If your real estate career picks up, it may not be as easy to manage your leads as it was before. This is especially true when your clients/referrals/leads list expands.
When you get to this point, you’ll realize the value of having Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software to better handle contact generation and management.
Fortunately, there is no lack of CRMs available in the market.
And today, we’re exploring one great CRM — Zillow Premier Agent.
In this Zillow Premier Agent review for real estate, we’ll look at its basic features, pros and cons, as well as pricing.
By the end of this review, you should have a better idea of whether it’s something that’ll work for you or if you should search for another CRM that fits your preferences.
So let’s get started!
The Basics: What Can You Expect with Zillow Premier Agent?
At its core, Zillow Premier Agent is a lead generation platform. Through Zillow Agent, customers who find a property but don’t have an agent can make a request to be connected to one. It’s a captured lead, which ideally makes closing easier.
Between these two points, however, several steps happen. Understanding how Zillow’s process works is an advantage. It can help you, especially if you’re leaning towards using this platform.
The Inquiry
Customers sign up and browse the available properties on Zillow’s site. Sometimes, they don’t have an agent, even if they find a listing they prefer.
Zillow’s site has a “Contact Agent” button they can click. It gives them the option to connect with the agent who created the ad or a Premier Agent. Zillow shows agents’ profiles, which include customer reviews and the number of recent closes.
The Transfer
Based on the information provided by Zillow, the customer has the freedom to select which agent they’d like to handle them. They receive a call from a Zillow representative who verifies how serious they are about their inquiry.
It’s Zillow’s way of supporting real estate agents who use their platform. As we all know, not all leads are qualified, so Zillow increases your chances of closing by ensuring it’s a quality prospect before it goes further down the pipeline.
If Zillow determines the customer is sincerely inquiring, they pass the information to the agent.
The Close
From this point onwards, it’s all on you — the real estate agent.
Zillow gives you an edge by allowing you to see what homes they’ve viewed, giving you a better understanding of their preferences. It also provides a CRM you can use to track these leads, as well as interact with them.
The Pros: What Works with Zillow Premier Agent?
Here are some of the benefits of choosing Zillow Premier Agent:
It Gives Quality Leads
Prospects who submit their details in Zillow do so willingly. Unlike other listing sites, Zillow does not require customers to register to see available properties. It means that when the prospects share information, they do it out of their own volition.
This alone increases the likelihood that they’re genuinely interested in purchasing a home. It’s a good foundation for real estate agents, especially when you add Zillow’s verification process.
Their Website Gets a Lot of Traffic
When it comes to real estate portals, Zillow is considered one of the most visited ones. Having other brands under their umbrella — such as Trulia, RealEstate.com, or StreetEasy — helps. All of these are in the Zillow Group and focus on the real estate industry.
No-Fuss CRM Setup
Zillow’s CRM is straightforward. It’s best suited for an agent starting in the industry and is looking to build his/her career. So if you’re looking for an uncomplicated CRM, you should really consider Zillow.
Although it doesn’t feature a lot of extras, it’s still better than using an Excel file to keep all your information together.
You can make notes, update contact statuses, and create contact-specific tasks in their system.
It Comes With a Free Mobile App
Zillow’s mobile app allows you to access your CRM while you’re on the go. It means you don’t need to carry your laptop all the time — all your data will be available wherever you are.
Your app has three main features — the inbox, your tasks, and your contacts.
The inbox allows you to view your text messages, emails, and phone calls with your buyers.
The contacts feature allows you to change your contact’s status and see their search behavior. You can even see if they’ve been pre-approved by specific lenders.
Lastly, your tasks make it easier to manage your to-dos. You can set up notifications and reminders, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
The Cons: What Doesn’t Work with Zillow Premier Agent?
Now, here are some of the not-so-good things you’ll have to face if your choose Zillow:
The CRM May Be Too Spartan
If you’re looking for a CRM that has loads of features, Zillow’s CRM may leave you feeling frustrated.
It doesn’t allow automation, nor does it provide ready-to-use templates. If you lean heavily on email marketing, it isn’t available in their tool.
If you’re working on your own and don’t need a lot of frills, it may work for you. But it won’t be of much use to a small business or if you want to do sophisticated marketing.
Competition Between Real Estate Agents
When a customer shows interest in connecting with an agent, it isn’t Zillow that determines to whom it goes — the buyer does.
Zillow gives all prospective buyers choices — the listing agent and three others. The page also shows your statistics, which often affects clients’ decisions.
Having better numbers may make you the more attractive option. It also helps to use a quality photo on your profile.
These may increase your chances of being chosen, but it’s still not a guarantee.
The Pricing: How Much is Zillow Premier Agent?
Let’s start with the good news — Zillow’s CRM is free!
There are no paid versions. You have to sign up to their platform and purchase leads from them to access it.
If you choose to use Zillow, this is where you’ll spend money — making sure you appear as an option when buyers click that ‘Contact Agent button. There’s no definite price range for Zillow. You can spend as much as $200 per month to thousands.
The amount you’re willing to spend is typically directly proportional to the amount of captured leads you’ll receive. Pricing depends on the market you want to handle.
The more high-end the market, the more you’ll have to pay for leads. Lower-end markets usually have a price range of approximately $20 per lead. Listings worth around $500,000 can cost around $100 each.
Final Thoughts
Zillow Premier Agent may not be the best CRM available in the market, but it comes with its own set of advantages.
If you’re looking for qualified leads, signing up for Zillow’s services can be worth your while. Despite the amount you need to shell out for leads, the return on investment can be big enough to more than make up for it.
If you’re looking for something a bit more intricate — a platform that allows for automation or has templates available — you might want to opt for a different CRM.
If you prefer working with something simple, Zillow is a solid option for you. Despite not having a lot of add-on features, it does get the job done.
In the end, whether it fits your needs or not is something for you to decide. And you’ll be in a better position to do so with the information we shared.