to buy

Situations where buying leads might make sense

When you’re new to the industry. “I can justify buying leads to get a kick start for agents who have no sphere of influence,” says Thomas Johnson, CRS, owner of MyCoachTomJ, and managing broker of Unrealty Florida, LLC. That was the situation Audrey Moore, broker/owner of TLC Real Estate in Alexander City, Alabama, faced when she started out. “Buying leads helped prime the pump for me,” she says. Now she sees it as good training for agents underneath her.

When you’re new to an area. Lucette Wallach, principal broker with eXp Realty in Brookings, Oregon, purchased leads when she moved from California to Oregon. “It’s great for getting your phone ringing,” she says.

When you’re willing to work less popular areas. When Moore purchased leads recently, the ZIP codes she wanted were all sold out, so she bought in outlying areas. While this meant more driving and working a lower-priced market, the investment did pay off, she says.