Zillow Premier Agent (ZPA) is one of the best real estate lead generation companies, earning a rating of 4.54 out of 5. I researched dozens of companies and evaluated their lead generation features, customer reviews, pricing, and ease of use against a set of criteria to determine the best lead gen options for real estate agents and brokers. Based on this information and my analysis of Zillow Premier Agent reviews, I found that agents and brokers specializing in buyers will benefit from the Zillow Premier Agent platform to capture qualified leads.
Pros
- Dashboard to track team performance
- See what other agents are spending in specific ZIP codes
- Client relationship manager (CRM) allows teams to custom route leads based on desired filters
Cons
- Zillow Premier Agent cost per lead can get expensive depending on ZIP code and competition
- Leads generated can be non-responsive
- Buyer leads are not exclusive
Recommended For
- Real estate agents who prefer to represent buyers rather than sellers
- Agents without a large sphere of influence to help with referral leads
- Rental agents who want to venture into real estate sales
Not Recommended For
- Agents who are unable to manage leads at all hours of the day
- Agents who have low lead conversion rates
- Agents with a limited budget
- Purchase ZIP codes: Cost is determined by market demand and agent competition within a selected ZIP code, but typically about $20 to $60 per lead.
- Zillow Flex: A 25% to 35% referral fee is paid to Zillow for closed transactions.
Zillow Premier Agent Reviews: What Users Think
Many users have expressed appreciation for ZPA’s concierge feature. This aspect ensures that phone calls are screened before being transferred to an agent and provides access to a buyer’s search information when a lead is received. This feature and the platform’s ability to generate a high volume of leads justifies the significant investment required. The more you invest in the available services, the more leads and deals you can expect to close. Additionally, the mobile application’s notifications effectively alert agents to new leads.
- Featured Customers: 4.7 out of 5 based on 3,221 Zillow Premier Agent reviews
- G2: 2.2 out of 5 based on 51 Zillow Premier Agent reviews
- Consumer Affairs: 1.1 of 5 based on 785 Zillow Premier Agent reviews
It’s important to note that some of the negative reviews of Zillow Premier Agent are related to the quality of leads and low conversion rates. Given the high volume of leads generated by popular sites like Zillow, it’s inevitable that some clients are just browsing. As such, agents must be prepared to invest time and effort in nurturing these leads to convert them into clients.
One user mentioned many of their leads were prospective clients who had already reached out and spoken to other realtors. Agents who prefer exclusive lead generation may consider using the Market Leader’s lead generation platform to obtain leads exclusively from a specific ZIP code.
Why Should You Trust Us & Would Our Expert Use Zillow Premier Agent?
At Fit Small Business, we maintain a strict policy of editorial independence. Our assessments of products and services are not made lightly. They are the result of a meticulous evaluation process and extensive hands-on experience. I have personally evaluated numerous online real estate schools, platforms, and systems to provide you with the most reliable recommendations.
Now, you might be asking if ZPA is worth it. I believe so. One of my favorite features is the dedicated concierge, which connects motivated buyers and sellers and provides a preview of client information before transferring the call. We also appreciate that it includes a customer relationship manager (CRM) in its Premier Agent package. This tool lets you capture all leads and valuable insights into client activity on the website. With this information at your fingertips, you can be proactive and well-prepared when communicating with clients, enhancing your chances of success.
In my opinion, one of the platform’s biggest downsides is the Zillow Premier Agent cost factor. Smaller teams or individual agents must compete against larger brokerages that can pool their team’s budgets. Given this high barrier to participating in the platform, agents should consider more cost-effective lead generation platforms that provide exclusive leads like Market Leader. It offers automated marketing and branding solutions to support lead generation efforts.
Zillow Premier Agent Alternatives
Agents who may not be ready to purchase leads based on ZIP codes should consider other real estate lead generation companies offering more products to help them generate and manage their lead pipelines. Other lead generation platforms can provide agents with IDX websites, landing pages, automated marketing to nurture leads, and paid advertisements, which ZPA does not offer.
Software | |||
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Best For | Lead generation through IDX website and marketing automation | Agents who want to generate leads through outbound marketing efforts | Website development and landing page lead conversions |
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Starting Monthly Pricing | $139 | Free | $79 |
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Reviews |
If you’re looking for other places to purchase real estate leads, take a look through our article 7 Best Places to Buy Real Estate Leads in 2024.
Zillow Premier Agent Plans & Pricing
Zillow Premier Agent obtained a low rating because it does not have a straightforward plan or pricing available to agents. So, how much does Zillow Premier Agent cost? The pricing is based on a selection of desired ZIP codes in which you would like to receive leads, along with a monthly budget set by each agent. ZIP code pricing is a variable rate based on the market demand for an area and the competition for advertising share by agents within that ZIP code.
Here are the factors to consider when deciding your Zillow Premier Agent cost:
General Zillow Premier Agent Features
- Ability to preview ZIP code pricing before purchase
- Can advertise across Zillow, Trulia, and StreetEasy (for New York City markets)
- Profiles for individual agents and teams
- Access to agent toolkit containing scripts, template, and handouts
- Ability to receive a share of voice for any budget size
Leveraging the ZPA network to obtain buyer and seller leads will give agents access to the largest network of homebuyers and sellers, resulting in a high rating in this category. With a dedicated monthly spend, ZPA provides agents with tools to grow their business and resources to help them convert and nurture the leads received.
Zillow Premier Agent is also a scalable tool with added features for teams and brokerages, like customizable productivity reports, lead routing, and personalized real estate consulting with Zillow to ensure your real estate success on the platform.
Advanced Zillow Premier Agent Features
ZPA garnered an almost perfect score because, along with the general features provided by Zillow Premier Agent, there are additional components provided to real estate agents and brokers when joining. These features allow agents to collaborate with their teams, increase lead generation efforts while saving time and money, and enable agents to use the Zillow Premier Agent system on the go.
Click on each of the tabs below to read more about its advanced features:
- Captures all incoming leads
- Prefilled with client information
- Client activity insights on homes viewed and saved
- Space for agent notes
Zillow Premier Agent customer relationship management (CRM) tools ensure agents have the information about their prospective clients to develop and nurture an ongoing relationship. CRM allows agents to identify clients’ statuses within their profiles. All new clients will appear as “new” and require a manual status change by the agent.
The CRM also has space for conversation notes and follow-up tasks so contacts do not get lost with all the incoming leads. Additional insights on the client, such as mortgage pre-approval, preferred lender, and if they have an agent, will also be displayed within the CRM for an added understanding of the complete client profile.
- Records client communications
- Inbox is integrated into the application
- Lead categorization for filtering clients
- Summary of most recent messages
Other tools provided to help manage the clients are notifications, lead categorization, and communication management tools. Real estate agents will receive notifications when a new client is received, when they would like to schedule a tour, or when they are interested in a new property.
Agents also can categorize their leads based on whether they are buyers or sellers, when they are looking to move, and the status of their relationship with prospective clients. This categorization allows agents to filter their contacts to help determine which clients they should prioritize. For continued communication documentation, the platform allows agents to keep records of texts, emails, and call recordings with each client for recordkeeping.
- For on-the-go lead management and communication
- Access to inbox, contacts, and lead insights
- Can call or text clients directly from the application
- Available for iPhone or Android mobile device
The Zillow Premier Agent mobile application supports agent sales activity in and out of the office. Agents will get instant notifications of new leads, client communication, and task reminders at their fingertips. Within the application, agents can make notes and update contact status, and team leaders can manage their agents. Approximately 95% of agents use their smartphones daily, so a mobile application can put agents at ease and keep them productive while they’re out and about pitching for listings or between showings.
- Enhance client communication
- Exclusive relationship opportunity
- Whitelisted buyer representative contact information
Zillow Premier Agent does not provide agents with exclusive leads. Clients are free to contact multiple agents or the listing agent. Zillow says clients typically return to its website approximately 27 times within a 30-day period. In an attempt to provide agents with some level of exclusivity, it rolled out the My Agent program.
Through this program, the connection is assigned exclusively to an agent for 30 days but can be extended by marketing efforts like follow-up activity. As agents receive leads through Zillow Premier Agent, that connection will only see the agent’s contact as their buyer’s representative on any listing viewed on the site.
Clients can also share information about the homes they view, save, and search for on Zillow. Agents can see this information and use it in their communications and property searches to further deepen the connection with prospective clients.
- Access on desktop or mobile application
- Customizable with exact commission splits
- Ability to manually add missing transactions
Enrolling in the ZPA program is a significant financial commitment, given the required budget to obtain a decent share of voice within a ZIP code. Agents must understand their return on investment (ROI) on the platform to be comfortable continuing to invest in obtaining leads through Zillow. The ROI report provided by ZPA will help show the value you are getting out of your investment.
To track your ROI, ZPA takes your sales from the platform against the expenditure on ZIP codes. To ensure the information’s accuracy, confirm all your sales transactions are accurate on the platform. Agents should also update their commission spits, conversion rates, average sale price, etc., as Zillow will use default inputs.
By understanding their ROI, agents can create financial and marketing benchmarks as they grow in their careers. If their ROI is steady year over year, they can assume that doubling their investment will result in enough leads to meet certain financial goals.
- Buyers and sellers can search for agent information
- Agents can search for other professionals for photography, home improvement, inspectors, etc.
- Easily see agent reviews and brokerage names
Buyers and sellers looking for agent representation can search on the Zillow Agent Finder page. This page easily lets buyers and sellers filter agents by neighborhood, city, or ZIP code and refine the list based on specialty and language. Agents should maximize their agent profiles by having updated headshots, asking their clients for reviews, and adding their past sales to their profiles so clients are encouraged to contact them.
Agents will be shown in the search results, with the most active agents within a location at the top of the page. Then, they are ordered by agents with the most recent sales, reviews, and listings. Agents who participate in Zillow Premier Agent will be featured at no cost at the top of the agent finder page.
- Customizable lead routing to agents
- Track team performance
- Team profile for better branding
One benefit of building or joining a real estate team is a larger collective sphere of influence (SOI). Zillow Premier Agent’s team management solutions let teams create a consolidated profile of their team as well as individual profiles searchable by buyers and sellers.
Having all team members’ profiles on one page through Zillow Premier Agent’s team management solutions solidifies your team’s branding power and simplifies the client’s search process. This consolidated page allows prospective clients to better understand your team structure, with profile photos and a combination of all your transactions displayed.
For team management, the platform allows team leaders to track team progress and have an overview of team activity. They can see which leads have not been responded to, which lead statuses have not been updated, and which tasks are assigned to each team member. Brokerage solutions for teams of over 11 agents have added on-demand reports and call recordings. Brokerages also have access to personalized consulting to strengthen their lead generation strategy.
Ease of Use for Zillow Premier Agent
Zillow Premier Agent received a high rating for its ease of use as it is relatively easy to join, create an account, and set up a profile. Agents must fill out their profile with their biography and professional headshot, claim their prior sales deals, and ask former clients to help review their services. Once a profile is set up, agents can proceed to make their initial purchase to participate in buying ZIP codes or list their available listings.
After accessing the My Ads section of the platform, it’s easy to identify which ZIP codes you want to purchase and see the details regarding competition in that area. The CRM has an easy-to-comprehend layout of client information and provides insights in an accessible manner on the side panels. The mobile application is also fully functioning, so agents can easily transition from office to mobile without losing capabilities.
One of the challenging aspects of being a seller’s agent on ZPA is feeding your listing to the website. Seller agents are unable to manually add listings directly on the platform. Agents must use an MLS feeding service from their internal listing management system to get listings on the site. In addition to that, having other buyer agents listed on your listing can make it challenging to receive direct leads. To report issues or for any inquiries, contact ZPA by calling its phone number (855-885-0115) or filling out the Contact Us Form.
How We Evaluated Zillow Premier Agent
In assessing Zillow Premier Agent against other real estate lead generation companies, I considered various critical factors, including pricing, ease of use, general features, customer feedback, and expert ratings. I also considered advanced lead generation features like CRM capabilities and social media integrations, workflow automation, trigger and alert setting, and marketing assistance. Customer service, which encompassed customer service hours, concierge program, and phone and email support, also factored in our scores.
Here is a breakdown of our evaluation:
20% of Overall Score
While budgetary constraints must be met, cost-per-lead and ROI are arguably more important than the actual monetary cost. We evaluated each plan to find Zillow Premier Agent’s plans offering the best value for the money.
30% of Overall Score
We researched Zillow Premier Agent’s additional real estate lead generation tools, which go beyond what agents gain by buying a list of leads. We looked for software with mass marketing tools, lead list generation, lead capture forms, and customizable reports.
20% of Overall Score
We searched for Zillow Premier Agent’s advanced features, including lead generation website and integration with IDX platforms. We also looked for those with CRM capabilities, social media integrations, and features like workflow automation, trigger and alert setting, and marketing assistance.
10% of Overall Score
It’s important that platforms are easy to use and that you have access to customer support. We favor software providers known for stellar customer service on one or more channels.
10% of Overall Score
Based on customer feedback for each platform, with particular attention given to actual user reviews of the product and the popularity of the real estate lead generation company.
10% of Overall Score
We specifically evaluated each platform’s unique or standout features, as well as popularity and the overall value for the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The cost for Zillow Premier Agent is not fixed and varies by ZIP code. The pricing plan is based on the number of active home shoppers in that particular area. If the ZIP code has high traffic, it will cost more than the one with less traffic. To better understand the pricing and learn how to start with Zillow Premier Agent Advertising, you can reach out to ZPA at 855-657-6611.
There are two easy ways to request reviews and ratings from your clients on Zillow. First, sign in to your Zillow account, go to your Zillow Profile, and select “Request a review.” A form will appear where you can ask for reviews in two ways:
- Email multiple clients using one general form (up to 50 email addresses allowed per day). Each of your clients will receive an email from you containing a link to the agent review request form.
- Send a direct link to your review form to your client. Simply copy and paste the URL that goes directly to a review for you.
No. Only buyers and sellers who have communicated or worked with an agent can participate or review an agent.
Bottom Line
The Zillow Premier Agent platform connects real estate agents with motivated buyers and sellers to support an agent’s growing business. For agents who can make the financial commitment, the platform doesn’t just generate leads, but also supports your branding through agent profiles showcased on the largest real estate website.