26 numbers on repeat and referral business in US residential real estate, drawn from four NAR research programs, Zillow’s research division, the FTC, and federal statute: every one verified against the primary document. If a stat’s only trail was blogs quoting blogs, it isn’t on this page.
Cite freely with attribution to the original source (all eight are listed below). Last verified July 29, 2026.
of recent home sellers used an agent who was referred to them or whom they had worked with before.[1]
of all home buyers found their agent through a referral from a friend, neighbor, or relative. 49% among first-time buyers.[1]
of the typical REALTOR®’s pipeline comes from existing relationships: repeat clients (20%) plus referrals from past clients (21%).[2]
of the typical member’s business now comes from past clients, up from 20% a year earlier.[3]
of the pipeline is repeat business for agents with 16+ years of experience.[3]
of buyers (88%) and sellers (91%) used an agent, an all-time high; FSBO fell to an all-time low of 5%.[1]
The single largest measurable leak in a relationship business, confirmed independently by NAR and Zillow. What predicts retention is contact.
of sellers would definitely (75%) or probably (12%) recommend their agent for future services.[1]
of sellers used the same agent to sell that they used to buy. A coin flip, even after a good experience.[1]
of buyers had already recommended their agent within a year of closing. Sellers: 65%.[1]
Agents’ own verdict: relationships out-produce the leads they pay for, 2.5 to 1.
Deliberately absent: “Zillow leads cost $20–$220,” “online leads convert at 0.5–1%,” and “retention is 5–25x cheaper than acquisition.” None traces to a primary study with a named methodology, so none appears on this page.
Reuse collapses with distance and lost contact, rather than with dissatisfaction.
of buyers interviewed only one agent before deciding (74%), and 80% of sellers contacted only one.[1]
of buyers (47%) and sellers (59%) hired the first agent they spoke with.[5]
is the median courtship: buyers typically reached out just once before engaging an agent. There is no second chance to be remembered.[1]
is the typical REALTOR®’s experience, and repeat business rises with every year of tenure.[3]
active registrations on the National Do Not Call Registry as of September 30, 2025. 4.7 million added in FY2025 alone.[6]
maximum FTC civil penalty per illegal call to a registered number, set January 2025 and unchanged for 2026.[7]
per call or text in private TCPA suits: $500 per violation, trebled up to $1,500 when willful or knowing.[8]
Context numbers. This is not legal advice. The full rules, exemptions, and penalties are in the DNC & TCPA compliance guide for agents.
Every statistic above was checked against the named document (report exhibit, press release, or statute text) on July 29, 2026. Numbered references throughout the page point here.
Spotted a newer edition of one of these reports? Tell us and we’ll re-verify.
The free Sphere Potential Calculator applies the repeat/referral math to your actual contact count. No signup required.
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