For this buyer’s guide, I used my experience as an agent, coach, and tech expert to review our top choices of where to buy real estate leads. I also analyzed them based on lead gen strategy, price, usability, scalability, and customer support. The heavy lifting’s been done for you—read on for the details on cost, contracts, and services on each one of our picks for buying real estate leads. We’ve also linked to our deep dive reviews if you want to learn more about each provider.
The Close’s Top Picks of Best Places to Buy Real Estate Leads
| Provider | Best For |
|---|---|
| Market Leader | Fixed budget looking for a predictable number of exclusive leads every month |
| Offrs | Predictive analytics to get more listings |
| CINC | Hyperlocal paid search ads with an all-in-one system |
| zBuyer | Cash offer listing leads on-demand |
| Catalyze AI | AI-driven listings through inheritance leads |
Best for Monthly Guaranteed Leads: Market Leader
Market Leader places ads on Google and social media to drive traffic to either a home valuation page (for listing leads), or a personally branded, IDX search-enabled landing page for buyer leads to browse homes. To use the tools on the website, visitors must register and input their contact information, which is then passed directly to you.
Note that Market Leader offers lead volume guarantee. This feature may be an excellent option for agents with a fixed marketing budget looking for a straightforward way to buy guaranteed leads. Plus, if you’re looking to increase your pipeline, you can use Market Leader’s “Network Boost,” which can give an average of 30 leads for just $300, every month!.
Pros
| Starting Monthly Prices |
Cons
| Dig Deeper Into Market Leader: |
My Take on Buying Leads From Market Leader
Market Leader has been around a long time and has a proven track record. It’s ideal for those who have done the math on their conversion rates and have a healthy budget. These agents know exactly how many leads they need monthly to ensure that paid lead generation is profitable. Market Leader makes that possible with its guarantee. Also, the Social Boost add-on may get you even more leads without needing personalized follow-up.
What I Think Would Improve Market Leader
Note that these leads will be higher in the funnel, so you’ll need to be extra diligent with your follow-up for these leads to see them convert. The CRM is top-notch but is only available for the Market Leader Professional and Team package. If you’re looking for a website that generates leads and includes a robust CRM with analytics, you might check out Zurple.
Best for Building Your Listing Client Base: Offrs
Using vast amounts of consumer, demographic, and market data, Offrs identifies the top 30% of your target market that is most likely to buy or sell a home in the next 18 months. They are the only predictive analytics company that guarantees a certain number of leads: 30 leads per month in your targeted ZIP code and 90 leads within five ZIP codes if you upgrade to the premium package.
Pros
| Starting Monthly Prices |
Cons
| Dig Deeper Into Offrs: |
My Take on Buying Leads From Offrs
Offrs guarantees a specific number of highly qualified leads each month based on several data points that predict when a homeowner is ready to sell. Offrs has also partnered with ROOF, a great feature that acts as an ISA—ROOF will contact, qualify, and convert your leads to be ready for you. One of my biggest points in buying real estate leads is ensuring you can follow up and convert. This feature solves that pain point.
Offrs is great for agents because these leads are targeted at those sellers ready to list. And you know what they say—leverage those listings to get even more leads.
What I Think Would Improve Offrs
I’ve seen some reviews state that Offrs leads don’t convert, and I want to stress to our readers that since these leads may not have started the real estate cycle yet, you’re looking at a long time for conversion. We’re talking four to six months to see some action on these leads. This will also be one of the most expensive providers on our list. However, you won’t need to pay an expensive referral fee on the backend. If you’re looking for a more budget-conscious provider for leads, check out Sold.com.
Best for Paid Search Advertising: CINC
CINC uses Google and Meta to generate leads via hyper-local real estate advertising done for you by the CINC team. CINC funnels leads directly into its proprietary system using paid search, remarketing campaigns, and cash offer ads. The CRM and mobile app are top-notch, and with AI, CINC nurtures and responds to your leads 24/7, no matter when they engage with your ads. That way, you can always ensure you take care of your leads promptly and automatically.
Pros
| Starting Monthly Prices |
Cons
| Dig Deeper Into CINC: |
My Take on Buying Leads From CINC
CINC is an innovative way for top producers and team leaders to start bringing in lots of leads. By advertising on Google and Meta, CINC brings you leads that have engaged with your advertising already. This feature is a 2-for-1 because digital advertising will simultaneously build your brand in that area. CINC offers a good product, evidenced by the price tag. I’d invest in something like CINC over Zillow, especially if you already have a good digital footprint.
What I Think Would Improve CINC
For me, while CINC has a robust system and lots of bells and whistles to attract top producers and teams, I think there may be cheaper avenues for search and social media advertising. It’s also hard to think about migrating over your entire system if you’ve already got a great website and CRM elsewhere. However, if you want to buy real estate leads with a provider with many support services, you might consider checking out Zillow Premier Agent.
Best for On-Demand Leads Generated via Cash Offer: zBuyer
A family-owned company, zBuyer maintains a solid commitment to customer satisfaction that some of the larger software companies just can’t match. Plus, it has an excellent track record of supplying valuable, verified leads.
zBuyer targets potential sellers, directing them to HousingNow.com. The site is similar to Zillow, where buyers can browse listings—after inputting their contact information. What makes zBuyer different is that zBuyer verifies leads for agents to ensure these leads are ready to transact. Note that while the leads aren’t exclusive, zBuyer says they will only share a lead with six agents total, so if an area has that many agents already active, it will be sold out.
Pros
| Starting Monthly Prices |
Cons
| Dig Deeper Into zBuyer: |
My Take on Buying Leads From zBuyer
For agents looking for leads that have been vetted and verified, zBuyer could very well be your answer. Their offering is similar to others on this list, but they do put their leads through a vetting process before passing them off to agents. Their customer service is also top-notch, which is something to consider when spending hundreds of dollars on leads.
What I Think Would Improve zBuyer
zBuyer leads aren’t exclusive. There have also been different reviews from homeowners who may have felt deceived by the enticement of a cash offer, only to have their information provided to an agent. You’ll need to be able to show these leads how you can get them more money than their cash offer, and your process will be smooth and easy. If you’re looking for predictive analytics to help you start that conversation (rather than a cash offer) check out Offrs.
Best for AI-Driven Listing Leads: Catalyze AI
Catalyze AI uses more than 400 million data points to drive predictions on hot listing leads. The model differs slightly from others on this list.: The platform provides exclusive inheritance-based seller leads that are likely to list. There are no setup fees, and plans are flexible—your leads are delivered monthly, and there is no contract.
Pros
| Starting Monthly Prices |
Cons
| Dig Deeper Into Catalyze AI: |
My Take on Buying Leads from Catalyze AI
Catalyze AI is an interesting proposition: not your average “smart farming,” but actionable behaviors. Many coaches and brokers have pushed prospecting to vacant properties in the past—I’ve done it myself. If you have experience with probate leads and a fixed marketing budget, Catalyze AI may be the answer for you. It’s also a good choice for agents looking for a straightforward way to purchase leads without contract or setup fees. However, remember that inherited property sales can differ from regular transactions. You may need more patience and advanced nurturing skills to convert these leads.
What I Think Would Improve Catalyze AI
These radius-based leads are within 20 miles. While this may seem like a small area, that can be a considerable distance in large metro areas. I also worry that some agents may be unable to convert these leads, so ensure you know how to coach them through a different kind of transaction than they may be used to. Often, inherited properties have memories attached to them, and you’ll need to be able to navigate those waters with your clients. If you’re seeking on-demand listing leads, you might want to consider zBuyer.
Buying Real Estate Leads: FAQs
Rightfully, many agents have questions they need answered before forking over their commission to buy real estate leads. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about paid lead generation services. If we haven’t covered something, feel free to drop your question in the comment section below.
Is buying real estate leads worth it?
Yes! I always say, “There’s no such thing as a free lead.” You might pay with your time, effort, and checkbook, or you can pay with a combination of all three. One way or another, you’ll pay for the leads you get.
If this expenditure results in a net positive for your business—meaning you make more money than you spend—it is absolutely worth it. If you spend $500 monthly on direct mail marketing and receive a $2,500 commission each month, you would say that the postcards were worth it. The same is true for paid lead-generation tactics.
How should I choose a company to buy real estate leads from?
When looking at purchasing real estate leads, each agent will be different. Only you know your working style, your personality, and your business. Keep in mind that driving consistent results is the key. You might have to try a couple of different angles before finding a paid lead generation strategy that works best for you. One of our veteran contributors and coaches, Sean Moudry, has outlined a great lead generation selection formula to tailor your approach—including a downloadable worksheet.
Does buying leads for real estate work?
Listen—leads aren’t cheap. While it can be a great piece of the lead generation pie for some agents, these leads also tend to be harder to convert—remember that low conversion rate of roughly one percent? You’ll need a solid follow-up strategy. Many agents try buying leads and give up when they don’t see immediate results. These leads will require you to establish trust and authority with them and maintain consistent communication to see them convert.
How is purchasing real estate leads different from generating them?
Real estate leads you’ve bought are traditionally higher in the marketing funnel. You can also think of them as being in different buckets: Hot leads are those you’re sure will convert and are lower in the funnel. Warm leads are the ones you’ve been talking to for a few months that have expressed interest in the next year. Leads that you’ve purchased are usually cold.
More than likely, you’ll need to nurture these leads into converting. There’s a sweet spot in real estate where people think about buying or selling but haven’t yet talked to an agent. That’s where you come in! Once you’ve got your leads, check out our guide on lead nurturing and strategies.
Do most real estate agents pay for leads?
Most real estate businesses have some form of paid leads as a marketing strategy. The most successful agents and teams scale up their lead buying once they identify a successful lead source. However, the very best agents see buying leads as only one part of their overall strategy.
Do brokerages use these services to give leads to agents directly?
Yes, some brokerages offer this. However, we encourage you to try putting together a plan to do it yourself before going all-in on someone else doing it for you. When you rely on your brokerage for leads, you end up sharing your opportunities with every other agent doing the same thing. Those leads will be much fewer than opportunities you can provide for yourself.
Also, make no mistake—you’re not getting those leads for free. Your brokerage is paying for them by charging you more in fees or a higher commission split.
When you pay for leads yourself, you get to do it on your terms, and the long-term opportunity for success is much higher. Plus, leaving your brokerage and still having clients from that company can get messy.
Our Methodology for Evaluating Companies That Sell Real Estate Leads
Our team has decades of experience to bring you analysis of the best products and services for real estate agents. I also have years of experience coaching real estate agents through their businesses and finding what works best for each agent’s business.
We focused on providing our readers with various sources to buy real estate leads so you have an option—no matter your strengths or strategy. It was necessary to my objectivity to find providers that were our top picks for three key areas:
- Pricing: I sought to offer a range of providers for our readers no matter their budget. I also considered the Return on Investment (ROI) you should expect from using a provider on our list.
- Stable & well-known: Companies tend to come and go in real estate technology. The ones I’ve listed for our readers are primarily established companies with a history and plenty of reviews for their services.
- Utility & Strategy: Our readers vary from new agents to top producers with years of experience. I intended the list to be comprehensive for every type of agent to find a place to buy real estate leads, should they choose to do so.
However, we recognize that the software and services listed above are not an entirely exhaustive list. There will be great lead generation services that didn’t make the list, and new services are arriving on the horizon faster than ever. Our team strives to update our articles frequently. Visit our full methodology page for an overview of how we at The Close evaluate products and reviews for our readers.
Bringing It All Together
Not all lead providers are the same, so I hope this list helps you narrow down the best source to buy real estate leads for your particular situation.
Buying leads isn’t the only strategy for success in real estate, but it is a crucial part of your business development strategy. Keep in mind that real estate is an outside sales career. The more people you talk to and real estate conversations you have, the more sales will come your way.
Have questions about these companies, ones we’ve missed, or advice for other agents looking to buy real estate leads? Drop a comment below, and let’s keep the conversation going!