What to put on a realtor vendor list

A realtor vendor list should cover four stages: getting a home ready to list, the transaction itself, moving in, and the years of ownership after. Aim for two or three trusted names per category, with a phone number, the service area, and a short note on what each vendor does well.

What should be on a realtor vendor list?

Think in terms of when your client needs someone, not just what trade it is. A seller three weeks from listing needs a different list than a buyer six months after closing. Organizing by stage also shows you where your gaps are.

You don't need every category filled on day one. Start with the trades your clients ask about most, usually handymen, painters, cleaners, inspectors and movers, and build out from there.

Which vendors do sellers need before listing?

Which vendors do clients need during the transaction?

Lenders and title or escrow companies belong on many agents' lists too. Those referrals fall under RESPA rules on settlement services, so check your brokerage's policy before you list or recommend them.

Which vendors do buyers need when they move in?

Which vendors do homeowners need in the years after closing?

This is the section most lists skip, and it's the one that keeps your name in front of past clients long after closing.

How many vendors should you list per category?

Two or three per category is a good target. One name puts your whole reputation on a single vendor. If they're booked for six weeks, your client has nowhere to go. More than three and your list starts to look like a phone book, which defeats the point of asking you.

Some guidelines:

Only list people you or your clients have actually used. An empty category is better than a name you can't stand behind.

What details should you include for each vendor?

The last two points are for you, not the client. They're what tell you who belongs on the list next quarter.

How do you keep a vendor list current?

A vendor list goes stale faster than most agents think. People retire, phone numbers change, a great roofer gets too big to answer the phone, and licenses lapse.

  1. Ask how it went after every referral. A short check-in two weeks later is the most reliable signal you have. See how to follow up after referring a contractor.
  2. Review the list every quarter. Remove anyone with a bad result they didn't fix, anyone you haven't heard good things about in a year, and anyone who stopped answering.
  3. Check licenses from time to time. Many states have a free online lookup. Here's how to check a contractor license in Oregon and Washington.
  4. Add the vendors your clients find. When a client raves about a contractor they hired on their own, ask for the name.
  5. Handle bad results quickly. Here's what to do when a vendor you referred does a bad job.
  6. Send the updated list, not just the old PDF from two years ago. A link that always shows your current list beats a file that's frozen the day you export it.

How should you share your vendor list with clients?

Most agents start with a PDF or a Canva flyer. It works until it's out of date, and it gets buried in an inbox. Many agents now send a link or a text instead. We compare the options in how to make a vendor list clients can text and realtor vendor list apps compared. And before you put a label on your list, read our guide to vendor list wording.

Keep your list in one place with Proferral

Proferral is a free app for agents that holds your list and remembers every referral. If you already have a spreadsheet, import it. Add each provider with a category, a note and contact details. Then every client gets their own go-to list link that always shows your current providers, with no app and no login. When they forward a provider, your name goes with it. See how it works.

Start your list, free

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