales or have closed 20 or more transactions in the past 12 months.

If you do well with the platform, you will be treated like part of the family.