Tips for aging in place from … Best Buy?

Best practices for aging in place can come from a wide variety of academic and informational sources, but how often do you get these tips from the same place you browse the latest in TV and home theater technology?

U.S. electronics retailer Best Buy is offering information on its technology product that could make aging in place a little easier.

Earlier this week, an editorial was published by NextAvenue titled, “Aging in Place Home Modification Tips for Older Adults.” The byline is attributed to “Lively from Best Buy Health,” a company that was an early entry in the senior-focused tech space.

Lively, formerly known as GreatCall, launched what it calls “the world’s first easy-to-use cell phone” known as the Jitterbug in 2005. At the time, it was angled as an alternative to devices for older users.

Best Buy acquired GreatCall in August 2018, a deal valued at $800 million. Best Buy’s reasoning for the acquisition seven years ago seemingly came with an understanding of the global demographic shifts taking place, which are being treated with some alarm and caution today.

Best Buy “is specifically focused on addressing the growing needs of the aging population with the help of technology products, services and solutions,” the company said at the time.

“The health space is a large, growing market where technology can help in particular address the needs of aging consumers, their caregivers, payers and providers. Today, there are approximately 50 million Americans over age 65, a number that is expected to increase by more than 50 percent within the next 20 years.”

Today, the number of the cohort is estimated at 59.3 million Americans, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The company also explicitly states that it seeks to facilitate solutions that allow for aging in place.

“Together we are focused on enabling care at home by providing consumer health products that help customers live healthier lives, device-based emergency response services for the active aging population, and virtual care offerings that help connect patients and physicians,” Lively explains online.

As for the tips published this week, they include information originally published by the Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) at Harvard University.

These include priorities for decluttering and clearing walkways of obstructions; visual assistance such as more robust lighting and hallway illumination; modifications to bathrooms and kitchens to reduce instances of slipping or to improve ease of use; and a recommendation to enlist experts on how to best to fashion a living space for aging in place.

The potential for assistive technology in the aging-in-place segment is well documented.

Late last year, CEDIA, a trade association dedicated to the advancement of the smart-home technology sector, described how it was seeing serious advancement opportunities for tech vendors who serve older people seeking to age in place.

Last summer, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) said it would seek to provide more support to military veterans who want to age in place in their current homes. Smart-home technology was described as a potential tool to assist these efforts.

Technology has begun taking up more of the conversation around aging in place. Smart-home tools have become more prevalent through U.S. tech giants like Amazon, Apple and Google as more seniors continue to prefer to age in place.

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‘Perfect recipe’ for Gold Coast property boom

A surge in buying power, record-low housing supply and a booming local economy have set the stage for the Gold Coast to outperform Australia’s major property markets, a new report reveals.

The city was in the “early upswing phase” of the property cycle, with prices and rents rising rapidly off the back of a tightening supply pipeline, Kollosche’s Gold Coast Property Outlook Annual 2025 Report in partnership with analyst Michael Matusik found.

“A boost in buying power, paired with record-low housing supply, is the perfect recipe for a Gold Coast property boom,” Kollosche managing director Michael Kollosche said.

ASPA

Prices are set to rise again, according to the annual update. Picture: Nigel Hallett

The report noted a “deeper structural shift” underway, underpinned by limited new housing stock, strong economic indicators and rising generational demand.

Among seven key indicators pointing to a local housing market boom were a surging population, with about 15,300 new residents moving to the region in 2024 — well above the decade average — on track to hit 825,000 by the 2032 Olympics.

Household incomes were also climbing, with the average gross income now sitting at $145,000 — five per cent above the Queensland average.

But the biggest pressure point remains housing supply.

Michael Kollosche at the 2023 Christmas Appeal - Gold Coast Leaders Business Breakfast at The Star Gold Coast. Picture, Portia Large.

Report author Michael Kollosche. Picture: Portia Large.

Resale house listings were sitting at just over four months’ supply, while stock for attached dwellings — including townhouses and apartments — was down to 3.6 months.

The rental market was even tighter, with fewer than 940 homes available for lease and a vacancy rate of just 1.3 per cent. The report noted the Gold Coast had been “under-supplied since 2021”.

Despite an annual need for 6,500 new homes, delivery had fallen well short.

Some 42,000 approved apartments and townhouses remained unbuilt — a result of soaring construction costs and a shortage of skilled trades.

Supply is the biggest issue

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The cost of building a new apartment hit $10,000 per sqm, making many projects unviable.

Olympics-linked construction activity is expected to further exacerbate the trade shortage.

The Gold Coast economy, now worth $45b, continued to expand, supported by more than $3.1b in commercial approvals in 2023 and a pipeline of more than 50 major infrastructure, health, education and residential projects.

The city was now Australia’s sixth largest urban population, fourth largest domestic tourism market and ninth largest regional economy.

Median house prices were sitting at $1.2m, closing the gap on Sydney’s $1.4m median and cementing the city’s position as one of the nation’s leading property markets.

Gold Coast house prices are now just $200,000 below Sydney

The post ‘Perfect recipe’ for Gold Coast property boom appeared first on realestate.com.au.

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Renovator’s goldmine, investor’s dream, first homebuyer’s jackpot

7 River Oak Drive, Helensvale.

A house described as an “affordable property” has hit the market with a $780,000 plus price tag and it’s attracting plenty of attention.

The three-bedder in Helensvale, on the northern Gold Coast, is listed with Rebecca Dunemann of Ras360 Property Solutions.

Its listing price is more than $440,000 less than the city’s $1.22m median house value.

7 River Oak Drive, Helensvale.

“If you’ve been hunting for that one — an affordable property on the northern Gold Coast packed with potential and perfectly positioned — well your search ends here,” the listing states.

“A true renovator’s dream, investor’s delight and first homebuyer’s stepping stone.

“Whether you’re looking to roll up your sleeves and unleash your inner (The) Block contestant or simply move in and plan your upgrades over time this quirky home has the bones to become something truly special.”

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7 River Oak Drive, Helensvale.

Property records reveal 7 River Oak Drive was built in 1992 and last changed hands in 2003 for $115,000.

The house is on a 412sq m block and includes a separate living and dining area, a functional kitchen, and a rear room.

“Behind the gated entrance lies a surprise package — immaculate gardens, sunlit lawn space and a well-loved home just waiting for its next chapter,” the listing states.

7 River Oak Drive, Helensvale.

“This home is packed with personality and potential — ideal for buyers ready to put their personal stamp on a property.

“A little vision could transform this home into something truly spectacular.”

PropTrack data shows the median house price in Helensvale is $1,217,750, up 4.1 per cent over 12 months, while the median house price for a three-bedroom house in the suburb is $926,000.

The post Renovator’s goldmine, investor’s dream, first homebuyer’s jackpot appeared first on realestate.com.au.

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Masterwork in three movements, award-winning Triptych for sale

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya. Pictures: Adam Gibson and Dan Preston

An escape. A sanctuary. A place of artistic inspiration.

There is nothing quite like this 100-acre property in Koonya, a home that was boldly designed and expertly crafted to create a unique living experience.

Simple, clean, and does justice to the stunning Tasmanian environment — this was the brief for Triptych from Glue Society artist-director Jonathan Kneebone to his architects at Room 11.

Mr Kneebone said his properties at Koonya are a deliberate attempt to live up to the location in a way that adds to the experience of the site.

“We set out to create buildings which felt artistic in their own right — so they immediately engage you,” he said.

“But once inside each of the spaces, your experience of that landscape is transformed in some way.

“The main house, glass house and folly all provide a totally immersive and instantly inspirational feeling.

“And those feelings don’t diminish with time. They get under your skin and live with you.

“They work like a favourite painting, or a cherished personal item.”

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya.

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya.

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya.

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Triptych is listed for sale with The Agency Hobart and Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty.

The Agency property partner Georgie Rayner described visiting the property as an otherworldly, unforgettable experience.

She said it is one of those special homes where there was nothing quite like seeing it in person.

“The architecture is extraordinary and stunning. The feeling when standing in the space and what has been created is overwhelming, impressive and so very Tasmanian,” Mrs Rayner said.

“Nothing I’ve seen compares. Triptych has a sense of freedom and escapism, and as soon as you arrive the feeling is almost visceral, like a weight instantly lifts from your shoulders.”

Triptych is set on over 40ha across two titles on the Tasman Peninsula, just one hour from Hobart Airport.

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya.

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya.

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya.

This landmark estate comprises three architectural forms: The Blunt House, The Glass House, and The Folly, or, as it is sometimes called, The Pulmonum.

The Blunt House is low, sculptural and elemental, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom dwelling that invites you to be still.

Its horizontal form and minimal palette are grounded in the landscape, its interiors designed to frame moments: the first light over Norfolk Bay, the wild rush of weather, the quiet of dusk.

It is both a shelter and a stage for the natural theatre beyond its walls.

From the entry, descending downstairs and then opening into a long hall that beckons you forward, there is a pull towards the gigantic view of the landscape.

There is a lightheartedness to the design too, a sense of whimsical fun, such as the sheepskin cupboards; a bath that is at floor level, with mirrors under the benches that are unnoticeable until you are in the tub; and one of the bedrooms features a horizontal window where the view is only revealed when you lie down.

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya.

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya.

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya.

The Glass House is an exercise in radical transparency, and from afar looks to be two parallel lines set against the landscape.

Suspended lightly above the earth, it dissolves the barrier between interior and exterior.

Here, inspiration is drawn from the slow rhythm of the tides, the dance of light, and the raw elegance of Tasmania’s bushland.

It is part modernist homage, part shack. If your shack features four glass walls that can, when desired, be opened to the outdoors.

Only the bathroom is enclosed.

There is, however, also an easy solution for night-time privacy at bedtime.

The Folly is a playful sculptural intervention in the landscape. A place for pause, play or for quiet reflection.

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya.

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya.

No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya.

Mrs Rayner said privacy is ensured, and not only by the vast land. It also comes from the way and the place in which these dwellings were designed and built in harmony with the landscape.

“It is not unlike a Mona experience. It is bold and mind-blowing. Your first time visiting Triptych will leave you breathless, like you are floating,” she said.

“It is art as much as architecture. While minimalist, Triptych is also warm, comfortable and inviting. It is a magical, tactile, textural experience.”

Listed for sale by The Agency Hobart and Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty, No.67 & 75 Grooms Hill Rd, Koonya will be sold at auction on July 14 at 5pm.

The post Masterwork in three movements, award-winning Triptych for sale appeared first on realestate.com.au.

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‘Name and shame’: Crackdown on underquoting begins

Paddington wreck up for auction

NSW is launching a widespread crackdown on the real estate industry, that is set to zero in on the loathed practice of agents underquoting home sale prices.

OPINION

New South Wales estate agents will hopefully soon be required to issue public price guidance on their auction listings. It is a long overdue reform as agents regularly list homes with no price guide.

And while advertised prices can’t be less than the estimated selling price included in the listing agency agreement, other agents often only reveal the lower estimate rather than the full range of up to 10 per cent. All this leads to buyers facing greater expense, time and emotion in their forlorn home search.

The estimated selling price comes from estate agents using their professional skills and local market knowledge of recent comparable sales. It can be wrong, and not just too low.

The just right Goldilocks pricing scenario is not necessarily going to happen, as houses across the suburbs can often attract an emotional commitment that sees the sale price soar past the agent guidance and seller reserve.

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New South Wales estate agents will hopefully soon be required to issue public price guidance on their auction listings.

It is unlikely buyers will ever get pre-knowledge of the reserve price, as it’s common for reserves to be set on auction day, with the agent often gleaning it in the minutes before.

But the NSW Better Regulation and Fair Trading Minister Anoulack Chanthivong is considering legislative changes to make the pricing disclosure rules clearer and easier to enforce.

It follows a series of articles by The Daily Telegraph highlighting the issue faced by frustrated buyers. Many agents avoid published pricing so they can boost their all-important email lists, and then potentially be in direct conversation with buyers.

The reform, which ought to be as much about transparency as it is about addressing underquoting, is likely to see an outcome that will mimic the regulations that have applied in Melbourne since 2016.

If the NSW government wants to go further they could legislate that the auction reserve must sit within the official 10 per cent range.

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It is unlikely buyers will ever get pre-knowledge of the reserve price

Of course agents can always revise the estimated selling price higher, or lower, during the marketing period as they get buyer feedback.

Fair Trading is apparently even investigating creating a “name and shame” register to increase transparency and compliance within the real estate industry.

There is certainly a need for NSW Fair Trading to conduct more checks on the overlay between private and public guidance.

Sydney buyers recently saw an upper north shore house, guided at $7 million, only sell after bidding hit its $9 million reserve with just five of the 28 registered bidders managing to get in a bid.

Last year Fair Trading issued about 100 penalty notices with $221,000 in fines for underquoting offences, having received 270 complaints about underquoting. So far in 2025, there have been about 125 complaints.

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The post ‘Name and shame’: Crackdown on underquoting begins appeared first on realestate.com.au.

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On the market: 58 new apartments for sale

Stage 2 at Marina Point.

The developer of a $500m community is promising some of the best amenities in southeast Queensland from a putting green, yoga studio and 25m lap pool to a golf simulator, yoga room and marina berths.

Developer Rick Sheida has officially launched the second tower at Marina Point in Hope Island.

Stage 2 of the waterfront masterplan project includes 58 architecturally designed two- and three-bedroom apartments, ranging from 139 sqm to a 319 sqm.

Stage 2 at Marina Point.

Mr Sheida said the team’s vision had always been to create lifestyle focused, high quality waterfront homes that stand apart on the northern Gold Coast.

“As locals ourselves, we deeply understand the needs of our buyers who are predominantly empty nesters downsizing from their larger homes right across South East Queensland,” he said.

“The sheer size of our apartments is extremely rare and has not been seen before in the local market.

“With each home delivering uninterrupted water views and an exceptional sense of space, living at Marina Point means our residents don’t have to compromise on what they already have.”

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Stage 2 at Marina Point.

Upon completion, the gated masterplan development will feature four boutique buildings and resort style amenities including a resident’s club on the water’s edge, putting green, barbecue facilities and more than 1ha of landscaped gardens and parks overlooking the water.

The already completed wellness pavilion offers a 25m lap pool, golf simulator room, yoga room, fully equipped techno-gym and sauna.

Marina Point residents will also benefit from onsite marina berths, capable of accommodating boats up to 25m.

Stage 2 at Marina Point.

“Residents with a sail boat, catamaran, flybridge or more can benefit from bridge-free access to the Gold Coast Broadwater, which is obviously a huge plus,” he added.

“It’s a boat lover’s dream to lock up and leave your secure, luxurious home on the mainland before departing on your ocean getaway.”

Residences in stage 2 are for sale, priced from $1.3m for a 139 sqm two-bedroom apartment to $4m for the exclusive house-sized penthouse that includes 4m ceilings and three car parks.

Stage 2 at Marina Point.

The developer’s own construction of Marina Point’s first building is underway with more than 70 per cent now sold.

It includes 44 apartments and is due to be complete early 2026.

The Marina Point Showroom is onsite at 63 View Line Terrace, Hope Island.

The post On the market: 58 new apartments for sale appeared first on realestate.com.au.

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The 7 best real estate CRMs for every agent in 2025

Want to scale your business faster? Real estate CRM software will help. Today’s CRMs make it easy to keep your deals on track, generate, convert and nurture leads on autopilot, and automate the tedious but critical daily tasks that build lasting client relationships. Our team of experienced agents reviewed dozens of real estate CRMs to help you find the best fit for your budget and work style.

We chose the best real estate CRMs for 2025 based on their value for money, productivity, lead-nurturing features and scalability to support your growing business. In this update, we review seven CRMs that leverage the latest technology, including AI, to help you reach your goals faster. Let’s get started!

Our picks: The best real estate CRMs for 2025

Our top picks range from basic CRMs for brand-new agents to sophisticated all-in-one systems that can automate your entire business, from first click to closing. Not sure where to start? Jump to our guide to choosing the right CRM for your business.

The best real estate CRM for 2025

Logo-AgentFire-2

Best overall

Follow Up Boss

Jump to details ↓

From $58/month

VISIT

Logo-HotSheet

Best for new agents

Hotsheet

Jump to details ↓

Free for solo agents

VISIT

lone-wolf-logo

Best budget-friendly option

Lone Wolf Relationships

Jump to details ↓

From $33.25/month

VISIT

Logo-AgentFire-2

Best for experienced buyer agents

Top Producer

Jump to details ↓

From $179/month

VISIT

Logo-AgentFire-2

Best budget all-in-one CRM platform

Real Geeks

Jump to details ↓

From $299/month

VISIT

Logo-sold-com

Best for top-producing agents and teams

CINC

Jump to details ↓

From $899/month for solo agents, $1500/month for teams

VISIT

Logo-AgentFire-2

Best for affordable marketing tools

Wise Agent

Jump to details ↓

From $41.58/month

VISIT

The best real estate CRM for 2025

Best overall

Follow Up Boss

From $58/month

VISIT

Jump to details ↓

Best for new agents

Hotsheet

Free for solo agents

VISIT

Jump to details ↓

Best budget-friendly option

Lone Wolf Relationships

From $33.25/month

VISIT

Jump to details ↓

Best for experienced buyer agents

Top Producer

From $179/month

VISIT

Jump to details ↓

Best budget all-in-one CRM platform

Real Geeks

From $299/month

VISIT

Jump to details ↓

Best for top-producing agents and teams

CINC

From $899/month for solo agents, $1500/month for teams

VISIT

Jump to details ↓

Best for affordable marketing tools

Wise Agent

From $41.58/month

VISIT

Jump to details ↓

Follow Up Boss: Best overall

Follow Up Boss logo; a real estate CRM or customer relationship management software

Follow Up Boss (FUB) strikes the perfect balance between useful features and affordability. Unlike other CRMs loaded with unnecessary bells and whistles, Follow Up Boss provides over 250 integrations with popular real estate software. It serves as your central hub, allowing you to effortlessly manage your existing software and easily add new tools as your business grows. Think of it as an operating system for your real estate business.

Even without the integrations, Follow Up Boss offers powerful built-in features to help you get more done in less time. All plans include access to an extensive library of email and text templates created by the Follow Up Boss community, as well as sophisticated automations called Action Plans. Action Plans enable you to create custom campaigns that combine emails and scheduled tasks to deliver the right message to the right lead at the right time.

Pros & Cons

  • Acts as a central hub to connect and control all your real estate software
  • Drip campaigns (Action Plans) are highly customizable and can include videos
  • Intuitive user interface for speed and efficiency
  • Extensive library of action plans, text and email templates
  • Daily live and on-demand video training for easy onboarding
  • Dialer is only available via a $35 per month upgrade
  • Text messages can only be added to Action Plans via third-party tools
  • No built-in AI features
  • Mobile app has limited functionality

Standout features

  • Integrations with 250+ real estate apps
  • Pre-written email and text templates created by the Follow Up Boss community 
  • Pre-built Action Plans created by the Follow Up Boss community 
  • Smart Lists show daily task reminders for contacts and leads
  • Built-in dialer available ($35 upgrade)
  • Team features include lead routing,  leaderboards, AI-powered call recording and transcripts and speed-to-lead analysis

Pricing

  • Free Trial: 14 days
  • Grow: $58 per month
  • Pro: $416 per month for 10 users
  • Platform: $833 per month for 30 users

Check out Follow Up Boss

HotSheet: Best for new agents

Logo-HotSheet

If you’re a brand-new agent just looking for a bare-bones CRM to organize your leads, track your deals and referrals and schedule follow-ups and task reminders, HotSheet is hard to beat. There are, of course, significant limitations. But if you’re choosing between paying rent and shelling out $33 a month for Lone Wolf Relationships — our best budget CRM pick— HotSheet is better than no CRM, as long as you actually use it. There, I said it.

The drawbacks? You won’t get any texting or email marketing tools. Still, HotSheet offers an intuitive user interface (UI) and useful tools to segment and manage your contacts and leads, as well as schedule tasks and set follow-up reminders. Daily task reminders and direct integration with Gmail ensure you stay on task and prepared every day. You won’t get that from Excel!

Pros & Cons

  • Designed specifically for real estate agents
  • Entry-level plan is free for solo agents
  • Unlimited follow-ups
  • It’s better than Excel —remember, the best CRM is the one you actually use!
  • Minimal email marketing features
  • No texting capability
  • Limited to 1,000 contacts
  • No integrations with lead providers like Zillow (contacts must be added via CSV files)
  • No automations or drip campaigns

Standout features

  • Kanban style visual deal tracker 
  • Contact and lead segmenting 
  • AI-powered referral tracker (for an additional monthly fee) 
  • Direct integration with Gmail email and calendar

Pricing

  • Free trial: 30 days 
  • Lite: Free for solo agents 
  • Pro: $39 per month 
  • Team: $249 per month for 10 users

Check out HotSheet

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Lone Wolf Relationships: Best budget-friendly option

lone-wolf-logo

Lone Wolf Relationships offers outstanding value for new and budget-conscious agents. It’s an intuitive and easy-to-use CRM that includes everything you need (and nothing you don’t) for half the price of Follow Up Boss. As its name suggests, Lone Wolf Relationships was designed from the ground up in 2024 to help agents build relationships more quickly and efficiently.

New and experienced agents alike will find a lot to love with Lone Wolf Relationships’ intuitive dashboards, AI-powered email writing assistant, pre-written email template library and its Automations tool that lets you create lead campaigns blending automated emails with scheduled tasks quickly and easily. Lone Wolf Relationships is an excellent choice if you want an affordable CRM built for real estate that just works, without the bells and whistles or a steep learning curve.

Pros & Cons

  • Affordable pricing
  • Dashboards built for efficiency and ease of use
  • Automations include basic email drip campaigns and task reminders
  • Email template library saves time and energy drafting emails
  • AI-powered email writing assistant trained for real estate
  • Syncs with Gmail and Outlook calendars
  • Seamlessly integrates with other Lone Wolf software, including CloudCMA, websites, eSignature and transaction management
  • No built-in dialer
  • Limited prebuilt email drip campaigns
  • No direct MLS connection
  • No texting features (they are currently under development by Lone Wolf)

Standout features

  • AI-powered email writing assistant
  • Customizable automation templates
  • Pre-written email templates
  • Pre-built automations
  • Contact activity timeline

Pricing

  • Free trial: 14 days
  • Paid yearly: $33.25 per month
  • Paid monthly: $39 per month

Check out Lone Wolf Relationships

Top Producer: Best for experienced buyer agents

Top Producer logo; a real estate CRM or customer relationship management software

Top Producer is a powerful CRM designed to help you run your entire business — from first contact to transaction management — all in one easy-to-use platform. Designed primarily for buyer agents, Top Producer’s integrated dialer and text messaging tools, sophisticated drip campaign libraries, AI-powered email and text composer and hyperlocal market reports are ideal for working with buyers for the long haul.

Busy buyer agents rave about Top Producer’s direct MLS integration, a feature many CRMs don’t offer. It allows you to create and send property alerts, including price changes, as well as just-listed and just-sold updates, right from Top Producer — making you the local market expert. While Top Producer has integrations with popular real estate software, it also provides useful (and surprisingly affordable) upgrades, including an IDX website, buyer leads and predictive analytics seller leads.

Pros & Cons

  • Manages the entire buyer pipeline from cold lead to transaction management
  • More useful and affordably priced upgrades than other CRMs
  • Pre-built email and text drip campaigns for efficient lead nurturing
  • MLS data integration for buyer lead nurturing and management
  • Call, text or email directly from the CRM
  • AI email and text composer
  • More expensive than other CRMs (but more affordable than all-in-one platforms like CINC)
  • IDX websites are basic and a $35 per month upgrade
  • Auto-responders and lead routing features are a $25 upgrade
  • Limited direct integrations with other real estate apps

Standout features

  • Sophisticated drip campaign tool includes pre-built campaigns
  • Custom-branded market reports, just listed, just sold and price change alerts
  • Well-organized and intuitive dashboard
  • AI-powered email and text composer
  • Contact enhancements include headshots, job titles, career changes and more from lead’s social media accounts
  • Automated home valuation landing pages (available upgrade)

Pricing

  • Free trial: Not offered
  • Pro: $179 per month
  • Pro + Leads: starting at $479 per month, depending on lead volume
  • Pro + Farming: starting at $599 per month, depending on farm size
  • Pro Teams 5: $399 per month for five users
  • Pro Teams 10: $699 per month for 10 users
  • Pro Teams 25: $1199 per month for 25 users

Check out Top Producer

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Real Geeks: Best budget all-in-one CRM

Logo-Real-Geeks

Real Geeks is ideal for agents and teams seeking an affordable, sophisticated all-in-one CRM system to manage their entire lead workflow. It comes packed with automated tools to generate, nurture and close leads as well as manage your database more efficiently. It’s also an excellent value: All plans include two logins, allowing you to split the cost of the system with another agent for added savings.

Real Geeks offers ample automations for lead generation and nurturing. You can create email, text and video drip campaigns, nurture cold leads with their AI chatbot, send automated property alerts and market reports and even track your leads’ behavior on your website, triggering automated follow-ups. If you’re short on leads, use the built-in Facebook ads tool and home valuation landing pages to generate more.

Pros & Cons

  • Advanced lead gen, nurturing and marketing features
  • Sophisticated automations save time
  • Activity monitoring tracks leads’ behavior on your website
  • Drip campaigns can include text messages and videos
  • Shareable with another agent — all plans include logins for two users
  • One-on-one onboarding and on-demand training
  • 13,000 agent mastermind group
  • Relatively steep learning curve
  • AI chatbot is a relatively pricey upgrade
  • All-in-one system — Cannot be purchased without an IDX website
  • Six-month contract required
  • No free trial

Standout features

  • Sophisticated drip campaigns 
  • Lead activity tracking 
  • AI chatbot 
  • One-click to send buyer agent agreements 
  • Text and email autoresponders
  • Home valuation tool 
  • Client-facing app

Pricing

  • Free trial: Not offered
  • Establish: $299 per month (12-month contract), $499 per month (six-month contract)
  • Grow: $599 per month (12-month contract), $799 per month (six-month contract)
  • Expand: $999 per month (12-month contract), $1,299 per month (six-month contract)
  • Conquer: $1,599 per month (12-month contract), $1,899 (six-month contract)

Check out Real Geeks

Related article

CINC: Best for top producing agents and teams

CINC logo; a real estate CRM or customer relationship management software

CINC is an all-in-one real estate CRM platform ideal for top-producing buyer agents, listing agents and teams. The platform features a sophisticated CRM integrated with a lead capture IDX website that utilizes AI to attract, qualify and automatically nurture buyer and seller leads based on their behavior.

CINC’s Autotracks feature handles lead-nurturing automation. Using Autotracks, you can create sophisticated drip campaigns that include automated emails, texts and task reminders based on the lead’s behavior on your website. Although CINC is significantly more expensive than our other top picks, the monthly price includes buyer leads.

Pros & Cons

  • All-in-one CRM, marketing and lead gen platform 
  • Send bulk emails and texts right from the CRM
  • Autotracks campaigns can include text messages and videos
  • Automated outreach and follow-ups based on lead behavior 
  • Sophisticated lead-nurturing automation 
  • Video emails and texts available
  • More expensive than other CRMs (but leads are included in the price)
  • AI-chatbot is a pricey $200 per month upgrade 
  • No AI-powered email or text message writing feature 
  • Sophisticated platform with a steep learning curve and setup time
  • Smaller community than Follow Up Boss

Standout features

  • Sophisticated drip campaign builder (Autotracks)
  • IDX property search website tracks leads’ behavior 
  • AI chatbot trained by real estate agents
  • Built-in email, text and calling features 
  • Home valuation landing pages 
  • Agent and client-facing mobile apps

Pricing

  • Free trial: Not offered
  • Solo agents: starting at $899* per month*
  • Teams: Starting at $1500 per month*

*Leads are included in all CINC pricing plans. The company does not sell its CRM software without done-for-you lead generation.

Check out CINC

Wise Agent: Best for affordable marketing tools

Wise Agent logo; a real estate CRM or customer relationship management software

Wise Agent packs in useful marketing features that other CRMs charge a premium for. Along with the standard contact management and lead-nurturing tools you get with most CRMs, Wise Agent provides additional tools to market your business and drive leads. Their ad creation tool allows you to create Facebook and Google ads with a single click and send them to the included landing page for conversion.

We also love Wise Agent’s content library. It comes filled with dozens of done-for-you marketing pieces you can quickly customize and send right from Wise Agent. You get everything from blog posts to postcards, saving you time and effort spent creating them on Canva. Wise Agent should be at the top of your list if you want to market your business from your CRM without spending a ton of money.

Pros & Cons

  • Done-for-you marketing materials
  • Drip campaigns can include text messages (with an additional fee)
  • AI chatbot nurtures leads on autopilot
  • Built-in dialer with call lists
  • One landing page included
  • One-on-one onboarding
  • 14-day free trial
  • Text messaging is an $11 a month upgrade
  • Marketing materials look a bit dated
  • UI is less intuitive than Follow Up Boss or Lone Wolf Conversations

Standout features

  • Facebook and Google ad creation tool 
  • Landing pages 
  • Content library 
  • Built-in dialer 
  • Built-in AI writing assistant and AI chatbot for lead nurturing 
  • Basic transaction management 
  • Lead enhancement

Pricing

  • Free trial: 14 days
  • CRM: $49 per month billed monthly, $41.58 per month billed yearly
  • Enterprise: Call for pricing
  • Additional team members: $20 per month

Check out Wise Agent

How to choose the right real estate CRM

There is no one-size-fits-all CRM for every agent. To help you find that diamond in the rough software that can solve your most pressing problems, here are the six most important factors to consider when choosing a CRM:

1. Features that help your business run smoothly

Your CRM should have sufficient features to make your business run more smoothly. To determine which features you need, list your pain points that cost you time, money or both, and use them to guide your purchasing decision.

Here are the features to consider when choosing a new CRM:

  • Contact management: Your CRM should make organizing contacts and leads simple, so you know when to follow up next. Pretty much every CRM offers this basic feature. Extras like lead enhancement and property tracking help you stay organized and efficient.
  • Lead nurturing: A capable CRM helps you nurture leads efficiently. Look for bulk emailing and texting, automated reminders for follow-ups and drip campaigns that you can customize to fit different groups of leads. A dialer that allows you to call leads directly from your CRM is another helpful lead-nurturing feature to look for.
  • Automation: Automations in your CRM handle time-consuming everyday tasks, so you don’t have to. While advanced automation features might cost extra, the boost in efficiency usually makes them worth the investment. Basic CRMs, such as Lone Wolf Relationships, let you send automated emails and schedule task reminders. Advanced platforms, such as Real Geeks and CINC, utilize AI to automate follow-ups based on how leads engage with your website or respond to your emails and texts.
  • Lead generation: Many CRMs include tools that enable lead generation within their platforms. If you prefer to generate and nurture leads from your CRM, consider solutions like Top Producer, Real Geeks or CINC, which offer both DIY and done-for-you lead generation options.
  • Marketing: Your CRM should enable you to quickly create both digital and print marketing materials without requiring separate software. Real Geeks offers an AI-powered blog post creator, and Wise Agent provides a library of marketing materials you can create and send from the platform.
  • Direct MLS or IDX Integration: Integration with your Multiple Listing Service (MLS) makes it easy to match properties to your leads, track which homes your clients have viewed and send property updates directly from your CRM. IDX integration is beneficial because it allows you to see which properties your leads engage with most on your website, triggering automated follow-ups.
  • Deal tracking and transaction management: At a minimum, your CRM should offer basic deal tracking, allowing you to monitor deals as they progress. While it’s nice if your CRM includes transaction management, most agents prefer dedicated platforms like Dotloop or Skyslope for this, making comprehensive transaction management a bonus rather than a necessity.

2. Ease of use 

Like any good software, your CRM should be easy to use. At a minimum, it should have an intuitive user interface (UI). The CRM’s most frequently used tools should be prominently displayed on the dashboard. Lesser-used tools should be accessible in two clicks at most. 

An intuitive and attractive UI might not make or break your business, but the ROI is clear: If you like using your CRM, you’ll spend more time using it. 

3. Scalability

Look for a CRM that offers à la carte upgrades that you can add when you’re ready. CRMs such as Top Producer, Real Geeks and CINC offer ample upgrades you can add as your business grows. 

4. Onboarding, training & customer support

Today’s CRMs offer sophisticated customization options, but they also come with a steep learning curve. To ensure you’re up and running quickly, choose a CRM that offers high-quality onboarding, training and customer support. Follow Up Boss provides live and on-demand training webinars to help you maximize the platform’s potential. 

5. Integrations

Integrations with popular real estate software are another crucial factor to consider. For example, if you’re using Zillow,  Zurple or Ylopo for lead generation, your CRM should offer a direct integration with these platforms, allowing those leads to flow seamlessly into your CRM. 

Replacing all the different software you use with a single, all-in-one platform might sound appealing, but it can also create more problems than it solves. For example, many CRMs include IDX websites. What happens when you want a new website but still want to use your CRM? This is why we recommend finding a CRM that works with your existing tools. You can always add more as your business grows. 

6. Stability

This might sound obvious, but your CRM should work when you need it to. Slow, buggy dashboards mean wasted time, slower speed to lead and maybe even lost deals. No software is 100% bug-free, but at a minimum, the company that makes your CRM should have a dedicated and competent team keeping it running 24/7.

Generally speaking, the larger the software company, the fewer bugs and downtime their products have. Of course, no software works 100% of the time. Outages and hiccups are inevitable. The goal is to reduce them to near zero.

7. A large user base

Your CRM should have a sufficient number of customers to facilitate troubleshooting and identify new ways to utilize it. CRMs such as Real Geeks and Follow Up Boss have mastermind groups with thousands of users. The more users your CRM has, the faster you’ll get answers to your questions and discover new ways to use it to close more deals.    

Our methodology: How we chose the best real estate CRMs for 2025

HousingWire is the destination for industry professionals to stay informed and ahead of what’s happening in the constantly evolving U.S. housing market.

To determine which CRMs are best for real estate agents, our team of experienced agents, brokers and coaches evaluated dozens of platforms, weighing the pros and cons of each. We considered both quantitative and qualitative data, such as price, special features, ease of use, return on investment, client support and customer reviews.

We crawled the web so you don’t have to, analyzing a broad sampling of reviews across social media, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and online discussion forums. Our goal is to arm you with the best CRM software for your business, regardless of your business goals or budget.

Real estate CRM FAQs

Do I really need a real estate CRM? Why can’t I just use Excel?

Unless you have a photographic memory, an IQ of 175, and work 8 days a week, a CRM will help you close more deals and make more money. Period. Even a bare-bones CRM like HotSheet will help you segment your leads and schedule follow-ups and tasks to reach them when they need you.

CRMs increase speed to lead, and more importantly, speed to service. When that hot new pocket listing lands on your desk, a CRM will tell you who might want to see it, even if you haven’t talked to them in years.

Can I use a generic sales CRM instead of a CRM designed for real estate?

While we generally don’t recommend saving a few dollars a month by using a CRM not designed for real estate agents, our answer to this question remains the same as it was 10 years ago: even a subpar CRM is better than no CRM.

Generic sales CRMs, such as HubSpot or Pipedrive, may be inexpensive or even free, but as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. While these CRMs might work in a pinch to keep you organized, you’ll need to upgrade to paid versions to get the basic features you’ll need for real estate.

For example, the $14 per month, entry-level plan for Pipedrive doesn’t even include basic email drip campaigns. For that, you’ll need to shell out an eye-watering $39 a month — that’s the same price as Lone Wolf Relationships, a full-featured real estate CRM that includes pre-built email and text drip campaigns.

Should I use the CRM my brokerage provides?

The short answer? Maybe. If you’re on a team and they’re offering access to a high-end, third-party CRM platform like CINC, then it would be foolish to pass up the opportunity. Teams and brokerages often get significant discounts on software, so you’ll have access to expensive tools for free.

But if you’re working at a brokerage that uses an in-house CRM platform like KW Command, you might want to consider getting your own CRM.

Here’s why: if/when you switch brokerages, bringing your lead data to your new brokerage might be challenging. If you leave on bad terms, you might not get it at all. Purchasing your own real estate CRM, even a cheap one, allows you to own your leads and data.

Are AI features important for a CRM in 2025?

Our take? AI certainly has the potential to revolutionize the CRM space, but as of this update, we’re still not convinced. Unless we’re talking predictive analytics, AI features like Chatbots and writing assistants are helpful but not game changers for CRMs—yet.

That said, older real estate CRM software companies have an unfair advantage. They can use millions of (or even tens of millions) of historical data points from buyers and sellers interacting with their CRM as training data for their AI.

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Renovation sets price benchmark for family home Belmont pocket

The four-bedroom house at 25 Davis St, Belmont, sold after auction on June 7.

An extension delivering contemporary living to a Belmont address was rewarded with a post-auction sale.

The home at 25 Davis St, Belmont, sold for $1.19m after Saturday’s auction stalled at $1.16m and the property was passed in.

It’s the most expensive sale in the neighbourhood, and the second $1m-plus sale in the street, underlining the value of renovation existing homes in the area.

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Buxton, Highton agent Brad Verrall said the single bidder went inside and negotiated with the agents and vendors to secure the four-bedroom house.

“We had two other buyers that were engaged in the property from the offset, but didn’t put up the hands,” Mr Verrall said.

“We suspect they wanted to buy it, but when in a position to bid at auction.”

The contemporary kitchen is the centrepiece of the open living zone that extends to an enclosed outdoor room.

A bold wall is a feature in the main bedroom, which was a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite.

The weatherboard house sits astride the 728sq m property with a side driveway leading to a garage at the rear.

Mr Verrall said the buyers were a family upsizing to a bigger home.

“It was a really nice renovation, a front to back extension,” he said.

“The owners have been there for a number of years now and have being chipping away at the reno.

“The bulk of it was done probably seven or eight years ago but it presents really tidy, and there’s no cent left to spend on that place.”

An open fireplace is a feature in the front living room.

A freestanding bath and in-situ shower feature in the updated bathroom.

All the work has been done to create the four-bedroom home with an elegant kitchen with stone benchtops, a main bedroom suite with a walk-in robe and ensuite, two spacious living areas and an enclosed outdoor room.

The house, located between High St and Reynolds Rd, is close to McDonald Reserve, with Belmont High, Christian College, and Clairvaux and Bellaire primary schools within walking distance.

The owners paid $242,000 for the property in 2008 before launching the extension and renovation in 2013.

It had been listed with $1.1m to $1.2m price hopes.

Belmont’s median house price has reached $706,000 in May, according to PropTrack data.

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Revealed: Beach shack’s big glow up

Real Estate

Rebecca and Mitchell Kekwick are taking their renovated beach shack to auction. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Its crisp apex roofline nods to the classic child’s drawing of a house – but this striking new home is anything but basic.

A builder couple’s reimagining of a tired Gold Coast shack, the property at 4 Alpha Ave, Currumbin is going under the hammer on June 14 with Coastal agents, Ed Cherry and Cooper McCormack.

Named Aeri, the home is the fourth local project from Mitchell and Rebecca Kekwick, and one of few new builds in a tightly held pocket close to the creek, schools and beach.

Before and after: 4 Alpha Ave, Currumbin

Its peaked roof and single-level layout are about all that remains from the original cottage, with the couple creating a four-bedroom floorplan around a landscaped internal courtyard.

“We had a decent settlement so we spent a lot of time planning. We wanted to keep the original apex shape as a bit of a homage to a home that you would draw as a kid — that being said, the existing apex was only 2.4m,” Ms Kekwick said.

Raked ceilings now soar to 5.3m, enhanced by skylights filling interiors with natural light.

Designed foremost as a functional family home for the Kekwicks and their two young children, the home’s clean lines and neutral palette are softened by warm timber finishes, walnut joinery, and creamy Italian marble.

The design combines coastal and modern farmhouse elements

The barbecue terrace and pool zone

Large sliders open onto a covered alfresco barbecue terrace and pool zone, while inside features include a designer kitchen with high-end appliances and a butler’s pantry, wet room-style bathroom, office space, and a media room.

Ms Kekwick, 31, was pregnant with her youngest when they took on the renovation, having spent more than a year scouting for the right site. Records show they paid $1.15m for the 569 sqm property in November 2023.

A former lawyer and self-described “Type A” personality, Ms Kekwick traded corporate life for full-time renovating — managing the design, schedules and selections while raising two children under two.

Large windows frame an internal courtyard with an olive tree as its centrepiece

Walnut cabinetry and Italian marble in the kitchen

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“We’d settled on our last house 10 days before I was due with our daughter who is now two, so we were navigating becoming parents for the first time,” Ms Kekwick said.

“We had previously renovated a few houses and I loved working with my husband, so I saw it as a bit of an out from a career I didn’t love.”

The couple pulled off their latest project just in time to move in together as a family of four – but not without overcoming a few major hurdles.

They were hit with a surprise $25,000 quote for asbestos removal partway through the build, and later told they could face a wait of up to three months to get power connected.

High raked ceilings crown the hallway

The home has four bedrooms

Freestanding bath in the wet room-style bathroom

Then came the challenge of bringing the house in line with recently tightened building codes, adding complexity and cost to the already ambitious project.

Now, Ms Kekwick is enjoying the days she has left in the property she describes as a “dream home”.

“The house is really unassuming from the street, but I think we have created a real wow factor with the ceiling height over the hallway,” she said.

“Nothing compares to someone coming into the house and saying, ‘oh my gosh, I wasn’t expecting that’.”

Currumbin’s median house price rose 9 per cent over the past year to $1.69 million, according to PropTrack.

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Converted shed attracts young family to East Geelong home

Sold after auction: 48 Humble St, East Geelong.

There’s nothing humble about the converted shed in the back of an East Geelong property.

The backyard domain proved a key attraction for the four-bedroom property which sold for $851,000 after being passed in at auction.

The red brick house at 48 Humble St is near Geelong’s Eastern Cemetery is close to the suburb’s coffee shops, gardens and schools and presents with plenty of original character including its baltic pine floorboards, decorative cornices and timber windows.

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“The seller had converted a portion of the shed into a separate or a secondary living domain that had a self-contained kitchen and a bathroom in there. It was pretty cool,” Mr Begg said.

“The people that bought it are young family from Melbourne.

“And they can see themselves growing into the house and then using the shed space when the little one grows up.”

Mr Begg said it was a busy campaign, though only the purchasers ultimately bid at Saturday’s auction.

Inside the converted shed.

The kitchen has timber benches, subway tiles and a feature vaulted ceiling.

“We passed it in to the buyer, and they came inside and negotiated out the result inside the house,” he said.

The kitchen, which has timber benchtops and stainless steel appliances, has been updated and is part of an open-plan living zone comprising lounge and dining areas.

A cathedral ceiling and subway tiles are key features of the kitchen, which has a breakfast bar and plenty of storage and preparation space.

There are three bedrooms and an updated bathroom in the main house.

Outside, the garage is at the end of a side driveway, while the main shed offers an additional bathroom and laundry facilities. A separate bungalow could become a fourth bedroom.

East Geelong’s median house price is $765,000, has climbed 1.6 per cent in the past 12 months, PropTrack data shows.

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