Cover of the Survey on Inbound Referral Business of International REALTOR® Members

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) connects real estate agents from all over the world to assist them in growing their referral business and share best practices under a code of ethics that secures the trust and confidence of international clients. This study looks at the referrals International REALTOR® Members (IRMs) receive from their contacts abroad and the challenges and opportunities regarding the international referral business.

Key Findings

  • 54% of respondents had at least one referral from a contact abroad, whether IRM or not.
Bar graph: Distribution of Number of Referrals Received from Contacts Abroad
  • Respondents received residential and commercial referrals: residential purchase (80% of respondents), residential lease (37%), commercial purchase (20%), and commercial lease (13%).
Bar graph: Type of Referral Received
  • A high fraction of respondents were able to assist the referred person: residential purchase (90% of respondents), residential lease (82%), commercial purchase (78%), commercial lease (84%).
  • A small fraction of respondents reported referrals were from IRM contacts: residential purchase (19% of respondents), residential lease (15%), commercial purchase (13%), commercial lease (29%).
  • Referrals are mostly regionalized: most Latin American respondents received referrals from U.S. and Latin American contacts, while most Asian respondents received referrals from Asian contacts.
  • More than half of respondents reported they need networking events and tools, training, and information on international clients to growth their referral and international business.
Resources needed to expand international business

Download the full reportpdf

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