Ask any top-performing real estate agent what their go-to-must-have-can’t-live-without tool is, and chances are they’ll say a great real estate CRM. The only problem is that there are so many on the market that it’s hard to know which is the best.
Check out our top picks in the table below, and read on to get more detailed analysis of each product.
7 Best Real Estate CRMs
| Real Estate CRM | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| LionDesk | Starting at $25/month | (Best Overall) Budget-conscious agents who want automated email, texting, follow-up tools, and more |
| Top Producer | Starting at $37.50/month | Agents looking to keep leads warm with email templates and market snapshots |
| Propertybase | Starting at $79/month (per user) | Teams and brokerages |
| IXACT Contact | Starting at $33/month | New agents |
| Wise Agent | Starting at $25/month | Real estate agents who want comprehensive support |
| Realvolve | Starting at $49/month | Real estate agents who want lots of customization options |
| Contactually | Starting at $59/month | Real estate agents with a large existing sphere |
Which CRM Is Best for You?
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Now that we’ve seen a little bit of how these customer relationship management (CRM) tools stack up against each other, let’s dig a little deeper into each one.
Best Overall Real Estate CRM: LionDesk
- Prices starting at $25 / month
LionDesk sets itself apart from the rest of the CRMs in the real estate space by doing the fundamentals really well, by offering unique add-ons perfect for real estate professionals to consider as their business grows, and by providing a full-featured, 30-day free trial that doesn’t even require a credit card.
LionDesk doesn’t often get the credit it deserves. We’ll admit, when we first published this article, LionDesk was in our top five CRMs, but they weren’t number one. What changed our mind? Their consistent commitment to upgrading their products and rolling out new features like video messaging. We also love their best-in-class customer service, which delivered us answers by phone or email very promptly. LionDesk’s incredible value and affordable cost is what every other product is now measured against.
How Much Does LionDesk Cost?
LionDesk offers three plans ranging from $21 to $99 per month, depending on which package you choose and whether you bill annually or monthly.
The $21 per month plan is robust and full of features; you won’t find yourself lacking in capability. The upgrade to the next tier ($42 a month) plan includes add-ons like a dedicated local phone number, video texting, and custom text-to-sell shortcodes, great for sign riders and other physical marketing.
The Elite tier offers everything you’ll find in the Starter and Pro Plus plans, but includes white-glove, hands-on service and support that includes third-party integrations. The reason this is worth mentioning here is customer support when you’re trying to get your tools to work together is sometimes a no man’s land; it’s hard to find people who are willing to help you with someone else’s product, but not with LionDesk.
LionDesk Pricing at a Glance
| Plan Name | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starter | ||
| Pro Plus | ||
| Elite |
What LionDesk Does Well
- Learning curve: LionDesk is easy to use straight out of the gate. We got started on making LionDesk work for us in less than an hour, and already saw its potential for efficiency in our business.
- Bulk texting: Sending all the contacts on a specific list an email message is a powerful tool, but this is something most CRMs offer. Wouldn’t it be great if someone offered that same tool, but on a platform where the open rates are typically over 95%? Sounds great. LionDesk offers that.
- Customizable fields: We know this is a little thing, but it turns out it is massively helpful. Being able to create custom fields in a contact profile lets you add the details about your contact only you or your team know about.
- Artificial intelligence (AI) lead follow-up: LionDesk has introduced a feature that includes automated text follow-up that will have persuasive conversations with your leads for up to 12 months. We got a chance to see some of this in action; it really is like having your own inside sales agent (ISA).
- Click-to-call: The integrated dialer in LionDesk adds a level of convenience and speed to your sphere work that is going to change the way you work the phones. If you are a phone prospector and are familiar with tools like REDX, you’re going to love this feature.
Where Does LionDesk Fall Short?
While we appreciate that LionDesk strives to have as much information as possible available to users, the occasional side effect of this effort is the feeling of clutter. It isn’t a consistent issue throughout the user experience, but it does happen.
LionDesk’s transaction management and pipeline area doesn’t offer a ton of added value. We get it—the spot where LionDesk truly shines is in the cultivation of your leads to get them to the contract stage, but it would be nice to have a few more capabilities after money hits escrow.
Our Favorite LionDesk Feature: Gabby, Your AI-powered ISA
We’ve been hearing for a while now that one of the most important factors in determining your success as a real estate agent is your speed-to-leads. You need to be able to get back to the people who have questions as soon as possible, because if you don’t, someone else will.
But, we all know that this isn’t always possible. We’ve got appointments, we’ve got closings, and, quite frankly, we’ve got to sleep sometime. That’s why LionDesk’s lead assist features are so powerful. This AI-driven text responder, known as Gabby, is uncanny in its ability to sound genuine and interested in what your leads are asking about. Unless you identify to your lead that they’re not talking to a real person, many people can’t tell the difference until they’ve had a number of interactions.
So how does this help you as a real estate professional? First, it takes some of the pressure off of you when cultivating the top of your lead funnel; you’ve got someone (or something) else taking care of that initial contact. Secondly, it gives you the ability to scale your business faster, since now you’ll have time to spend cultivating other leads.
Try LionDesk
There are lots of things to like about LionDesk. Mixed automation, a customizable interface, graduated texting options, and AI responsiveness make LionDesk worth your time to at least try. LionDesk offers a 30-day, full-featured trial, no credit card required. If you are ready for change in the CRM space, or in need of your first CRM, LionDesk is a great option.
Best Real Estate CRM for Advanced MLS Integrations: Top Producer
- Prices starting at $33.33 / month
Top Producer is one of the OGs in the real estate CRM space, and for some products, that means outdated and irrelevant, but not this one. Top Producer has been working hard to not only keep up with the needs of real estate professionals, but also anticipate the next set of needs. This forward-thinking is evident in their latest CRM iteration: Top Producer X.
Many CRMs offer an IDX feed as a part of their features, but Top Producer takes this a step further, actually connecting directly with your MLS to offer value using all the data your MLS possesses. To put that in context, most IDX feeds pull about 20 data points for each property. An MLS feed pulls closer to 300 (or more) for every current listing, sold property, even expired listings.
How Much Does Top Producer Cost?
Top Producer offers three different tiers, ranging from $33.33 per month up to $80 per month. The costs depend on which plan you choose and whether you plan on paying annually or monthly. They also offer an add-on of a Top Producer website for just $10 more. They require a one-year commitment.
Top Producer Pricing at a Glance
| Plan Name | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starter | ||
| Professional | ||
| Advanced |
What Top Producer Does Well
- Integrations: Top Producer (TP) offers a ton of integration options that can provide lots of extra value. Products like Mojo Dialer, Zillow Premier Agent, and other third-party lead sources work really well with this CRM.
- Transaction management: For many CRMs, transaction management is more of an afterthought—something to tack on to the high-priced package to add a little value. With TP, this is a detailed and customizable tool that really can replace an ad-hoc product.
- Advanced drip campaigns: We know, email automation isn’t very sexy, but the Top Producer unlock of syncing with your MLS and not just IDX is worth calling out. Using email automation, you can include data about SOLD statistics as well what’s currently on the market—a key strategy for wooing seller clients.
Where Does Top Producer Fall Short?
While the long-term value of Top Producer is pretty clear, not every agent wants to sign a long-term contract. Top Producer requires a 12-month contract to get started, and for a product that you’re going to use so much, it would be great to have a monthly option, at least to get started, before making a long-term commitment.
Our Favorite Top Producer Feature: FiveStreet Lead Management
FiveStreet is a product included in the Advanced tier plan, and if you’re running a team or dealing with a high volume of leads, this is a must-have. This lead response and management tool offers next-level tracking for agents who want to know where leads are coming from, assign them custom paths to get to the right agent (or, if you’re operating solo, prioritized in the right order), and measure your results afterward.
The real power here comes from the analytics you get. Imagine what you could do if you could get a report generated that would tell you how each of the agents on your team are performing based on lead type, how their response time is, and how far their leads are getting in the funnel.
This tool is a great way to maximize the effectiveness of the lead generation pipeline you’ve worked so hard to build by making sure that the right lead gets to the right person at the right time, every time.
Try Top Producer
If you want to get to the next level when it comes to providing market-level data to your contact via an MLS integration, or if you have a team where your lead routing needs some work, definitely give Top Producer a closer look.
Best Real Estate CRM for Teams & Brokerages: Propertybase
- Prices starting at $79 / month (per user)
The Propertybase Salesforce Edition CRM is robust and full-featured, designed for real estate agents who need more than just a place to store contacts. What many may not know about Propertybase is that it has joined forces with website powerhouse Boston Logic and acquired the lead generation platform BoldLeads.
Combining a solid, easy-to-use CRM with a potent website development arm and a very effective lead generation platform makes Propertybase an option all real estate agents should consider.
How Much Does Propertybase Cost?
Propertybase Salesforce Edition is ideal for larger teams and brokerages starting at $79 per user, per month with a minimum of 10 users. The additional IDX-integrated website is an additional $299 per month. Don’t miss the chance to also inquire about Propertybase GO—a great option for individual agents as well as smaller teams.
Despite the fact that Propertybase is actually a little higher in terms of cost per user for their CRM, you get a lot for your money on this platform, so the cost per feature is actually very low. The IDX integration alone makes Propertybase a CRM that is well worth the monthly fee.
What Propertybase Does Well
- Salesforce-based platform: The Propertybase CRM is built on the Salesforce framework, making it incredibly versatile, customizable, and open to plugins, especially at the enterprise level.
- MLS interface: Propertybase has built an interface with your MLS right into the CRM experience, eliminating the need to jump back forth between your browser and your CRM.
- Send mass emails: Virtually every CRM allows you to send email, but virtually all stop short at being able to send out mass emails. Propertybase has a mass email function that will virtually replace the need for a secondary mailer service like Mailchimp.
Where Does Propertybase Fall Short?
While Propertybase does work with third-party plugins to integrate texting and a dialer into their CRM for an extra cost, these features aren’t available out of the box. With a price point on the higher end for the products we’ve reviewed, this additional cost is going to turn some users off.
That being said, we’d like to reiterate that the Propertybase CRM features list is so long, we think you really are getting a great bang for your buck.
Our Favorite Propertybase Feature: Advanced Lead Scoring
Most CRMs offer some sort of lead score evaluation to allow real estate agents to quickly glance at a lead profile and determine what sort of attention that lead needs today. But no other CRM that we’re aware of allow you to adjust the criteria for that lead score, and certainly not with the granularity and detail that Propertybase offers.
Make adjustments to your lead scoring criteria based on things like a contact’s response to your outreach campaigns or time since last contact.
Try Propertybase
Propertybase offers a fantastic CRM with tons of customization options, from the dashboard and user interface all the way down to how your lead scores are evaluated. But their value doesn’t stop at providing a great CRM—they also offer website and lead generation services that make them as close to an end-to-end platform as we’ve seen. They offer a free, no obligation 14-day trial—try them today.
Best Real Estate CRM for New Agents: IXACT Contact
- Prices starting at $33 / month
IXACT Contact gets close to stepping up to the same level of Propertybase in terms of offering that all-in-one real estate agent solution we’ve been wondering about for a while. For our money, nobody is quite there yet, but IXACT Contact is getting there. IXACT Contact’s robust CRM also includes options for an IDX website and social media content, bringing them ever closer to completing that lead generation to closing table journey.
How Much Does IXACT Contact Cost?
IXACT CONTACT OFFERS SIX MONTHS OF THEIR SERVICE FOR FREE TO ANY AGENT WHO HAS BEEN LICENSED LESS THAN A YEAR.
Let that sink in for a moment. If you are a new agent in the industry, IXACT Contact is giving away their service to you. This is a singular offer in the CRM game—nobody has anything like it.
Now that we’ve got the shouting out of the way, the rest of IXACT Contact’s pricing model is intriguing, and there is a lot to unpack here. They offer an a la carte price option for real estate agents, so you aren’t paying for services you don’t need.
- Basic version for a single user of the CRM plus an agent website: $33 per month
- IDX website add-ons: $13 per month (standard), $33 per month (professional) plus $65.00 setup fee
- Add team members: $23 per team member, per month
- Additional IDX websites: Starting at $13 per month plus $65 setup fee
- Social Stream: $20 per month
- Mass Emailing: Varies by volume
What IXACT Contact Does Well
- Designed with intent: We love the way IXACT Contact users don’t have to play a guessing game about features. For instance, your pipeline tool doesn’t have some silly made-up name—it is just called Business Pipeline.
- Social media smarts: IXACT Contact is constantly searching the web for publicly available social media information about your contacts and populates it right in their profile. This is a very helpful feature if relationship marketing is your forte.
- Bulk mail and postcards: Working the mail function allows for mass mailings to be done from your CRM.
Where Does IXACT Contact Fall Short?
IXACT Contact’s list of integrations is noticeably small. Granted, this platform does a lot of the things that other CRMs rely on outside help for, but with less than a dozen partners, you really have limited options for playing with others.
Also, we’d love to see some SMS texting in the app. We all know how much higher open rates are on texts versus emails, so having this option would be a nice asset.
Our Favorite IXACT Contact Feature: Social Media Support
Obviously, we are pretty geeked about the free six months to new real estate agents. If you somehow missed that above, IXACT Contact offers their CRM FOR FREE to any agent who has been licensed for less than a year. Nobody else is doing this, and if you are a new real estate agent looking for a quality CRM, you can get one. FOR FREE.
Also, the Social Stream option adds another level of service to this CRM that the others in the space just aren’t providing. It isn’t original content, but it is a lot of relevant articles from reputable sources like Huffington Post and Better Homes and Gardens that will actually be interesting to your contacts.
We’ve got a full review of IXACT Contact if you want to dig a little deeper. Check it out.
Try IXACT Contact
IXACT Contact is easy to try. If you are looking for a CRM with an IDX website component, something with some social options, or, gosh darn it, SOMETHING FREE, you should give IXACT Contact a go. They also offer a five-week free trial to really kick the tires, so you don’t have anything to lose here.
Best Real Estate CRM for Real Estate Agents Looking for Comprehensive Support: Wise Agent
- Prices starting at $29 / month
Wise Agent has been in the real estate CRM space for a long time (since 2002!). Even though the look and feel of Wise Agent sometimes reminds us Windows 98, they’ve learned things along the way that make them a valuable platform for real estate agents.
If you’re looking for a CRM with great automation options and 24/7 support included with every package, Wise Agent is for you.
How Much Does Wise Agent Cost?
Wise Agent has a straightforward pricing structure: $29 a month or $299 per year. Both options include a one-on-one on-boarding call and round the clock support, 365 days a year.
| Plan Name | ||
|---|---|---|
| Be A Wise Agent |
Considering the fairly long list of features (great email automation, integration partners and SMS texting to name a few), you get a good bang for your buck with Wise Agent.
What Wise Agent Does Well
- Intuitive integrations: Wise Agent has a good list of intuitive integrations with other companies like BombBomb to help build out their offerings for communication and lead gathering.
- Data smart: If you are looking to help make your automation smarter, Wise Agent offers A/B testing in their automatic email responders so you can dial in what your contacts respond to most.
- SMS texting: With the use of Wise Text, you can include SMS texting in your stable of communication options without ever having to leave the CRM.
Where Does Wise Agent Fall Short?
We know looks aren’t that important. But, honestly, it’s time for a face lift, Wise Agent. This complaint is more than skin deep too. The old-school interface is actually a little distracting sometimes because there’s so much happening on the screen at once (contacts, calendars, email, and so on).
Our Favorite Wise Agent Feature: Extensive Customer Support
We know we’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: 24/7 support, 365 days a year, with a real person.
If you have a question about Wise Agent, there is literally always someone ready to answer it. We wrote an in-depth review of Wise Agent if you want to really get under the hood and see how things function—check it out.
Try Wise Agent
If service and support are number one for you, Wise Agent is a great CRM to check out. Their price is very affordable, and you can even try it for free. With a 30-day full-featured trial, you can put Wise Agent through its paces and see how it could benefit your business.
Best Real Estate CRM for Real Estate Agents Who Want Lots of Customization: Realvolve
- Prices starting at $49 / month
To understand Realvolve and its value, you have to get used to reading a specific word: workflow.
“Workflows” are what Realvolve calls their custom automated communications, and if you’re thinking, “Aren’t these just called drip campaigns?” you would be wrong. Workflows are tasks like automated communication or triggered to-do lists based on lead or agent behavior. These are systems that you can build from scratch or use Realvolve’s prebuilt templates to streamline, coordinate, and customize your real estate business with.
And, exclusive to Realvolve, these workflows don’t have to be the work of a single agent. You can customize these templates so that they involve multiple agents on your team or in your brokerage, giving you the full power of everyone’s time and talent, not just your own.
How Much Does Realvolve Cost?
Realvolve’s pricing depends on the number of users. A single user is going to pay $41 per month if paid annually. Jump up to five users and each will pay a little over $39 per month (paying annually). Ten users or a little less than $31 per month (paying annually).
If you aren’t ready to sign up for an annual contract, you can buy Realvolve by the month: $49 per month for one user, $235 per month for five users, and $370 per month for 10 users.
Something we love about the Realvolve pricing model is the inclusion of an assistant account for every single plan. We all know that without the admins in our business, we would fall apart very quickly. Realvolve knows this too, which is why that assistant account is standard across all options.
What Realvolve Does Well
- A workflow for everything: Realvolve provides automation options for just about every task across the platform. Not limited to email drip campaigns, you can automate text messages, mailer campaigns, and even paperwork for your team.
- Dashboard design: The Realvolve dashboard is image forward and informative, making it easy to see at a glance what’s happening in your business. But, it is also very customizable, giving users the option to see only the information that is pertinent to their success.
- Library of material: Most CRMs will talk about their prewritten email templates or even text messages, all of which Realvolve has. Where Realvolve takes this a step further is in providing a robust library of workflows, making all sorts of great suggestions on how you can use their tools to automate your work day.
Where Does Realvolve Fall Short?
There is a relatively steep learning curve when it comes to getting up to speed with Realvolve. Don’t get us wrong, this can be a good problem to have; it means that there are a lot of options, customizations, and ways to use the platform beyond just the surface-level tasks, but it takes some agents a while (and a fair amount of learning) to feel like they’re firing on all cylinders here.
Also, we love the Realvolve workflows, but the system lacks a clear visualization of their workflow-building process. Dragging and dropping would be so helpful here, but alas, not an option.
Our Favorite Realvolve Feature: Visual Dashboard
It bears repeating: The assistant account included in every Realvolve CRM purchase is amazing. You need your admin plugged into everything happening on your CRM, and Realvolve makes that happen easily.
The Realvolve dashboard is more like a bulletin board for your office. The widgets there are (for the most part) moveable, making the frustration of items not appearing in the order you want them a thing of the past.
We’ve taken a look at Realvolve in the past. Head over to our complete Realvolve review to really dig into what Realvolve is all about if you are interested in learning more.
Try Realvolve
Realvolve is a great CRM for the essential tasks that real estate agents value above all others. It is highly customizable and puts you in control of your CRM’s workflow, instead of the other way around. With a 14-day free trial, real estate agents can try the platform for themselves and see what they think.
Best Real Estate CRM for Real Estate Agents With a Large Existing Sphere: Contactually
- Prices starting at $59 / month
Contactually is a CRM that defines itself on helping its users discover the potential business they are missing in their existing sphere of influence. Contactually even goes as far as claiming that most real estate agents are missing out on up to 30% of the gross commissionable income (GCI) potential from their existing sphere.
Relationship marketing is the priority, and Contactually makes maintaining those relationships easy with excellent automation options and lots of solid integrations. If you are looking for a straightforward CRM that you can use to better your business on day one, Contactually is the CRM for you.
It’s important to note that Contactually was acquired by real estate brokerage Compass. You don’t need to be a Compass agent to use Contactually, and Compass doesn’t get access to any of your user data.
How Much Does Contactually Cost?
Contactually offers three different pricing options, the least expensive being their Professional Plan at $69 per month. There are two other tiers (Accelerator at $119 per month and Concierge at $399 per month), offering a deeper level of coaching and support, as well as advanced analytics and access to a larger library of prewritten material.
Contactually Pricing at a Glance
| Plan Name | ||
|---|---|---|
| Professional | ||
| Accelerator | ||
| Concierge |
Contactually brought up the rear in terms of the cost per user. While we actually think that Contactually is worth the money you spend on it, there are definitely less expensive options available.
What Contactually Does Well
- Email automation: Contactually’s email automation is top-notch, and even includes optimal send time analysis so you know the best time to reach each of your contacts.
- Ease of use: Contactually is very easy to navigate; you won’t need a day or three of training before you are actually putting this platform to work for you.
- Relationship marketing and accountability: Contactually’s big strength is its relationship marketing initiatives and the ways it helps hold its users accountable to their commitments. Every time you log in to Contactually, you get your “Follow Up Score,” telling you how well you’ve done staying in contact with the people that matter most to your business.
Where Does Contactually Fall Short?
As mentioned before, Contactually isn’t very competitive on price. Yes, they do offer some great features, but there are certainly more affordable options available.
While Contactually offers some integrations through Zapier that allow for SMS texting, the lack of integration into the native platform is noticeable and a missed opportunity. Text message open rates are typically astronomically higher than email, this would be a great communication tool to have.
Our Favorite Contactually Feature: Lead Profiles
We really like the way that Contactually handles your contacts. When you link an email address with Contactually, the platform goes back through your entire email history and builds a profile for anyone you’ve exchanged emails with, right down to the average time they are online.
It is a nice bit of insight to include on your contacts, and for a CRM that prides itself on helping you to develop better opportunities within your existing sphere, it really hits the mark.
Contactually will look at what time your contacts typically SEND you email. Using this data, the platform gives you a good idea when each of your peeps are online doing email.
We can all identify with the experience of email that comes in as we are looking at the window—we are much more likely to open it.
If you’re looking for a really in-depth look at Contactually, check out our deep-dive review of Contactually here.
Try Contactually
If your sphere of influence isn’t producing the way it should and you are ready to make an investment in fixing it, Contactually is a CRM you should check out. They even have a seven-day, full-featured free trial so you can take it for a test drive.
The Two Questions We Get Asked Most About CRMs
Here at The Close, we talk a lot about CRMs. Everyone from rookie solo agents to multi-office brokers wants to know how they can get the most out of these platforms. Believe it or not, the questions we get asked the most aren’t ones like “Which platform is right for me?” (probably because guides like this one provide that answer); they are bigger questions, specifically, these two:
What’s the Biggest Mistake People Make When Starting With a New CRM?
The biggest mistake agents make when starting with a new CRM is, if you’ve used a CRM before, looking at it through the lens of their old CRM. If you’re looking to replicate the functions of your last platform on the new platform, you’re missing out on the opportunities your new tool provides. Do your best to start fresh, and walk through the training as if you’re brand-new to the space.
If this is your first time using a CRM, make sure to avoid moving too fast, too soon. You were most likely sold on the product because of the advanced features it offers, but before you run, you’ve got to learn how to walk. Before jumping into the most sophisticated workflows and automations, before getting started with custom market updates and website integrations, make sure you know the basics. Build effective lead profiles, start communicating through the platform, and use it to categorize and prioritize your leads. Once you’ve got the basics down, then you can start to level up.
How Do I Make Sure My Team / Brokerage Is Using Their CRM?
If you’re going to make an investment in a technology platform designed for teams or entire brokerages, you want to make sure everyone is using it. After all, these tools aren’t cheap, and they don’t work nearly as well if people don’t, well, use them. Here are three ways to ensure your team buys in.
Introduce the platform slowly: Even the most technologically comfortable agents aren’t going to jump headfirst into a new CRM; they’ve got clients to service and other parts of their business to maintain. Your agents can’t just put their entire world on pause for a week to learn a new platform, so offer them a transition period to get onboard.
Train, train, train: Assume that your team members don’t know anything until they show you they do. Most agents don’t come into the real estate industry with a technology background, so while they are successful on one platform, that doesn’t mean that they’re naturally successful on all platforms. Give them all the resources they need to learn the ins and outs of your new tool.
Offer incentives: If everyone on your team is on the same CRM, your productivity is going to go up, your lead conversion will rise, and you’re going to close more deals. That means more money in your pocket, so pass some of that along to your agents. Consider incentivizing them with a reduced split on a commission after successfully adopting the platform or other form of monetary benefit to give them a personal reason to buy in.
Bringing It All Together
With so many different business models, philosophies, and real estate agent types out there, it is easy to see why there are so many different real estate CRMs. Which of these seven is right for you? Is there a real estate CRM that we need to add to our guide?
Drop a comment below and tell us about your favorite CRM. Is it on this list? How did it change the way that you do business?
Fantastic post! You won’t see this on Inman. Too many sacred cows.
Interesting that WiseAgent gets a 9/10 with no mobile experience. Will have to dig into all of these deeper when I have some more time. I hear that LionDesk is working on a version 2.0. That should be interesting.
Will definitely post a link to this on some FB groups.
Thanks for your thoughts Roland. Yes, a deeper dig is definitely in order, the CRM game is changing quickly right now! LionDesk has some interesting partnerships in the works that we will be covering here in the future, they are making some pretty serious strides towards being the leader of the pack. We will definitely be watching that development closely.
Thanks for the insight Chris. As a brand new agent, I found this very useful. I do have one question regarding export from an existing tool to another. I have an agent in the office ready to move from Top Producer, but doesn’t want to reinvent the wheel. What tool allows export/import of your existing database information?
Thank you!
Hey Micki, pretty much every CRM allows you to export XLS data that you can then feed into your new CRM. Many will also do this for you or at least walk you through it when you start onboarding. We don’t have data for each company listed here, but if this is something that is a concern for you, reach out and let them know. They will all happily give you a product walk through to address any questions.
Thank you! I’ll pass along.
Former Boomtown user looking for a CRM. I love BT CRM but it is too pricy. I have tried Liondesk and like it. I like that you can rename and create categories(hotness) and it seems fairly easy to use. However I am looking for a CRM that has home listing emails (e alerts) that I can set up for my leads like on BT. This is a must. Can you recommend one that is not a all in one unit . I plan on my having my own website and running some FB and PPC so I need something that can accommodate me with this for the long term. My must haves are categories and e alerts as well as the basics like text/email. Thank you
Hi Will –
Thanks for the comment. Yes, Boomtown is a great system, but you are correct, one of the pricier options out there. There are a couple of different CRMs we’d suggest you check out. The first is Top Producer. They’ve been around for a long time, they have the property Email alerts you are talking about, they have a bit of an al a carte pricing menu so you don’t pay for what you don’t want. However, to our knowledge, they are a little behind the times on integrated texting, so you would have to go somewhere else for that.
Part of the issue that you are going to run into is most CRMs don’t have the sort of IDX integration necessary to be able to create those custom Email alerts. That being said, you might be able to get around that by running a CRM that is also integrated into a standalone website, something like IxactContact, to achieve the same effect.
Not a perfect solution, but there is a lot of great tech out there that can get you across this finish line. I have made a note to myself about what it is you are looking for, if I come across something I will shoot you an Email!
Chris
Hey guys, late to the party here. But I would love to see if you came up with a solution that incorporated in all-in-one CRM/IDX program. I am to a Boomtown user (and absolutely loved it) but recently left the team that was offering the program.
Hi Wes –
Yes! The all-in-one platform is the holy grail right now. Though we can’t say anyone has completely solved this puzzle, Propertybase seems to be closest, maybe IXACT Contact too, but for different reasons. Definitely worth checking out!
Chris
Hi Chris,
Outstanding review. I have tried many of these and you are spot on. Wanted to see if you had feedback on Zap (Realogy version)? Zap integrates a CRM, IDX website, and IDX Mobile app with predictive analytics on client usage and search data. While the CRM is moderate at best, the full IDX website and full IDX mobile app integration that comes bundled with the platform seems to provide added value. I manage an office that provides this platform for free to its agents but the CRM leaves many lacking. While Zap is owned by Realogy, my main loyalty is to my agents. Does a free “workable” but pedestrian CRM that has web/mobile app integration outweigh the more robust CRMs that do not have any connection to IDX web/mobile in your opinion?
Hi John –
Thanks for the comment and questions. I was actually with Coldwell Banker back when Zap was first rolled out to the midwest, so while I do have some memory of it, I’m sure it’s been updated and upgraded since. I don’t know enough about it in its current state to be able to speak on it with any sort of authority, other than to say a lot of agents use it and do find value in it.
As to your question, I’m of two minds here.
There are lots of bells and whistles that a full-throated real estate specific CRM can provide you. There is a lot of value there; those tools are designed with real estate agents and brokers in mind, a single use tool (CRM) is going to have a very thoughtful edge, as opposed to a Swiss army knife (like an all in one platform) that has lots of tools it has to manage all in one place.
On the other hand, a CRM is only as useful as the ways you utilize it. If you aren’t going to use all the bells and whistles of a Propertybase or the like, why spend all the money, time, and effort on it? These tools are supposed to make you better, not busier.
I’m reminded of a presentation I heard Joe Rand of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate deliver recently. He was discussing changes that brokerages have made since the 2008 and 2009 market crash, and one of the changes he mentioned was that when surveying their agents, brokerages realized that many of the tools they were providing to agents (free to the agents, at a cost to the broker) were going un-utilized because the agents didn’t actually want them or have a use for them.
If it were me, I’d go to your agents and ask them if there are things that they wish their CRM could do that Zap can’t. Don’t make a change just because you can, make a change because the needs of your agents are dictating it.
Hope this helps!
Chris
I like Realscout for listing alert emails to my clients.
We are a small team (3) and want transaction management, team collaboration and projection management, and crm. We don’t need prospecting or lead purchases; we have that mostly covered, but follow up with our sphere and past clients could use support. We are fairly low tech. I’m thinking maybe Wise Agent, Lion Desk or Realty Commander. Any ideas? Thanks!
Hi Laurie –
Sounds like your business is really coming together, that’s great!
Based on your needs, sounds like LionDesk is the way to go. They’ve got great team management options, and they have a great price point too. Followup Boss also is a great product for teams, but if you’re a fairly low tech group, that might be more bells and whistles than you need, especially for a higher price point.
I’m going to go rogue here and make a suggestion out of the real estate specific sphere too: Bitrix24. They aren’t designed specifically for real estate agents, but they are a helpful sales CRM, and I really like the way they integrate team collaboration and communication with their client facing communication. They also have a free version that you can use to try out the interface and see if it’s something you and your team would want to use before you plunk down a credit card, which is also helpful!
Let me know what you decide on!
Chris
Thank you for all these reviews! I am trying to get myself more competitive as I have fallen behind. I do find it all a bit overwhelming trying to figure out what I need and to do it most efficiently. My brokerage has switched to Boston Logic platform, I have barely learned Top Producer/Market Snapshot. Realty Juggler is my backup for contacts. Brokerage supplies Circlepix and Voice Pad. So with all these tools pulling it together without overlapping is challenging!
Hi Dawn –
Wow, you’ve got a lot of tools, I am sure all useful in their own right, but I am sure also a challenge when it comes to efficiency. I know when I was a full time agent, I definitely fell into the trap of the tools getting more of my time than the business itself, so finding that balance is critical. For what its worth, the Boston Logic platform (now called Propertybase) is a good one, it serves a lot of functions that I think will help streamline your process.
I would suggest starting with your CRM, stretching it as far as it will go, find every function you can use in there, then going to your other tools and deciding if you’ve got unique functions there you can’t live without. If the answer is yes, great, keep ’em. If the answer is no, it’s time to simplify.
Good Luck!
Chris
Excellent review! Do you have one of these comparisons for CRMs for Real Estate Investors (non agents)?
Hi Michele –
Glad you found the reviews helpful. At the moment, we don’t have any sort of depth on an investor focused CRM. I’ve only poked around in the space, but the ones that I’ve found that look interesting are REIPro and REIvolution. The former is a little more traditional CRM with more of the recognizable functions from our reviews, the latter is more of a data driven approach.
Are you currently using a CRM for real estate investing? What’s working for you?
Chris
Has anyone used Real Geeks? Any system that has different languages?
Good Morning Nora!
Thanks for the comment. I have not heard of any of the CRMs on our list being offered natively in other languages, but that is a great question. I have reached out to my contacts with each of them, I will keep you in the loop!
Where are you practicing real estate?
Chris
Great Post
Hi will,
You can try IDXMatrix CRM. It fulfills all requirements like Email and SMS alters.
Hello, Thanks for your post. I’m curious though…how much cheaper is PropertyBase than BoomTown? My brokerage is trying to switch from BT to PB but it’s going horrendously. From my perspective, PB is Salesforce attempt to get into the real estate CRM space and appears to require a full-time IT employee in order to keep the wheels turning. As well, on the agent side of the platform, their tool lacks the basic functions that real estate agents need such as sms texting, a built-in dialer, video integration, to name a few. Not only that but the tool itself is not user friendly or easy to navigate (for instance they call emails “chatter” or something ridiculous like that.).
Changing from BoomTown to PropertyBase has been a regrettably huge mistake for my brokerage so far. It’s been a month and we still don’t have the website or leads being routed correctly. We were receiving about 200-300 leads/month on BoomTown this past month on PB we’ve gotten maybe 30. I’ve used multiple crm’s Including just straight up Salesforce and PB is the least user-friendly and does not come equipped with tools that agents really need (IE: text/sms, dialer or integration with a popular real estate dialer (Mojo, Vulcan7, RedX)). BoomTown is far superior and makes looking at a prospect easy as you can see what properties they have liked or looked multiple times as well as their average price points, how many times you’ve spoken with them, what you’ve texted with them, when your next follow up is, are they a buyer or a seller, or both. There’s just too many features that PB lacks when compared to BoomTown. At this point I’m just curious why BoomTown was not covered in this write-up??? Is it just a price issue?PropertyBase must be paying you to write this article because I’ve had nothing but bad experiences with PB and BT is the real deal. And I’ve yet to meet or talk with anyone that has had a good experience with Salesforce or Property Base in the real estate spectrum. Look forward to hearing back on this. Thank you for listening…
Hi Chad –
Thanks for your patience on our response here, I’ve been doing a little digging around and wanted to get some info before I got back to you.
So, your concerns are valid ones, but I guess I would offer a different perspective.
First off, you asked about the prices on Boomtown vs Propertybase. The fact of the matter is, Boomtown, as a matter of course, doesn’t disclose prices publicly. Some would say this is so they can negotiate a deal that works individually with each agent / team / brokerage, others would say it is because the prices are pretty high and they don’t want to cause sticker shock. I tend to believe the former. From what I can find from third-party reviewers, the cheapest option for Boomtown is $1,000 a month, compared to the $89 a month for Propertybase. Obviously, a massive difference.
As far as the other differences you pointed out, I definitely agree that the platforms are offering very different things, but, I would suggest that Boomtown is very much a marketing platform as much it is a CRM (if not more!). You pay the big bucks for Boomtown because it has all of the outreach and lead generation options, things that a pure CRM would offer. Boomtown wasn’t considered for this article because it really is a horse of a different color!
Propertybase is built on the Saleforce framework, but it is a standalone company and a part of the Salesforce offering. We’ve put Propertybase through its paces and have talked to a lot of agents who use it and are having a lot of success on it.
We certainly welcome your feedback, thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Have you heard of a system called Perfect Storm? If so, how does it rank in relation to the systems you listed?
Hi BJ –
Thanks for the comment. I have no personal experience with Perfect Storm, but from their website, they look like something worth investigating! Have you used them before?
Chris
Hey Chris,
Thank you so much for this valuable information. I have been selling real estate for 18 years in the Los Angeles high end market. I am 61 years old and have never had a CRM so I am a little behind. Although I am not completely technologically ignorant, I am no millennial! From what I have read of your post I am leaning towards Lion Desk. Just curious if you think Lion Desk is a good place for me to start.
Tim
Hi Tim –
Glad to be of help. Yes, personally, I think LionDesk would be a great place for you to start. Here’s why:
– The interface is pretty straight forward, no need to have any technological experience to operate it.
– A lot of the features are very intuitive; they just make sense for someone walking through the process for the first time.
– If you are a part of the CRMLS, you get LionDesk for FREE!
Hope this is helpful, please let me know if I can answer any other questions!
Chris
Thank you Chris. I have signed up for LionDesk!
Great Tim! Can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Chris
Hi Chris,
I’m a selling independent broker with a current sphere of 300. I’ve used ACT! because I had a bad experience with a web based company that folded and took 30k email with them – no, this is not Hillary C in a new gig…:) I wanted to control my data on my own computer but this seems archaic now and ACT! looks stupid when I review all this. I don’t want to need an in-house IT person and I’m not super techie myself. I like the idea of integration but I’m super specific about my look. When I read the users experience of BoomTown to PropertyBase that seemed a bad choice for me. I’m not sure if BT has an affordable product for an one off broker like me – just me and a PA. I liked the idea of WiseAgent because of the 24/7 support. I liked the idea of IXACT Contact bc of the IDX integration and then Realvolve bc of the PA. Any suggestions? I hate change! I usually trade in my phone when it is a zombie phone and then am on the steep part of the learning curve going from a 6s to a 10 and wish I waited for the 11. Help!
Hi AC –
Sounds like you’ve got some big decisions to make, glad to help. First off, I’ll tell you that trying to find a service that isn’t cloud-based and is ONLY hosted on your computer is going to be tough. There might be options out there, but they are going to be pretty far behind what other providers have to offer, so I wouldn’t hold my breath there.
For a broker who isn’t running a huge people operation or office, BoomTown is probably not the best choice for you either. Though they make a great product, they are really designed for teams and entire offices, so you’ll be paying for functionality and options you just won’t be able to take advantage of.
If I were in your shoes, I’d be looking at PropertyBase or IXACT Contact. The IDX integration in the backend of IXACT Contact is really cool, it’s definitely an advantage in the space. The reason I would lean towards PropertyBase is that they are also connected with a really solid lead generation platform, so getting new contacts into that CRM is streamlined; a handy feature for someone who isn’t super tech savvy.
If we’re being honest here, your PA is probably going to spend a decent amount of time on whichever platform you choose. Do they have any input?
Wish you the best of luck, let me know what you decide!
Chris
Great article – I also just discovered Zephyrleads and wonder if you have looked into their crm/ features yet? They seem to be on par with Ixact (CRM/ Website) with a similar price point as well – but there are no reviews online yet. Any info would be terrific. Thanks!
Hi David –
Thanks for the comment. No, I haven’t spent any time with Zephyrleads, but after checking out their website, I am definitely intrigued! I will do a little looking into them and maybe include them in our next update of this piece. If you end up going with them, we’d love to hear about your experiences. Keep us in the loop!
Chris
Hi Chris,
I’ve been reading all your posts and it’s help me narrow down my search…I think.
I just opened my own brokerage. I have always been very independent. I have a good website with IDX and they have “turbo leads” which I really don’t use. I currently have an X-cel sheet where I color coordinate my leads, etc . Now, I am just overwhelmed and I need an automated system . I want alerts to follow up, along with email for marketing flyers (like rezora and Imprev). I would also like a “dob” option when I am reminded when my clients bought their home so I can send them a personal card. Is there a system all-in- one that does a good job. I’m the only employee , but hopefully I will be hiring 3-5 new agents by the end of the year. Thank you in advance.
– NINA H.
Nina –
Congrats on the new brokerage, that is a big accomplishment. Being a one-person show is definitely challenging, especially when you’re trying to get into growth mode and expand a little bit. If you’re looking for an end-to-end solution, as far as I’m concerned, Propertybase is the way to go. Their platform has a ton of automation options for communication, which will allow you to set up email drip sequences in advance, freeing you from having to send individual emails, and that is just the tip of the automation iceberg. They have customizable reporting, a great notification system, and they are under the same umbrella as BoldLeads, so when you’re ready to think about some new lead gen options, you’ve got a built in option.
Propertybase is going to check all your boxes, if I were in your shoes, that’s what I would go with!
Good luck, let us know how things go!
Chris
Thanks Chris. I’m currently doing LionDesk free trial but I’ll be checking into Propertybase.
Thanks again.
-Nina
Thanks for sharing this useful information about Real Estate CRM. It’s Really helpful in the Real Estate industry. One of my friends looking for this type of service I will tell him.Thank you
Amelie –
You’re most welcome, glad to be of service. Please let us know if you or your friend have questions!
Chris
Can’t decide between
Ixact – new agent, free 6 months plus website
Liondesk – Love the sign rider with unique phone number
Wise agent – Love the $299 per year
i’m a new agent with little technology knowledge and very small sphere.
i want to do email drips including postcards, texting and calling.
i want to send an email 30 days after closing and 1 year.
i have my own website where i’ll eventually get leads from but it’s not idx.
i want the option for many different pipelines like:
”open house buyers”, “ morningside prospecting”, “river park farm”, “anniversary”
i’m new so i’m not really sure what i need…my broker uses follow up boss but it’s complicated and i can’t set up my own unique drip campaigns.
thank you for your insight.
Good Morning Carolyn –
Thanks for all your good questions. Based on what you’re going for, sounds like LionDesk might be the way to go. Liondesk offers some great automation options that will accomplish exactly what you’re looking for, plus they integrate well with the other outreach plans you’ve got in mind. Remember though, a CRM is only as good as the amount you’ll actually use it. If I were you, I would schedule a live demo with each platform, kick the tires of each, and make your decision then.
Good luck, let us know what you decide!
Chris
Hmmm that’s a tricky one. Since you have a small sphere, maybe you can try a free trial of each for a few weeks to see what you like best? I am fairly sure you can export your contacts from one to another with an XLS file, but maybe check with them before you commit to a trial and then have to re-enter all your contacts by hand. Good luck!
Hey Chris!
Working on developing an all in one platform for agents like me that are sick of paying for 4 different software solutions. Would love to have you review it when we release!
Hi Ryan –
Always happy to look at new products. Send something my way!
Chris
Hey Chris! We have launched live!
realconnectone.com
Take a look and let me know what you need from me to review our platform.
idx/landing page builder/ crm/ texting/ video texting and email/ transaction management. Event based work flow triggers (for example, someone favorites a property and it triggers a workflow)
Plus lots more on the product road map!
Fantastic! If you are looking for other reviewers I would be interested. 33 years in RE.
Hi Wendy –
Thanks for the comment, I’ll drop you an email!
Chris
Hey wendy!
Take a look and reach out if you are interested/willing to take time to give us feedback!
realconnectone.com
I’ve reached out to PropertyBase in an attempt to take advantage of the $89/mo you refer to in the article. This is the response I’ve received. “We do have a stand-alone CRM option that is built on salesforce but this platform has a starting price of $500/month. This does get you 5 license but that system also requires more work to set up and really take full advantage of than our base platform.” Apparently, they no longer offer a CRM package under $100/mo.
Hi Mark –
Thanks for the comment. We’ll definitely look into this, appreciate the head’s up!
Chris
I’ve been in the business for 15 years and have a fair amount of contacts. I am now part of a 2 agent team and our plan is to add an admin/transaction coordinator within the next 6 months. We average 50 transactions per year as a team. We have our own clients but share communication with those clients as a team. I’m trying to find the best CRM that would allow us follow up with past clients on a monthly basis (email/postcard/etc) as well as something to stay in contact with current leads. We have our own website with IDX already. Just trying to get more systematized to stay top of mind and not loose prospects in the cracks. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Michael –
Sounds like you’ve built a really solid business, nice work! Based on what you’re saying, I would suggest two platforms. Propertybase is going to offer all the features you’re looking for, their automation and team management stuff is great. Contactually is a platform that I really like for people with very large databases; they have great tools to help to organize large volumes of clientele.
Hope these are helpful suggestions, let us know what you decide!
Chris
Hi Chris, thank you for this excellent review. It helped us a lot with our CRM search. Our business is limited to a budget of $35 per user, though. That is the main reason wiseagent is our favourite on your list. Secondly, we think it fits better with some of our teams’ local needs in Alberta. But we will keep searching. We’d also recommend checking this post for the ones living in Canada: https://www.crmrating.com/a-brief-comparison-of-affordable-real-estate-crm-solutions-for-real-estate-agents-in-canada/
Thanks again, and please update soon!
Thanks David, will do!
Chris
Hi Chris,
Thank you so much for writing such a great article, as it helped me to narrow down the choices.
Some of the CRM’s I’ve utilized in the past include the following:
-BoomTown
-Kunversion/KVCore
-Top Producer
-Chime
-CINC (Commissions Inc)
My experience with all of them is that they require an enormous amount of time, complex setting-up, lots of customization and maintenance to render them useful. Additionally, they are not so intuitive or pleasing to the eye: often, too crowded with data that may take way too long to analyze. Talk about taking analysis paralysis to a new level.
Analysis is extremely important to ascertain what works, what doesn’t and the areas where we should place more focus, but when it becomes too daunting and time-consuming, then it is not very helpful in growing our business.
I feel my prime focus should be time well-spent in front of my customers touring properties or conducting listing presentations, not figuring out the set-up of a particular system. In my opinion, they all offer all these bells and whistles that are so time-consuming and a major waste of money for things one will never use.
It reminds me of a time when we had to spend numerous hours setting up a laptop out of the box, to begin using them. Today, we just purchase a laptop, plug it in and begin working with minimal set-up.
I wonder if in existence there is a CRM platform that right out of the box, you just plug/play: upload/enter contacts and then allow the system to automatically set drip campaigns for each contact, send useful and timely articles, prepare and distribute an amazing weekly/biweekly/monthly newsletter, and provide tools for creating dynamic marketing materials such as open houses, buyer and listing presentations, automatic or integrated social media postings, etc.
The ideal system does everything automatically and intuitively without having to spend a lot of time setting-up campaigns for contacts.
One of the main issues I found in most CRM’s is that creating a drip campaign is very labor-intensive, from having to select the buyer(s), to selecting what e-mails need to be sent out and when.
If I have over 500 contacts, then going through each one to create a specific campaign seems counter-productive.
We all know there is a generally accepted and well-known sequence of events in the buying/selling process for most, so I don’t know why these CRM’s would not automatically enter each contact into a nourishing environment to maintain the prospects integrated and informed throughout, without me having to monitor each contact to ascertain what needs to take place next.
We all know, If we have a real hot buyer/seller who is ready, willing and able to do business with us right now, then, that customer will not ever fall through the cracks, as there will be a different customer relationship and level of communication that surpasses the most innovative and cutting-edge CRM. Of course, we may also want to enter them into our database to provide added value, with great, interesting and captivating info.
Perhaps I am a dreamer, or perhaps I’ve overlooked certain systems that do include all or most of the aforementioned features.
If you can shed some light, I would be extremely delighted. Thank you so much and stay safe!
Best Regards,
Tony
Hi Tony –
Thanks for the message. I wish I could tell you there was a magic bullet CRM that did all of that straight out of the box, but alas, none that I know exists on the market. And, honestly, I doubt there ever will be. Real estate is a hyper local business, from the communities your serve to your clients and their particular needs. Creating drips, communication templates, and other tools that just work straight out of the box is going to be tough because every market’s (and Realtor’s) needs are a little different. For my money, the platforms that get the closest on that are LionDesk and Propertybase, but they both do require a fair amount of setup and customization in order to really benefit your business.
Chris
I have realvolve but have not been utilizing it to the best of my ability IE I am not entering all my info, thinking about changein to liondesk but not sure if I should just stay with realvolve and put real effort into it, I am a broker in Iowa with out an assistant but thinking I should get one as i average about 40 transactions a year, and it becomes alot of work to keep everything together! Any advice I have switched around several times-need to stick with one and use it!
Hi Joanne –
I think you hit the nail on the head there at the end; you need to stick to a product and really give it the ole college try before switching to something new. I like Realvolve, I think they offer a lot of great tools for agents, and if you can really commit to using it, I bet you’ll find a lot of value you there. I know it isn’t easy, especially if you’re busy, to block off that time, but trust me, it’s worth it.
My suggestion is this: why not start with 30 minutes every working day dedicated to getting Realvolve firing on all cylinders. If you can do that for a month and you’re still not satisfied with what you’re getting, start looking at other tools. But, you’ve already invested some time and effort into what you’ve currently got, don’t throw that away!
Chris
Hello Chris, Great article, I am a review reader, Did KV Core make it on your list at all, that’s what our office decided to try. 25 Years in the business, tired of all the Scammers.
Thank you
Hi Brad –
Great question. Though KV Core didn’t make our final cut here, they were definitely in the running. I like their approach and their pricing structure, they just didn’t quite make my list this time around. But, I am considering them again when I run an update for this piece, so I will keep you posted!
Chris
I am thinking to switch from Liondesk to Realvolve. Is it worth switching? Or any other CRM you recommend for good follow-ups, workflow, lead generation & Newsletters. Suggestion please.
Hi Lara –
Thanks for the comment. That is a tough one for me. I will be the first to admit, I am a LionDesk fan, and though I have nothing against Realvolve, I don’t know if their functionality or offerings are enough to sway me personally to make the switch. If you’re looking for a change, I would check out either Propertybase or even Freshsales. Propertybase has every bell and whistle you could ask for in a CRM, and Freshsales is so gosh darn inexpensive that you could spend your CRM cash on tools to help supplement your lead generation. I will say also, if you’re looking for a wildcard, might want to check out Ixact Contact. They are starting to make some waves in the CRM space and are an alternative I’m considering more and more these days.
Thanks!
Chris
Great stuff …
what’s your favorite CRM & which one do you use? Been in real estate for over 18 years and honestly I’ve never used a CRM before is crazy as that sounds.
I just haven’t been able to find anything that’s user-friendly. I’ve got a good friend of mine that uses LionDesk and swears by it! Out of all of these options what would you suggest me use as my first CRM? I love 🔔 bells & Whistles, automated texting to my clients as follow-up calls sounds great / user-friendly is very important to me??
Thanks.. -Vlad
Hey Vlad –
Based on your needs, I’d say Liondesk is a good place to start, but you can’t get much better in terms of bells and whistles than with Propertybase. Either of those two would work great for you!
Chris
Vlad here again..
Have you ever heard of
( Sales Mate ) CRM? They seem to have a lot of features for only $12 a month? Just wanted your input…
-Vlad
Hi Vlad –
Not one that I’ve heard of before, but I will check them out!
Chris
What are your thoughts on Realty Juggler??? It’s 179.00 a year
Hi Aaron –
Not a product I’ve heard of before, but I will definitely check it out!
Chris
Hi Chris,
Any suggestions for specialty commercial real estate agent users?
Hi Paul –
I am not personally familiar with CRMs on the commercial side, but Salesforce is the leader in the space overall, so I imagine they’d be a good fit. I’ve also heard pitches from a company called Apto that sounded interesting and would be worth checking out, but I haven’t actually taken it for a test drive myself. Keep me in the loop, I’d love to hear what you discover!
Chris
HI Chris,
Thank you for such a great article! I was a Contactually user and I cancelled because I wasn’t using it properly, but I loved it. I’m now with a company that uses BoomTown and I’m getting used to it, but I don’t want to import my personal contacts into it. I keep getting pulled in the direction of going back to Contactually, because I love the ease of using the buckets and because it connects more than one email account (I have several), among other reasons.
The hang ups I have with going back to Contactually are 1) no texting and 2) will they continue to update and add features now that Compass owns it?
I started to give Realvolve a shot, but the sticker price of set up was a turn off. And I believe they only allowed for 1 email account.
I have a large database and want the relationship management Contactually offers, but I don’t want to recreate the wheel when it comes to bucketing all my contacts.
Which system(s) would your recommend that is not Contactually or BoomTown, that will give me the ability to connect multiple email accounts to the CRM, tracks email communication (text, too would be ideal), connects with my phone contacts to import new, connects with BoomTown, Zillow, etc. to import leads and has a mobile friendly app.
Thank you and I can’t wait for your next update! 🙂
Lisa
Hi Lisa –
Thanks for the comment, sounds like you’ve got a lot going for you, that’s great! With your list of needs, your available options are going to be slim, but I would give Propertybase a look as well. Also, I believe that Ixact Contact now offers texting, so they might be one to try too. We’ll be looking at an update on this article soon, so stay tuned!
Chris
Thank you!
I appreciate you taking the time to answer everyone’s comments so thoughtfully. I am a newer agent, and have begun getting several leads a week through my marketing. My CRM so far consists of me writing things down in a notebook and obviously that is not the way to go. I am an independent agent who uses YouTube and blogs for marketing, and the main things I needs are: the ability to input leads in a data base where I can easily see notes about each one so I know who I’m talking to and what they told me, ability to set times to follow up with leads with reminders of when to do so, ability to send out monthly emails to past clients/future leads I’m nurturing with YT video integration, and then lead pages that I can design myself. (I am very picky about good design). I have a Squarespace website that I would like to keep, and integrate landing pages with that. My brokerage offers Boomtown for minimal cost to me, but honestly, I find all of this CRM stuff overwhelming and so I haven’t checked into Boomtown too much, except I always hear that it’s best to have your own CRM in case you leave your brokerage, so not sure I want to pursue Boomtown and not sure my Squarespace website will integrate with BT anyways.
What do you know about using Mailchimp for a CRM? Another CRM I have learned about is Engagemore. Any thoughts on those, or on which CRM you might recommend for me? (Someone who has got to organize all the leads and follow up ASAP, is not tech savvy, and wants great design abilities on landing pages). I would also love to be able to integrate IDX with my Squarespace website eventually, but maybe that is outside of the realm of a CRM and a different beast altogether.
Thank you for taking the time to answer.
Hi Summer –
Thanks for the comment and your questions. It actually sounds like you are looking for a couple of different things here, so let me do my best to give you multiple answers.
As far as a CRM goes, I am always a proponent of working with the free tools you’re given via your brokerage. Boomtown is a great product, they have a CRM that is going to give you all the options you’re looking for.
That being said, the Boomtown CRM really shines when it integrates with their website product, something that will be decidedly less attractive and have far less design options than Squarespace.
I would suggest keeping Squarespace for your website; they are going to be your best bet for the sort of aesthetic control you’re looking for. I would also suggest investigating what landing page options they offer for you too, that might be your best option.
For your CRM, I would shy away from using Mailchimp; they are more of a database tool, and won’t really provide you with the granularity for recording interactions with your prospects that other tools will. I would check out either LionDesk, Contactually, or FreshSales; all three of them are relatively inexpensive, would work well with Squarespace, and would give you the CRM tools you’re looking for.
Also, here’s a little bonus advice to consider: maybe investigate a lead generation company like BoldLeads or Real Geeks for your landing pages. I know, the sticker price is a lot higher, but if your landing pages are just designed for lead capture, these companies have that objective dialed in, they will integrate with your CRM, and if there really isn’t a need to have them be a part of your overall website ecosystem, then a standalone product makes sense. Just something to consider!
Good luck!
Chris
Contacted Propertybase and entered “one agent/me” This is the email I received. There is a large difference between $85 and $225. He hasn’t responded to my inquiry as to why there would be 3 crms for one person.
Hi Tiffany,
I hope you are well! I got your inquiry. “Looking to get more automated touches, keep track of my database and transactions.”
Here is our current promotion with minimum requirements:
Propertybase GO CRM with Website/MLS Integration
$225/month. Includes 3 CRM Licenses and Website.
$1,500. One Time Training Fee. Base Onboarding. (See Attachment). FREE WITH PROMO!
$MLS monthly fee per company. 12-month subscription. Quarterly Payments.
Propertybase GO Short Video!
Please watch the short video above and let me know how you would like to proceed.
I can have you subscribed tomorrow if you’re ready. Thanks!
Paul
—
Paul Simmons
Senior Account Executive
Office: +1 (801) 305-3255
Mobile: +1 (801) 520-0777
Linkedin Profile
Propertybase Inc. | 2100 Central Ave. Suite 200 Boulder, CO 80301
Phoenix Boulder Houston Boston Munich Sydney
Hi Tiffany –
Hmm, seems like there is a communication issue here. Have you had interactions with him since?
Chris
Hi Chris,
• You mentioned doing a f.
follow up to this review.
& I was wondering if you
had done one yet?
• What platform would you
recommend for a s:”mall.
2-3 agent office that i
Integrates well, or
Includes a lead generator
/ ad word/ ppc / on.
FB, IG, LinkedIn, etc?
(Something other than
Boldleads please) & has
automated client follow.
up. It doesn’t necessarily
need an auto drip bc our
MLS already includest
This was definitely a great article with lots of useful info – Thank you!
I found the question & answer section very informative as well.. Your replies really highlight what a great writer you are!
Kind regards!
JT
Hi JT –
I would definitely check out LionDesk if you’re looking for something full-featured but inexpensive. They aren’t designed specifically for teams, but there are a lot of features here you’ll like.
Boomtown and Propertybase are both great for teams and team management, offer lead gen services, and all the communication options you could need, but you’ll pay a pretty penny for them.
Those would be my starting points!
Chris
Hi Rob –
Real Geeks is a good company, I like their lead generation efforts, but their CRM is somewhat secondary to that. If you are using them for Lead Gen, the CRM is nice to have, but I don’t think I would suggest going with them just for their CRM.
Chris
What are your thoughts on Boomtown, CINC and kvCORE?
Will –
Thanks for the question. I like Boomtown, especially in a team or brokerage setting. We did a little dig into them in an article on Real Estate Websites. I haven’t gotten a chance to dig into CINC much, but we do have them featured in our Best Real Estate Apps article, check it out. Our team is actually doing a deep dive on KV Core, so keep an eye out for that!
Chris
Excellent post! Thank you.What ever happened to Realty Juggler? Do agents still use that platform?
Hi Rosi –
I’ve definitely heard of Realty Juggler before, but admittedly, haven’t spent any time on their platform. I will add it to my list of CRMs to check out!
Chris
Great review, thanks. Any thoughts on Copper CRM? As a G-Suite user the integration right into Google is very attractive. I think they are a relatively new player in this space.
Hi Rick –
Yeah, I’ve heard of Copper before, and I will admit, I am intrigued.
I haven’t had any personal time on the platform, so I can’t speak for how they would stack up compared to the others on this list. That being said, keep a couple of things in mind.
First, the best CRM is the one you’ll actually use. If you aren’t using your CRM daily, if not hourly, you’re not getting your money’s worth. If you’d be more likely to get on and use the thing, it’s definitely worth checking out. Secondly, one of the major features for a real estate CRM is integration with an IDX feed, which this doesn’t offer you. Will everyone use that feature? Maybe not, but that is an industry-specific ask that doesn’t come through here, so that would be a drawback for me.
However, the price point is great on this product, so worth a shot if you’re interested! Keep me in the loop, I’d love to hear about your experiences.
Chris
Hey Chris,
Just curious if you considered Follow Up Boss. I’ve used all the “big” and some small CRM’s and FUB is far superior to them all. They also seem to integrate with more 3rd party vendors than any other CRM out there. Too many bells and whistles to list. Also, it works well for a small data base, large ones, teams and individual agents. my .02cent.
Hi David –
Thanks for the comment. Actually, I had Follow Up Boss on this list for quite a while. The most recent update I did of this article bumped them, but they are definitely in my top 10 products for sure. Glad to hear you’re getting good use of them!
Chris
Thank you for the deep dives into these CRM’s its a big investment of time and money and you hope to make the right choice the first time. Have you ever heard of or done a research on a CRM called GreatAgent?
Hi George –
Thanks for the comment. Can’t say that I have spent any time with GreatAgent. I will check them out!
Chris
Chris, thank you for all of this very helpful information!
We are a small but mighty team, with three agents, two admin, and 50+ transactions annually. Our team is looking for a tool that can accomplish both of the following:
1. Listing search and collaboration tool that allows clients to set up search parameters, favorite or reject listings, leave comments on listings, and comment/communicate with their agent directly through the tool.
2. CRM that has a nice interface. Doesn’t have to be incredibly robust, but should be user-friendly and intuitive. Reminders or workflows for contacts would be nice, but not a requirement.
Task management capabilities would be a bonus, but we are currently using Asana and it’s really just for admin.
Most important is the combination of a search/collaboration tool, paired with a CRM. Price is not an issue, we just want to find the best tool.
We are speaking with Propertybase, Follow Up Boss, and BoomTown.
Do you have a recommendation for our team?
Hi Haley –
Thanks for the question. Sounds like your team is really moving in the right direction.
The CRM that I think is probably going to get you closest here is Propertybase. The collaboration you’re talking about is probably going to be the toughest row to hoe here; especially with the integration of an MLS. I will do a little poking around to see if there’s anything else that might fit your needs, but I think that is the best option on the table at the moment.
I work with a consulting client who uses BoomTown and they swear by it, but it isn’t going to give you the pure collaboration you want natively. If you find something that meets your needs better, feel free to update us here, I’d love to hear what you choose.
Chris
You can use Follow up boss as transaction management as well, you just need to create a workaround. I start using follow-up boss as a full system (CRM and as a Transaction Management ) and it works excellent.
Thank you for this comparative analysis! It is very insightful. However, I’m still not sure what database would be the best fit for me. I just started as a real estate assistant with zero prior knowledge. I work for a singular principal broker who is very good at his job, just a little disorganized at times. He does not currently use any real estate software so he left it up to me to pick a database that both of us can start with (him new to databases and myself new to real estate altogether). I am not licensed yet, but will be soon, so in all honesty I am not really even sure what to look for within each site and which characteristics would benefit us more/less. I am looking for a software that will be a good fit for our two person team that will help me get started in the real estate world while also helping him progress his business and add onto his success. Any suggestions of one that would be a good dual tool for a brand new realtor along with an experienced Principal Broker?
Hi Hannah –
Thanks for the question, and welcome to the business.
Based on what you’ve said, I think LionDesk is probably the best fit for you, primarily because it is an easy-to-use interface, you can get started on it quickly, and it is definitely priced right for those who’ve not used a CRM before. Believe it or not, the hardest part about getting started with a CRM is actually GETTING STARTED. Many agents, especially really successful ones, are subconsciously locked in their routines; they know what’s made them successful up until now, it’s hard to change that. Asking them to get on a large, sophisticated platform and transform the way they operate usually leads to agents not actually using the platform.
Liondesk is a great place to transition the CRM world, and they offer a ton of great options to accelerate your business. They actually aren’t my pick for the absolute best team collaboration platform, but at this point, I am not sure that’s what you need. If you’re functioning as the assistant, you’re going to be spending a lot more time there than the broker will; so you need a platform that feels good for both of you to access; not necessarily collaborate on.
I love how proactive you’re being, and I can’t wait to hear about all your success. If you have further questions, please feel free to email me directly (chris@theclose.com), I’d love to be a part of helping along the way if I can.
Thanks!
Chris
Hi Chris, I’m on a Team although I really need a CRM for myself , Team has not offered a CRM. I’ve been agent already for 3years & don’t have any type of database. Have post its all over , excell sheet with a couple of contacts, emails with no notes, more paper & more paper. I need to follow up with leads& clients which is my major issue. As I’m not a new agent I still don’t have any type of flow for my business which is the reason I’m looking into a CRM. Don’t want anything pricey now only because I want to see what fits my needs. Ive read some reviews above so thinking in LionDesk although have heard good things about Wise agent, what are the differences. Which do you recommend in my case?
Hi Grace –
Thanks for the comments. I am just going to go ahead and say I think LionDesk is the move for you. They are priced right, they are a great CRM for people who’ve never used a CRM, and they have some really dynamic follow-up options that are going to give you strategies you need to take your business to the next level. I am not saying Wise Agent is a bad product (far from it, actually), just based on what you’ve said are your priorities and your current situation, LionDesk seems like the clear move.
Good luck!
Chris
Check out Relotis CRM. Simple, minimal and easy to get going in minutes. Perfect for moving from spreadsheets into CRM without being overwhelmed. Also have a lifetime one-time deal on AppSumo.
I just purchased Lion Desk and it was around $98 a month. I am using a Real Estate Webmasters Site, A Real Geaks Site, IHomeFinder on WordPress, Placester and a few others.
My goal was a plug them all into Google PPC then route all the leads into 1 platform that has AI.
So far this seems like it will work but I have a few questions.
Would you use structurally with lions desk?
It seems like having a chat bot on the website with Ai would be nice.
The problems I am having is figuring out how to get all my leads signed up with saved searches.
Keep in mind I have had these websites for a while so my past leads are over 3,000 people and trying to add new people to the list and manage old leads sucks.
Hi Brandon –
Thanks for the questions. As for your overall goal, I think you can do what you looking to do with LionDesk, but with so many moving parts to your system, I would suggest reaching out directly to LionDesk to have them help.
As for Structurely, LionDesk has LeadAssist, which is built on the Structurely platform, so you may be all set there! I actually wrote an entire article about LeadAssist, check it out.
Chris
I have LionDesk and lead assist on agent fire. It doesn’t work. They have been trying to figure it out for over a week now. I went that route based on your review. Looking for another CRM with AI, thoughts? I need help.
Hi Rick –
Thanks for the comment. So, Agent Fire is your website provider? Is there some sort of compatibility issue? I’d love to learn more here. Happy to help in any way I can, just want to get some info first!
Chris
Hi – I’m really hoping you can help me cut through the noise 🙁
I am (after spending 4 full days setting up) realizing that Capsule CRM has no SMS integration. We use text/sms all day long…Ugh.
I have tried many. Hate anything that looks like it’s mid 90’s (wise agent, realty juggler) or busy/bloated (TP, contactually) or too expensive – Realvolve.
Leaning towards Hubspot – BUT worried its going to fall down in a key area that I only discover after hours of work… and it seems expensive for a small team of 5?
Need:
-platform that does both CRM and Transaction management (in and on the business) well.
-be able to work all day (do everything) in one spot : store emails, sms, call log, file files (GDrive is fine for storing), etc.
-have transaction management action plans
-have a clean, minimal UI for desktop and mobile platforms
-Google integration (auto sync)
-IDX or MLS integration
*don’t care about: drip campaigns, statistical reporting, financial planning, mass calling, custom IVR, etc etc.
If you could offer any insight or guidance I’d really appreciate it.
Thanks in advance
Victoria
Hi Victoria –
I definitely don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news here, but your needs list might be tough to come by for a single platform. I think the closest you might come here is Propertybase. I’m actually working on some Propertybase content right now that we should see on the site pretty soon, so hopefully that will be helpful.
Sorry I can’t be more help! The challenge you’re going to face here is that you’re looking for a fairly comprehensive end-to-end solution; most tools in the CRM space focus on a particular life-stage of a client.
Good luck!
Chris
Great article.
Is there any CRM that feeds the MLS directly. Or must we always enter and edit listings directly in the MLS systems manually? I belong to multiple MLS services and it’s a pain having to move from one to the other all the tome.
Hi Jorge –
Thanks for the comments. There isn’t a platform that I know of that offers this, though, I agree, that would be great!
Chris
Hey Chris
Love the article and I’ve recently started dabbling with CRMs that are a bit more intuitive.
I’m currently using pipedrive which is good but not built for real estate and I’m starting to see the cracks in the system.
I wanted to know your thoughts on the below.
I want a CRM that I can match buyers in my system with properties and vice versa.
I’ve got pipe drive to do it but it’s rough and not how its meant to work.
I’d love to be able to call clients I know have a 3 bed house in a certain area about a buyer I know wants to buy something similar.
Or search for buyers for a 3 bed house that I’ve just listed.
It doesn’t seem to be something anyone offers right now with the advanced CRM systems
Also a smart oFI assistant like Spac.io – have you seen that?
Thanks
Nathan
Hi Nathan –
I think the best bet for you here is probably Propertybase. They have a smart MLS integration on that backside of their platform that allows for some pretty cool property alert features. I will be honest, they may not be a perfect fit, but I think they’re close! Check out this article we did all about the MLS integration.
Good luck!
Chris