Custom CRM for Real Estate: 5 Workflows Generic CRMs Cannot Handle

Real estate is one of the worst fits for generic CRM. Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive — all built on a sales funnel that assumes "lead → opportunity → close." Real estate doesn't work that way.

Real estate transactions involve buyers and sellers, often the same person at different times. Listings have their own lifecycle independent of any one transaction. Commissions split across multiple parties. Documents flow through escrow with regulatory deadlines. Compliance requirements vary by state.

Here are five workflows where custom real estate CRM beats generic, and what it costs to build.

1. Dual-sided pipeline (buyer + seller)

Generic CRM has one pipeline: leads → opportunities → won/lost. Real estate has at least two: a buyer pipeline (representing buyers looking to purchase) and a seller pipeline (representing listings). The same person can be on both at different times — they sell their old home and buy a new one.

Custom real estate CRM models this natively: contacts have a relationship to one or more buyer pipelines and one or more seller pipelines, with shared notes and a unified timeline.

2. Listing lifecycle separate from transactions

A listing has its own lifecycle: pre-listing prep, active, under contract, closed, expired, withdrawn. None of these are "opportunities" in the Salesforce sense. They're objects with their own stages, dates, and documents.

Custom CRM models listings as first-class entities. Generic CRM forces them into "opportunities" or "deals" with awkward naming and missing fields.

3. Commission splits

Real estate commissions split across buyer's agent, seller's agent, their brokerages, referral sources, and sometimes co-listing agents. Each commission has its own percentages and dollar amounts. Generic CRM has nowhere to put this.

Custom real estate CRM has a commission engine: for each closed transaction, calculate splits across all parties, generate disbursement records, integrate with accounting.

4. Escrow and document timelines

Once under contract, the transaction enters escrow with hard deadlines: inspection contingency, financing contingency, appraisal, title search, closing date. Missing any deadline can void the contract.

Custom real estate CRM has a transaction timeline view: each deadline tracked, alerts sent days before, documents linked to each milestone, compliance checks per state.

5. MLS integration and listing syndication

Listings live in the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). Photos, descriptions, prices change there. Listings get syndicated to Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, brokerage sites. None of this is in generic CRM.

Custom CRM integrates with the MLS (RESO Web API, RETS), keeps listings in sync, manages syndication, tracks open house schedules, captures inquiries from each portal.

What it costs

For real estate brokerages:

Solo agent or small team (5–15 agents): $35–65k. CRM, listing management, basic MLS integration, commission tracking.

Mid-size brokerage (15–75 agents): $75–150k. Multi-office, full MLS sync, syndication, e-signature integration, agent recruiting pipeline.

Multi-office brokerage or franchise (75+ agents): $150–350k+. Multi-tenant per office, brand customisation, full compliance per state, custom commission structures.

These typically replace 4–6 separate SaaS tools (CRM + listing manager + transaction coordinator + commission tracker + agent portal + reporting). Annual SaaS savings often cover the build cost in 18–24 months.

When generic still wins

If you're a solo agent doing under 12 transactions/year, a $50/month CRM is fine. Custom only pays back at scale.

For a transparent cost estimate for your specific real estate scope, our cost calculator gives a range in 60 seconds. Or browse our full 240+ products catalogue for related real estate apps we've built.