Best CRM for Real Estate: Key Features and Our Top Picks

When it comes to succeeding in real estate, staying organized and responsive to customers is key. But managing leads, automating follow-ups, and streamlining day-to-day-operations can be challenging for real estate agents. Fortunately, that’s where a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system comes in.

A CRM system is a powerful tool for real estate professionals who want to efficiently manage clients at every stage of the sales cycle. Whether you are an independent real estate agent or work in an agency, the right CRM tool can make a stark difference in how you attract and retain clients. 

Learn more about the key features of today’s CRM tools and our top picks for the best CRM for real estate companies.

Benefits of using CRM for real estate professionals

When used well, a CRM system can be beneficial for real estate professionals like you. From checking more tasks off your to-do list to improving your client’s experience, you can improve every facet of your operations. 

• Centralize your data

One of the top benefits of using a CRM tool is that all your business and client data is in one platform. It eliminates the need to switch between various tools to accomplish a task. 

For example, when it comes to email marketing, you may need to open your customer database spreadsheet to copy and paste the emails of your target clients. Then, you’ll have to manually open your company email to draft and send your outreach emails to every recipient. Instead of going through these steps and applications, you can simply use one CRM tool to accomplish tasks more efficiently.  

Additionally, with all your information in one place, you won’t need to manually transfer data from one tool to the next. This minimizes the risk of human error while ensuring every stakeholder has access to similar information. 

Consolidating accurate and real-time data is especially beneficial to real estate companies with distributed teams. Picture this: you and your real estate virtual assistant from the other side of the world can work on the same data sets. You can be assured that every part of your real estate machine is in sync, regardless of location or time zone.

• Boost lead management efforts

The right CRM tools should give you the ability to capture leads from various sources, from lead capture forms to referrals. Aside from getting quality leads, a CRM tool should be able to help you review these leads, enabling you to classify them depending on where each client is in the sales funnel. 

Effective classification of leads using a CRM makes the next steps in the lead management process easier. When you have better visibility of the needs and preferences of a lead, you can customize how you engage with them instead of sending a one-size-fits-all messaging to every recipient on your database. 

• Automate sales and marketing tasks

The best CRM for real estate agents enables automation of routine sales and marketing tasks. You can customize automations based on identified triggers such as sending follow-up messages based on the recipients actions to your initial message. Another custom automation you can set up is sending appointment reminders to clients with scheduled open house appointments. 

With automations, you only need to set up your parameters correctly then the CRM tool should be able to do the rest. Of course, this takes regular monitoring and tracking of your metrics. If a certain effort is not working, you can easily tweak triggers or create new automations. 

• Improve decision making

A CRM tool can do more than keep and secure your data. They can generate reports and help uncover valuable insights that can inform your decision-making. You can use these tools to track everything, from the demographics of your customer base and effectiveness of your marketing efforts to budget optimization and forecasting.

• Manage your time well

Using a CRM tool can be time-saving in various ways. With a centralized CRM platform, you don’t have to spend time switching across various apps and programs to run your real estate business. Additionally, you can automate time-consuming routine tasks with the right triggers and continuous monitoring. 

Lastly, you can save valuable hours with the help of your CRM tool’s data and analytics features. Instead of spending extended periods of time manually processing business data, you can refocus your time on more high-level responsibilities, including planning your strategies and managing customer relationships.

• Better customer experience

You can improve customer experience with a CRM tool. Using it allows you to enhance communication by automating follow-ups and notifications, as well as providing timely responses to customer inquiries. With the right automation sequences, you’ll be able to check in with clients after a viewing, send reminders for appointments, and follow up on leads—even when outside traditional office hours.

CRM tools also help real estate agents carve out more time for tasks that require their expert skills and focus. By streamlining administrative work and automating routine processes, a CRM allows agents to focus on what truly matters. You’ll be able to spend more time building client relationships and addressing concerns that automated messages or AI can’t quite handle as effectively.

With more time on their hands, they can provide personalized customer support and professional guidance at every step of the customer journey, whether they’re buying, investing in, or selling property. This added support and attention make customers feel taken care of. It also helps build trust in your real estate agency, a crucial factor in making their high-value real estate decisions.

• Close more deals

You’ll be able to efficiently implement a sound real estate strategy with a CRM tool. By helping you stay organized and manage leads more efficiently, you can convert more prospects into clients. Features like automated follow-ups and centralized data enable you to focus on high-potential leads and move deals forward more efficiently. The result? Fewer missed opportunities and more successful deals.

Key features of the best CRM system for real estate

The best CRM for real estate professionals can look different depending on the structure of your business. But it’s important to ensure that the CRM tool you choose includes the following key features:

• Centralized customer data

A good CRM tool should be able to be the single source of client information. It will securely store contact details, property references, notes, and communication history all in one place. This feature allows you to access the necessary information quickly and enables you to execute plans faster.

• Lead management

In today’s real estate marketplace, leads can come from multiple sources. You can get leads from your website, social media, open houses, referrals, real estate portals, and more. A CRM tool must be able to help you not only capture but also organize these leads efficiently. 

Your leads should be categorized by stage, interest levels, priority, and other relevant criteria. This capability ensures you assign a client to the right agent and provide tailored, relevant communications. Whether a lead is actively looking or still weighing their options, your CRM will help you provide the right action steps to guide them along the sales journey.

• Task automation

You can automate client communication like reminders on property viewings, follow-up emails to inquiries, and even automate text messages for quick updates. This feature helps you maximize your time, minimizing missed appointments and opportunities.

It’s best to find a CRM tool with sales and marketing automation features. Your tool should allow you to schedule and send customized email campaigns to your target audience. To help you nurture leads over time, you can set up automated drip campaigns, keeping leads “warm” and engaged with relevant content like listing updates, helpful tips, and industry news. Automating these tasks saves time and ensures you’re at the top of a prospect’s mind when they are ready to make their decision.

• Reporting and analytics

Aside from centralizing data, you can also use it to inform your next moves. Look for a CRM tool that offers features like customizable dashboards and performance metric tracking. It should help you measure lead sources, conversion rates, agent productivity, and more. 

Your CRM tool must also be able generate reports that you and your team can refer to during meetings and strategy sessions. The built-in reporting and analytics features should provide you with information and insights to come up with more data-driven decisions.

• Integration

Your CRM must be able to integrate seamlessly with your other work tools, such as email platforms, marketing software, and MLS systems. This helps eliminate data silos and streamline your workflow so you can work faster and more effectively.

Make the most out of your CRM tool with a real estate virtual assistant (VA). Let 20four7VA’s remote staffing experts help you find your VA. Book a free consultation call to learn more.

Our top picks for the best CRM for real estate agents

The best CRM will highly depend on your business needs and goals. Here are some of our top picks worth your consideration:

• ZohoCRM

Best for: Teams looking for customization and flexibility. It’s also the best free CRM for real estate teams who want to try out basic features without breaking the bank. 

Key features:

• Customizable workflows
• Lead and pipeline management tools
• AI-powered sales assistant
• Advanced analytics and reporting
• Flexible plans

Pricing: Free plan can support up to three (3) users, while paid plans start at $14/month

• Hubspot CRM

Best for: Agents and teams who want a user-friendly and scalable option.

Key features:

• Contact and deal tracking
• Built-in email templates
• Marketing automation tools for paid tiers
• App integrations

Pricing: Paid plans start at $20/user per month

• Follow Up Boss

Best for: Property brokerage firms and real estate agencies that want to focus on lead conversion.

Key features: 

• Lead distribution and management tools
• Built-in dialer and call tracking
• 250+ integrations, including Zillow and Realtor.com
• Detailed activity timelines 
• Dashboards for performance tracking

Pricing: Grow plan starts at $58/user per month

Boost your lead generation efforts with a real estate VA! Book a free consultation call with 20four7VA to get started.

Find the best CRM for real estate agencies

Whether you’re a solo agent or leading a big real estate agency team, investing in the best CRM for your real estate business can elevate your productivity and client experience. When exploring the different options, it’s important to find a tool that check the right boxes—centralized customer data system, lead management tools, task automation, and reporting and analytics. 

Using the right CRM tool can be the best move for your real estate business, saving time while maximizing opportunities. You can make the most out of customer data, making it easier for you to access information when you need it. It also helps streamline your workflow by automating repetitive tasks like follow-ups, appointment reminders, and email marketing.

But remember: a CRM tool is only as powerful as how you use it. To reap its benefits, you need to pair it with the right talent. The right real estate virtual assistant can give you skilled support by managing your CRM system, providing top-tier customer service, and running targeted campaigns. Need help finding your VA? Book a free consultation call with our 20four7VA Sales Executives today!