Every real estate agent is looking for leads. It takes time, investment, and a lot of effort. But it’s all worth it since it’s the leads that lead to sales, and consequently, better earnings.
Among the questions and concerns, we have come across is whether one can get real estate leads for free, without too much hustle or spending. Well, you can!
This blog post will cover the 31 best ways to generate real estate leads for free, including social media, search engine optimization (SEO), and cold calling. We’ll also talk about picking up the phone and door-knocking as smart lead generation strategies.
How to Generate Real Estate Leads for Free - 31 Top Ideas
Tip #1: Hold an open house show
Hosting an open house can be the best way to generate real estate leads for your business, and in some cases – even get buyers or sellers who are excited about what you have on offer.
Real estate agents can generate a steady stream of leads by hosting open houses. When people RSVP online, they are more likely to show up at your doorstep when you need them most. So always make sure someone is there ready to close the sale.
It does not have to be expensive. Besides, you can use free real-estate lead generation tools you can find online that will help lighten the load for your business.
If you are on a budget, consider using Google Docs or Facebook to set up your own open houses and share them with friends, family members, neighbors, coworkers, or anyone in those groups who might be interested in coming over.
Tip #2: From your sphere of influence
One of the best ways to generate real estate leads for your business is by leveraging your sphere of influence. This is a group of people you have access to and can make an introduction with – whether it be through friends, family, coworkers, or other connections in your social circle.
It often takes just one introduction to get past any initial hesitation on their part, as they will trust those who recommend them more. Suppose this person has found success in similar fields, then even better because now it seems like two reputable sources vouching for you.
Any real estate agent can leverage their sphere of influence through various ways to generate real estate leads. They don’t need to pay a dime for it, and they can even do it at home if necessary.
Tip #3: Check your neighborhood
Some of the best seller leads are just in your neighborhood. Talk with the neighbors about what they’re looking for. This is a great way to get started–it’s free, and you can do it in your spare time.
Even if you don’t find any leads on this first try, ask them about their realtor. You might just make an acquaintance that will lead to some lucrative connections down the line.
In this case:
- Ask around at block parties or other community events.
- Maintain relationships with people in your neighborhood (including messengers)
- Do a drive-by of your next-door neighbor’s home: check out how long it has been since they came up for sale. If you own property close by, offer to show off its features as well.
These are all simple, free ways to generate real estate leads.
Tip #4: Focus on networking
Networking is one of the best and cost-effective lead gen ideas for real estate agents. A real estate agent that focuses on networking will generate more business leads with less effort. It is also a great way to get your name out there in the community, which will lead to more referrals.
Networking can include social media, networking events, and even a simple phone call. Some real estate agents also use their websites or blogs to connect with buyers and sellers on the web.
If you’re feeling creative, you could always try hosting a home-based open house event at your place where people gather for refreshments while viewing homes listed in your neighborhood. It’s an easy way to introduce yourself without being too intrusive.
For example: “Please hold my friends (list of names), so I can tell them about this awesome opportunity.”
You can:
- Reach out through LinkedIn groups
- Join online communities that are related to what you do/sell and so on.
Tip #5: Real estate lead generation services
Subscribe to real estate lead generation services, and you can have someone do all the work for you. Companies like RealEstateLeads.com offer lead generation services that are cost-effective and well worth it.
You can find out more about them on their website or give them a call today to see how they might be able to help your business grow.
Every real estate business owner understands the importance of lead generation services. Most of them offer free services, which can be a great way to generate as many leads as possible.
Real estate lead generation services help agents grow their business by sourcing out the best prospects from various sources and getting them in front of the agent so they can do more deals.
If you want to make it easier on yourself (and your wallet), then consider signing up for one of these free real-estate website templates like ActiveRain or Weebly.
Tip #6: Search Engine Optimization
Search engines are a great way to tap into potential leads for your business. The best part is you can do it without paying anything.
SEO, or search engine optimization, is when you optimize your website so that the major search engines rank it higher in their results pages. This could lead to more traffic and new clients for real estate agents.
Some of the best ways to get on top of SEO include:
- Start with keyword research.
- Research keywords associated with what your business does and see which ones have high competition.
- Monitor how well your site ranks through Google’s free tools.
- If something isn’t going as planned, then make adjustments until they are optimized.
- Build links from other websites ranked highly by Google (the higher rankings these websites have, the better your chances of success).
Include keyword research about “real estate lead generation” and how to generate real estate leads for free.
Focus on these keywords in your articles:
- How to generate real estate leads for free
- Real estate lead generation
Monitor how well your site ranks through Google’s free tools. If something isn’t going as planned, make adjustments until they are optimized (include advice from SEO experts).
Build links from other websites ranked highly by Google (the higher rankings these websites have, the better your chances of success).
Tip #7: Let social media work for you
Social media is another excellent way to generate leads in real estate. You need to build your social media presence and promote it on your website, social media accounts, and any other landing page you have. You can post pictures of the homes for sale or building, encouraging people to contact you.
You also want to share videos with prospects about why they should buy a home in your area. Give them information such as what school districts are available near these properties.
Post regularly on Facebook, LinkedIn, and similar services. Keep your content short and relevant to the audience. Try using images, videos, or infographics.
Tip #8: Use search engines and social media to advertise
Your website can be a great asset when it comes to generating leads. You can use many ways, but one thing is by driving organic traffic through search engine optimization (SEO).
You want to include keywords in the title of your blog posts and content that will help your site show up higher on Google’s SERPs or Search Engine Results Pages.
Adding this information in a meta tag, including real estate agents, home buying tips, or anything related to what you do for business, will also increase how often people find your page.
Link building with other websites and blogs is another way to get links back from them that mention any keyword phrases related to selling homes or renting out property. This all helps bring free leads to you.
You want to make sure that when someone does contact you, they become your client or customer as quickly as possible. This means following up on their inquiry with an offer and call-to-action that is persuasive and reliable.
Leads are great, but they will not do much for your company if they don’t turn into clients. That’s why it’s essential to follow up right away by emailing them a link to one of your listings so they can take advantage of this opportunity.
Tip #9: Targeted messages to get free real estate leads
Sending targeted messages is another great way to get leads in real estate. It is a fact that people are more likely to respond if they know where an email or call is coming from.
This applies even when there is no incentive, like offering a free book written by the real estate agent in return for their contact information.
With targeted messaging, you can reach out to clients who have recently expired listings or just put up new ones. Then offer them your services without being too pushy about it.
You may also send messages with other helpful tips on how to sell their property quickly or what steps need completing before listing, such as clean-up work after renovations.
Targeted emails can be sent whenever possible because each one will only go out once. So, for example, if someone has posted five properties on MLS within the past two weeks, sending a targeted email to each one will reach them five times.
The main benefit of this is that you’ll be able to get more people on your mailing list while also being courteous and not spamming anyone with the same message over and over again.
Tip #10: Ask your fellow agents, and help them too
Another great way to grow in the real estate industry is to create good relationships with other agents. It’s a competitive field, yes, but the more you can work together with other agents, the better off they’ll be, and the better your business will do too.
It’s a win-win situation that is proven to help both parties grow exponentially. So, make sure to ask your fellow real estate agent for leads.
You may also want to offer them some free advertising in return, like letting them know about how great their services are or what new listings they have on hand.
Remember when helping someone else out always pays back in dividends because one day down the line, you’ll need help from others as well.
When reaching out to another person with similar interests or clients to yourself, don’t hesitate to share information such as best practices or helpful tips on how things should be done.
Tip #11: Divorce leads
Divorce has been a significant part of society for many centuries now, and it will remain so as long as there are two people left on earth.
You must know how most divorces work. Then, you’ll be able to offer more services when meeting clients who currently or have gone through one themselves.
For example, if they’re about to go into another marriage, knowing what type of needs their future spouse might have can help them make wiser decisions with their money.
On the flip side, if someone is coming out of a marriage where everything is split down the middle between assets and debts, then your expertise can guide them towards making the best decisions for their future.
The most crucial part of getting this type of lead is keeping your ear close to the ground and staying alert for any potential divorces.
Many signs can show divorce is happening, such as a couple not being seen together or one partner’s Facebook status changing from married to single.
These types of leads will come up when least expected, so you should always have someone on call who has time readily available at all times.
Tip #12: Smart CRM – automated real estate lead generation
You can use smart CRM to generate new leads without moving. CRM is an essential tool for generating leads in the digital age. The modern CRM system is an all-inclusive business management suite that includes automated lead generation processes, email marketing, and tracking your contacts’ behavior online or offline.
If you want to generate new leads from a list of past clients with no other information about them than their names and phone numbers, it’s possible with smart CRM systems – but not always easy.
Most CRM tools offer several free services that should be good enough for generating leads and keeping you in touch with clients.
Tip #13: Cold calling
In this covid-19 pandemic, many people are working from home. So, cold calling could be an excellent strategy to tap into these businesses. Cold calling is also a tried-and-true way of generating leads for real estate agents, especially in the era of social media and automated marketing.
You can easily learn what is happening with local businesses by picking up the phone and dialing. It may cost you a bit to make the calls, but it’s not a lot when making local calls. Also, chances of success are higher than with other lead generation strategies.
Tip #14: From old listings
Do not ignore your past clients. Call them and ask if they are looking for a home again. If not, you can offer to help market their listings on the internet or in print ads. Someone you have helped buy or sell a house could also help you.
In return, share your contact information with these past clients who may be interested in buying or selling other real estate properties – thus generating more leads for you.
You can offer them valuable information and insights about the market. And in turn, they can refer you to their friends and colleagues.
Tip #15: Get leads from FSBOs
Offer your FSBOs a deal by giving them advertising credits. You can offer them free listings on the internet or in print ads that will generate traffic and new leads for their real estate business, too.
FSBOs are not only looking to sell their home; they want to make money on it while they’re at it. You could create a win-win situation with this type of lead generation strategy.
Help them get their property sold and ideally feed them back into your sales funnel as well through referrals from past clients who know he’s done some deals with you before.
You can find FSBOs through your sources of real estate leads such as the MLS or websites like Zillow.
Tip# 16: Create video content
Most of your potential clients are online. This means getting them your business card may not be possible. However, creating video content and using it to market your new business or business development strategies can be a great way to generate new leads.
You may not want your prospects, clients, or buyers to know it’s you on the other end of their computer screen until they’re sure that working with you is something they want.
The abilities and opportunities for video marketing have grown in recent years as we now have smartphones and tablets that make watching videos online easier than ever before.
No matter the lead generation strategy you use – even if it’s social media-related – always start by generating content about who you are, what services/products your company offers, and how these things will benefit potential customers or clients.
Tip 17: Blogging
Blogging may not be a top-of-mind strategy for many real estate agents, but it can be a great way to generate leads. Writing about your business or industry topics is one of the most powerful ways to reach new buyers and sellers in your area, both online and offline.
And blogging for real estate agents doesn’t have to take up a lot of time, as many marketers have found long-form content to produce more leads than short posts with limited content.
Blogging also increases awareness of your name, so when someone types in “John Smith” on Google, they find information related to you. This could lead them down the path where they are ready to contact you right away from their computer screen.
Even if you cannot create your blogs, you can still contribute to other blogs with guest blogging.
Tip #19: Support a local charity event to connect with pet-loving leads
Alisa Cunningham says, “You can connect with pet-loving leads easily when you sponsor local events. It does not have to cost much either, as she states that sponsoring the local animal shelter’s annual event only cost her $400.”
Some of these leads may not even be involved in your industry, but they need real estate, so it can still work out well if you are willing to invest time or money into this type of lead gen strategy.
Tip #20: Ask referrals
Even before you start giving out business cards, consider word of mouth as part of your marketing strategies. You can do this by asking for referrals or asking for testimonials from past clients.
This is an excellent way to generate real estate leads if you don’t have any prospects in your pipeline already or cannot advertise on social media platforms, search engine optimization sites, and other free online sources.
It may also be a good idea to ask for referrals when you meet with new potential customers. They will most likely know someone who needs your services, which could lead them to be your next client.
Every buyer you meet per week could be a lead to another buyer. So, do not be afraid to ask for referrals out of fear that you will be seen as pushy or annoying.
Tip #21: Use Quora
Quora is a great place to find people asking questions related to your industry and offer up some insightful answers for them.
It’s also an opportunity for you to show off what type of real estate agent or broker you are by demonstrating that you know about local real estate prices, available properties in the area, mortgage rates, etc.
It can be easy enough just to sign up with Quora as well – even if it takes only a few minutes out of your day to answer these types of queries from potential clients.
And this can become something that gives back on its own because others will see how knowledgeable you are in your field and may come across as someone they want advice from one person who knows what they are talking about.
Tip # 22: Sending your leads a Thank You card
If you want to thank someone for a referral, consider sending them a card. People like being appreciated for what they do.
This can be an excellent way to generate more business leads, especially if the person who referred your company is also in real estate or has access to other potential clients within the industry.
The follow-up thank you card should contain some information about why their referral could benefit from working with your company and any additional ways that it would make sense to connect with others on social media sites.
It should also contain contact information so that there will be no confusion about where they can reach out again if need be.
You can add your phone number to the card so that they can call or give it to a friend who needs services like yours. It does not cost anything to send a card, and it could be the start of something great in generating more real estate leads.
Tip #23: Door-to-Door Knocking
Knocking on doors is one of the best ways to generate real estate leads. You can find out who’s looking for a house, ask them about their needs and budget, and then follow up with tailored information that will work well for them in getting them.
This strategy may not be as appealing if you are already established in other parts of the country. Still, it could make sense to use door-knocking if you are just starting locally or do not have many contacts outside residential areas where homes are more plentiful, such as suburbs.
People tend to be more open-minded in these regions when they hear from someone trying to connect with potential clients.
The best thing about this strategy is that you get leads ready to be sold on the idea of working with you – all because they have an expressed interest in buying a house or property.
Tip #25: Craigslist
Every realtor should have a Craigslist account. It’s an excellent way to generate real estate leads for free. It also does not take up much of your time at all. You can set up the ad, write about what services or properties are available, then just wait for potential buyers and sellers to contact you with interest.
Craigslist is a service that has been around even before the internet was created.
So there is a good chance that you will be able to find someone who has an “expired listing” (something they are no longer selling), or even something more desirable and wants to sell it for a lower price than what is advertised in other places like newspapers, magazines, etc.
You can also offer up your services on Craigslist by posting ads about what types of properties you have available at any given time. This lets potential clients know that you’re always willing to work with them in finding their next property.
There’s nothing negative about this service because people get leads from realtors all the time but never purchase anything, which means more business for everyone else. All these websites will allow you to create a profile and also post ads without any cost.
Tip #26: Expired Listings
This is another excellent way to generate real estate leads for free because it’s an easy, low-risk strategy. It makes more sense if your market area consists of many residential areas or suburbs where homes are more plentiful.
Also, in such regions, people tend to be more open-minded when they hear from someone trying to connect with potential clients, such as realtors.
This means that expired listings may not always represent the best deals, but there are plenty out there who want their house sold at all costs – which just makes it easier for agents like yourself to connect them with buyers.
When selling any property, it’s important to remember that many people have an emotional attachment. This means you need to be careful when going about your business and trying not to offend or scare any potential clients away with a blunt, unfeeling approach.
So, when using an expired seller or buyer’s listing, always make sure to respect the space by not carrying out a walk-through or home inspection.
Tip #27: Put on a name Badge – easy and free
You can easily market your new business by wearing a badge. The badge should have your website address, phone number, and email on it. One of the biggest advantages of using badges is that they are completely free. And you can make them yourself.
The disadvantages usually arise when more than one person at the same event is wearing the same type of badge or if someone carries out their marketing strategy in place of yours because they happen to be better known in those circles (and people forget where these contacts came from).
However, it’s still a good idea to have a badge because you never know when someone will need what you offer, and it’s handy to give them all the necessary information on one of these little pieces.
Tip #28: Offer volunteer services
There should be a lot of places you can offer your services for free. Offer to volunteer at a school or with the Red Cross.
Think of any charitable organization that may need an extra hand. When you’re on-site volunteering for these organizations, be sure to wear clothes that say what company you work for.
This is a great way to get your name out there and meet like-minded people in your community. You never know who might show up looking for someone just like you.
Tip #29: Partner with similar businesses in your area
Are there any businesses in the same industry as you in your community? Partner with them! You can offer to work together on projects for some exposure or just have a monthly coffee date where each person talks about what they’re doing and who their ideal client is.
This will help both of you broaden your networks without costing either one of you anything but time.
The internet has made it easy to find these businesses. All you have to do is search for “similar businesses in my area” on Google, and voila! You’ll be able to find your exact match.
Once you find these businesses, you can offer them services or business advice; just ensure you’re not overstepping. It’s still a competition, but you can leverage their knowledge and resources for your benefit.
Tip #30: Offer free real estate advice to other agents if they share their leads with you
This is a great strategy that’s mutually beneficial because it allows everyone access to more potential sellers and buyers and gives the agent who shared their lead some exposure.
And if one of these agents turns out to be someone with whom you would like to affiliate, there’s even more incentive for them to share those leads- this time without being asked.
You can also offer free advice to your clients. Doing this will help you build relationships with your customers, and they will appreciate that you care enough about them to offer this valuable free service.
It is all about building trust and giving them a reason to come back. You can share your business cards in the process—this is one of the best ways to get leads that will convert.
Tip #31: Make yourself a community catalyst- crazy but effective
If you want to generate real estate leads independently, becoming a community catalyst is one of the most effective ways.
This means taking an active role in making people aware of what’s happening around their neighborhood or city- encouraging communication and connection between businesses and residents.
How can this work for generating leads? It will make it more likely that they’ll want to know about all of the other businesses (including yours) nearby who can help them with whatever needs they have.
Real estate lead generation is all about getting people to know and love your services. You start by making them love you as a person. And that is why becoming a community catalyst will work so well for this.
Frequently asked questions:
Yes, there are many options that you can use to generate real estate leads.
A prospect lead is someone who has expressed interest in your services but they have not yet committed to buying anything from you, while an opportunity is when those people purchase something from you.
It’s difficult to tell what type of person will become a client ahead of time, so it’s best to keep collecting information on them until either they’re ready or some other form of communication makes more sense (i.e., phone call).
To have them become a client.
It is best to have a clear picture of what you want to focus on real estate leads.
Conclusion
There are many ways to generate real estate leads for free. Which is the best method? It depends on your goals and what type of service you offer, but in general, it’s most effective to create a lead generation strategy that fits your business objectives.
For example, building relationships through social media will be better than cold calling or door-knocking if you’re looking for more rental clients. As long as there is someone on the other end who wants to buy something from you, at some point, there should be no shortage of opportunities.
If you have any questions or comments, please reach out, and we will support you.
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