Two businesses, one idea
A lawyer and a real estate agent sell very different things, but both run on the same loop. A person inquires. You respond, meet or talk, send an agreement or an offer, and either win the work or lose it. Months later a past client refers someone else. A CRM keeps that loop from dropping people.
The differences matter more than the similarities, because the rules and the sales cycle differ. This article covers each in turn. If you are new to the idea, start with what is a CRM, and for a general framework see how to choose a CRM. Our CRM setup page explains how we set one up for a service business.
This is general information and not legal advice.
CRM for law firms
What a law-firm CRM does. It captures every inquiry (form, call, referral), records the practice area and source, runs a conflict check, schedules the consultation, sends the engagement letter and follows up with people who did not sign. Lawmatics describes itself as a legal CRM covering client intake, CRM, marketing automation, time and billing and reporting.
What it costs. Lawmatics lists no dollar prices on the page we read in October 2026. It describes Essential and Premium plans that require a demo, with a minimum of 3 users, and an Enterprise plan with a minimum of 5 users. The Essential plan lists 500 contacts and Premium lists 10,000, with more contacts sold separately. Conflict checking is basic on Essential and advanced on Premium. Two-way texting is capped at 50 or 100 messages a month depending on the plan; the page does not make clear which cap goes with which. Ask for a written quote at your headcount.
The confidentiality question. Lawyers have a duty to protect information about a client’s matter, and that covers what you type into a CRM. Before you put anything in:
- Decide what a CRM may contain. A name, phone number, practice area and source are one thing. Privileged facts about a case belong in your matter system, not in marketing notes.
- Control who can see it. Give staff only the access they need.
- Check the vendor’s security statements and your state bar’s guidance on cloud tools.
- Keep a way to export and delete records when a prospect never becomes a client.
What a person tells you in an initial inquiry can be sensitive even if they never hire you. Check your state’s rules on prospective clients, and let the intake form say what the person should and should not send.
Advertising rules. Follow-up messages to prospects may count as attorney advertising under your state’s rules, so check them before you set up automatic emails or texts. A CRM that sends the same sequence to every inquirer is convenient and also easy to get wrong.
What it is not. A CRM tracks the relationship up to engagement. Matter management, documents, deadlines and trust accounting sit in practice management software. Some vendors bundle both; many firms use two tools that connect.
A pipeline for a law firm
- New inquiry
- Conflict check cleared
- Consultation scheduled
- Consultation held
- Engagement sent
- Signed or declined, with a reason
A “declined” reason list (fee, scope, conflict, went elsewhere, not a fit) shows you whether you lose on price or on reply time. Reply time is the one you can fix. Our website to CRM integration work starts by making sure every web inquiry reaches this list.
CRM for real estate agents
What it does. For an agent, the CRM is the business. It holds buyer and seller leads, the property each wants, their timeline, the source (portal, open house, referral, sign call) and the date of the next touch. A deal can take a year, so the system that reminds you wins over the one that has more features.
What it costs. Follow Up Boss’s pricing page, as we read it in October 2026, lists:
| Plan | Monthly billing | Annual billing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grow | $69 per user per month | $58 per user per month | For agents and small teams; calling is a paid add-on at $39 per user monthly or $33 annually |
| Pro | $499 a month | $416 a month | Includes 10 users and unlimited calling and texting |
| Platform | $1,000 a month | $833 a month | Includes 30 users |
The page also describes lead-source connections, smart lists, action plans for follow-up, and a 14-day free trial. Prices exclude tax where applicable. Confirm the current price on the vendor page.
A general CRM is a legitimate alternative for a solo agent: HubSpot lists a free CRM for up to 2 users and 1,000 contacts. You build the stages and reminders yourself, and it will not connect to lead portals as easily as a tool made for agents.
Texting and calling rules. Real estate runs on texts, and the rules apply to you. Automated or prerecorded calls and texts to mobile numbers need prior express consent, and telemarketing texts need prior express written consent (47 CFR 64.1200). Honor “stop” requests quickly, and keep a record of when and how each person opted in. Business texting numbers also need carrier registration (A2P 10DLC).
A pipeline for an agent
Two pipelines, not one:
- Buyers: new lead, contacted, pre-approval, searching, showing, offer, under contract, closed.
- Sellers: new lead, listing appointment, listed, offer, under contract, closed.
Add two fields most agents skip: source and last touch date. Sort by last touch every Monday. Past clients get a calendar reminder at the anniversary of closing, since referrals and repeat business come from them.
Wholesalers, investors and brokerages
Investors and wholesalers track properties and sellers rather than buyers and agents, so they usually need custom fields (address, status, offer, contract date). Brokerages need lead routing and permissions across agents. Both are beyond a simple setup, and they are where a team-focused tool earns its price. If you run a brokerage, ask vendors how roles and lead distribution work before you compare plans.
Where lawyers and agents lose leads
Both professions lose most prospects at the same moment: between the first inquiry and the first real conversation. A person who contacts three firms or three agents tends to talk to whoever answers first with something useful. A CRM does not answer for you, but it makes the gap visible: a list of inquiries with no reply, sorted by age. Review that list every morning and again after lunch. For a firm, add the question “have we checked conflicts?” to the same screen. For an agent, add “have they been pre-approved?” The point is a short list of people who need a human today.
Questions to ask before you choose
- What is the all-in monthly price at my number of users, including texting?
- Can I export every contact, note and history?
- Does the website form connect without custom work?
- Who sees what? Can I limit access by role?
- For a firm: how does the vendor handle confidential and prospective-client information?
- For an agent: how does it record texting consent?
If you want a second opinion or a form on your site connected to the right place, ask for a free demo.
Published . Updated .