Real Estate Investor: Best Referral Sources
Who should be sending you clients, and the rooms they are already sitting in.
Get the networking events worth showing up to
Tell us where you are. We will send you the best rooms for real estate investors and the next meeting dates. Add a ZIP and this page will also show your local chapters and which seats are open.
Most business owners network where their competitors are, not where their referral partners are.
Your own trade group is for learning. Your partners' groups are where the work comes from. Everything below starts with one question. When something happens that makes people need real estate investors, who else gets a call that same week?
Real estate investors sell to both individuals and businesses, and most of the work starts when an investor or operator buys a commercial building. People take their time deciding, so a recommendation carries most of the weight. Clients come back, which makes one good introduction worth years.
- Commercial property acquisitionwhen an investor or operator buys a commercial building
- Death / probatewhen somebody dies and an estate has to be settled
- Home salewhen somebody puts a house on the market
- Financing or refinancewhen somebody needs a loan closed
- Divorcewhen a marriage ends
Who should be sending you clients
Who you should be sending clients to
Ranked by what starts the job, not by who sounds close to your trade.
The same list, turned around. Give first and the rest follows.
- 01
CPA / Accountant
They send you work72Trigger: somebody dies and an estate has to be settled
CPAs hear about it when somebody dies and an estate has to be settled, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 02
Commercial Real Estate Broker
They send you work72Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
Commercial real estate brokers hear about it when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 03
Hard Money / Private Lender
Two-way68Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
You and private lenders both get the call when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 04
Business Banker
Two-way68Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
You and business bankers both get the call when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 05
Commercial Lender
Two-way67Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
You and commercial lenders both get the call when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 06
Real Estate Agent (Residential)
They send you work66Trigger: somebody puts a house on the market
Residential real estate agents hear about it when somebody puts a house on the market, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 07
Attorney Real Estate
You send them work63Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
You hear about it when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, before real estate attorneys do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 08
Title Company
You send them work60Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
You hear about it when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, before title companies do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 09
Real Estate Appraiser
Two-way59Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
You and appraisers both get the call when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 10
Mortgage Broker / Loan Officer
Two-way56Trigger: somebody needs a loan closed
You and mortgage brokers both get the call when somebody needs a loan closed, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 01
Hard Money / Private Lender
Two-way76Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
You and private lenders both get the call when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 02
Title Company
You send them work70Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
You hear about it when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, before title companies do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 03
Attorney Real Estate
You send them work69Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
You hear about it when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, before real estate attorneys do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 04
Real Estate Appraiser
Two-way68Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
You and appraisers both get the call when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 05
Land Surveyor
You send them work67Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
You hear about it when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, before land surveyors do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 06
Commercial Real Estate Broker
They send you work66Trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
Commercial real estate brokers hear about it when an investor or operator buys a commercial building, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
Where those people actually are
Ranked by how many of your best partners are in the room, and how much work each one can send you.
Your local Realtor board or association
Your partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, real estate attorneys, and title companies.
Join as a vendor and you are in front of hundreds of agents. They need people they trust at every closing. Ask about the vendor committee and the classes for new agents, not just the parties.
Find your local chapter →Give someone nine choices and they pick none. If you do one thing from this page, do this.
- 01
Your local Realtor board or association
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, real estate attorneys, and title companies.
Join as a vendor and you are in front of hundreds of agents. They need people they trust at every closing. Ask about the vendor committee and the classes for new agents, not just the parties.
Chapter finder → - 02
Local mortgage bankers or brokers association
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: commercial lenders, title companies, and appraisers.
Loan officers know a house is selling 30 to 60 days before anyone else does.
Chapter finder → - 03
Your city or county chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerceYour partners are in this room: commercial real estate brokers, CPAs, and business bankers.
Too big and too broad on its own. The value is in one committee. Pick one and go every time. The same fifteen people show up, and they get to know you.
Chapter finder → - 04
LinkedIn groups & local B2B communities
Online communityYour partners are in this room: commercial real estate brokers, CPAs, and business bankers.
Works when your buyer has a job title. Useful comments on your partners' posts beat posting your own.
Chapter finder → - 05
Land title association
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: real estate attorneys, title companies, and appraisers.
Title agents and closing lawyers. They touch every deal on its last day.
Chapter finder → - 06
BNI
Structured referral groupOne seat per category, so your competitors are excluded by rule and the seats around you are the partners above.
The biggest referral group in the world. You meet every week. Only one person per job. They expect you to show up.
Chapter finder → - 07
LeTip International
Structured referral groupOne seat per category, so your competitors are excluded by rule and the seats around you are the partners above.
Weekly referral chapters. One person per job. Strong with trades and home services.
Chapter finder → - 08
Network In Action
Structured referral groupOne seat per category, so your competitors are excluded by rule and the seats around you are the partners above.
Referral groups that meet once a month. Good if you cannot give up a morning every week.
Chapter finder →
Your local Realtor board or association
Your partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, real estate attorneys, and title companies.
Join as a vendor and you are in front of hundreds of agents. They need people they trust at every closing. Ask about the vendor committee and the classes for new agents, not just the parties.
Find your local chapter →Give someone nine choices and they pick none. If you do one thing from this page, do this.
- 01
Your local Realtor board or association
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, real estate attorneys, and title companies.
Join as a vendor and you are in front of hundreds of agents. They need people they trust at every closing. Ask about the vendor committee and the classes for new agents, not just the parties.
Chapter finder → - 02
Local mortgage bankers or brokers association
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: commercial lenders, title companies, and appraisers.
Loan officers know a house is selling 30 to 60 days before anyone else does.
Chapter finder → - 03
Your city or county chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerceYour partners are in this room: commercial real estate brokers, CPAs, and business bankers.
Too big and too broad on its own. The value is in one committee. Pick one and go every time. The same fifteen people show up, and they get to know you.
Chapter finder → - 04
LinkedIn groups & local B2B communities
Online communityYour partners are in this room: commercial real estate brokers, CPAs, and business bankers.
Works when your buyer has a job title. Useful comments on your partners' posts beat posting your own.
Chapter finder → - 05
Land title association
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: real estate attorneys, title companies, and appraisers.
Title agents and closing lawyers. They touch every deal on its last day.
Chapter finder → - 06
Prime Time Business Network
Structured referral groupOne seat per category, so your competitors are excluded by rule and the seats around you are the partners above.
A South Florida referral group. Only one person per job in each chapter. So your competitors are kept out, and your referral partners have the other seats.
See chapters → - 07
An independent local leads group
Structured referral groupOne seat per category, so your competitors are excluded by rule and the seats around you are the partners above.
Most cities have small leads groups you will never find online. A realtor or insurance agent usually starts them. Ask three people in your trade who they meet with.
- 08
Vistage
Paid peer groupYour partners are in this room: CPAs and business bankers.
Run CEO peer groups. You are buying advice, not leads, but the group turns into a warm list over time.
Chapter finder →
NAIOP (Commercial Real Estate Development Association)
Most real estate investors join this room first. It is also the one most likely to be the wrong pick. Developers, owners, and the money behind big projects. This is where a building exists before anyone digs. Everyone in it does what you do. Join it for the training, the licences, and the ties to manufacturers. Do not join it for referrals, and do not join it instead of the rooms above.
NAIOP (Commercial Real Estate Development Association) →Let us be straight with you. For real estate investors, a weekly referral group is not the best pick. Your partners gather in professional groups instead, so spend your time there. We would rather say that than sell you a seat you do not need.
Is your seat open?
Prime Time takes one real estate investor per chapter. Put in a South Florida ZIP above and we will show you which seats are open.
Add a ZIP code at the top of the page to see which seats are open.
Prime Time doesn't operate where you are yet.
We have fifteen chapters in South Florida and none near you. Telling you to join would be bad advice. The rooms above are the real answer where you are. We can email you the one page version and let you know if we open near you.
Send me those roomsHave the next meetings sent to you
The rooms above are the answer. This is when they meet. Tell us where to send it and we will email you the next dates for real estate investors, with the one page plan.
We already know your trade and your area from this page, so there is nothing else to fill in. We do not ask for a phone number. Every email we send has an unsubscribe link.
Your one-page action plan
Five partners, five things to say, three rooms. Print it and keep it in the car.
Networking plan: Real Estate Investor
The five people who should be sending you clients
- CPA / Accountant (They send you work)
Shared trigger: somebody dies and an estate has to be settled - Commercial Real Estate Broker (They send you work)
Shared trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building - Hard Money / Private Lender (Two-way)
Shared trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building - Business Banker (Two-way)
Shared trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building - Commercial Lender (Two-way)
Shared trigger: an investor or operator buys a commercial building
The three rooms to be in
- Your local Realtor board or association: Your partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, real estate attorneys, and title companies.
- Local mortgage bankers or brokers association: Your partners are in this room: commercial lenders, title companies, and appraisers.
- Your city or county chamber of commerce: Your partners are in this room: commercial real estate brokers, CPAs, and business bankers.
- Your local Realtor board or association: Your partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, real estate attorneys, and title companies.
- Local mortgage bankers or brokers association: Your partners are in this room: commercial lenders, title companies, and appraisers.
- Your city or county chamber of commerce: Your partners are in this room: commercial real estate brokers, CPAs, and business bankers.
Don't confuse this with networking: NAIOP (Commercial Real Estate Development Association). Learning and supplier access, not referrals.