The Referral Board is where agents post referrals for other agents to pick up. When an agent posts a referral, agents whose service area covers the client's location can see it and apply. The referring agent reviews the applications and chooses one agent to receive the Referral Agreement. It's an easy way to find new business in your market.
This article covers how to find referrals on the Referral Board, how to apply, and what to expect after you apply.
New to Referral Central? Start with Getting started in Referral Central to set up your profile.
Before you start: check your service area
Your service area decides which referrals you can see and apply to.
- What you see: by default, the Referral Board only shows referrals inside your service area.
- What you can apply to: you can search for referrals anywhere, but you can only apply to ones inside your service area.
- Changing it: you can update your service area from your profile at any time, with up to 20 locations. Changes apply right away.
Your bio and production stats appear next to your application, so it's worth making sure they're up to date. If you've hidden your stats, other agents won't see them on your application.
Find referrals on the Referral Board
- In reZEN, click Referral Central in the left-hand menu. It opens in a new browser tab.
- Click Discover Referrals in the left-hand menu to open the Referral Board.
- Browse the referrals in your service area. To look somewhere else, search a city or ZIP code.
What's on each referral
- Client Type: Buyer, Seller, Tenant, or Landlord
- Referral Fee: the % of GCI the referring agent is asking for in exchange for the referral
- Price Range: the expected budget for Buyers and Tenants, or the expected list price for Sellers and Landlords
- Location Preference: the search area for Buyers and Tenants, or the listing location for Sellers and Landlords
- Timeline: how soon the client wants to buy, list, or rent (ASAP, 0–3 Months, 6–12 Months or Unknown)
Click the eye icon to see more, including the client's language preference, the referring agent's notes and details about the referring agent.
Your client's privacy works the same way for everyone: client names and contact details are never shown on the Referral Board. They're shared only with the agent who's selected, on the Referral Agreement.
Apply to a referral
- Open the referral you're interested in and click Apply.
- Write your application note. This is your chance to make your case, so tell the referring agent why you're a good fit: your experience with this type of client, the price range and the area.
- Submit your application. The referral now appears under My Referrals > Applied.
What the referring agent sees
The referring agent sees your name, photo, application note, the date you applied and your production stats. They can also open your profile, including your bio and service areas. Other applicants can't see your application or your conversations with the referring agent.
After you apply
- The referring agent may message you. Conversations are one-on-one and appear in your Messages. Watch for the unread indicator on your Messages tab, since there are no email notifications for messages yet.
- If the referral is edited, you'll get one email showing what changed, so you can decide whether you still want to be considered.
- If the referral is paused, you'll be notified. It stays on your Applied tab marked as paused, and you keep your place. You'll be notified again when it's back on the board.
- If the referral is cancelled, you'll be notified, along with the reason if the referring agent gave one.
Changed your mind? You can withdraw your application at any time before the agreement is fully signed. If you re-apply later, you'll show up as an applicant again.
If you're selected
You'll be notified and asked to sign the Referral Agreement in Real Signature. You sign from the email you receive by the expiration date the referring agent set.
- U.S. referrals (4 signers): you, your managing broker, the referring agent and their managing broker. The client doesn't sign.
- Canadian referrals (5 signers): the same four, plus the client.
- Reminders: if anyone hasn't signed within 48 hours, they'll get a one-time email reminder.
Once everyone signs, the referral is Active and the agreement is binding. Until then, you can still withdraw. You'll see a warning if someone has already signed.
If the agreement isn't fully signed by the expiration date, it expires and the referral goes back on the board. You'd need to re-apply to be considered again.
See Sending a referral in Referral Central for more information.
If you're not selected
You'll be notified once the referral has been filled, meaning the agreement is fully signed with another agent. Until then, you stay in the applicant pool in case the referring agent needs to choose someone else. Your conversation about that referral becomes read-only once the agreement is sent to another agent. If the referral reopens, the conversation becomes active again.
Frequently asked questions
Why don't I see any referrals on the Referral Board?
The Referral Board shows referrals inside your service area by default, so there may not be any posted in your area right now. Try searching for a city or ZIP code, or update your service area to cover more locations.
Why can't I apply to a referral I found?
You can only apply to referrals inside your service area. If the referral's location is outside it, update your service area from your profile by clicking the settings gear in the lower left corner, and then you can apply.
Can other applicants see my application?
No. Each applicant sees only their own application and their own conversation with the referring agent.
Can I see the client's contact information before I'm selected?
No. Client names and contact details are never shown on the Referral Board or to applicants. They're shared only with the selected agent, on the Referral Agreement.
When will I find out if I wasn't selected?
When the agreement is fully signed with another agent. Until then, you're not notified, in case the referring agent needs to choose someone else.
You may notice the referral disappear from the Referral Board before you hear anything. That happens as soon as the referring agent selects someone. Your application stays open until the agreement is signed, and if it falls through, the referral goes back on the Board, and you're still in the running.
The referral changed after I applied. What should I do?
You'll get an email showing what changed. If it's still a good fit, you don't need to do anything. If not, you can withdraw your application.
Will I get an email when someone messages me?
Not yet. Watch for the unread indicator at the top of Referral Central and in your Messages.
Is there a mobile app?
Not yet. Referral Central is web-only for now. Open it from reZEN in your desktop browser.