Bruce Carpenter: From 10 Hours of Research to 15 Minutes - Why This Broker Switched to Realay

Written by:

Steve Marcinuk

Date:

28 Oct 2025

KeyCrew Studio

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Bruce Carpenter spent years playing referral roulette. The broker-owner of Homedation Realty would scroll through Facebook groups and Instagram, hoping to find an out-of-state agent who might actually follow through. Even when he found someone with good reviews, there was no guarantee.

“You’re hoping that you’ve had a conversation with another out-of-state agent. Even if they’re in the right state, do they service that part of the state?” Carpenter says. “You wanna do the best for your client you possibly can, but there’s no way to really truly know if you are sending them to somebody good or not.”

The research process consumed five to 10 hours per referral. Carpenter would investigate agents online, hunt down their reviews, and sometimes track down past clients on Facebook to ask about their experience. Despite these efforts, clients would call back saying the referred agent wasn’t returning calls.

“I’d have my clients come back and say, hey, that guy down in Tennessee doesn’t call us back, and then I find myself trying to reach out to this agent directly,” Carpenter recalls. “It just makes it tougher than the old way of doing it.”

The Reputation Risk

For brokers who’ve built their business on responsive service, unreliable referral partners create professional liability. The client doesn’t blame the distant agent. They blame the broker who made the introduction.

“Ultimately, you’re going to be the one that gets the call if that other agent isn’t following up,” Carpenter explains. “If you are a good agent that you’re referring these clients out, you’ve set a standard that you’re hoping these other people will follow and that’s just really hard to do when you’re plucking people off of a chat page.”

This dynamic forces brokers into an impossible position: either decline to help clients moving out of state or accept responsibility for agents they can’t properly vet or control.

The First Transaction: A Double Deal

Homedation Realty’s first referral through Realay turned out to be two transactions, a buy and a sell. The agent assigned, Jill, connected with the client immediately.

“Client and my agent hit it off right from the get go. Have had no problems as far as communication,” Carpenter says. “My agent is updating the notes at every step. They’re through the home inspection part, all of that. They’re just constant communication.”

The transparency differs significantly from traditional referrals. Carpenter can check progress through the platform rather than relying on occasional updates or client complaints. The referring agent and Jill have also spoken directly outside the notes to maintain alignment.

“For our first one, which is really two, we haven’t quite gotten to closing yet, but we are mid process and I think it’s going along fantastic,” Carpenter notes.

The Time Calculation

The efficiency gain is substantial. What previously required five to 10 hours of research and vetting now takes approximately 15 minutes.

“It’s as simple as just contacting Realay. Hey, I’ve got one out of state. Can you find me somebody to refer to?” Carpenter explains. “I enter in the details of what the potential client’s needs are, what the property may be, what they’re looking for if they’re buyers, and Realay takes it from there.”

The time savings compound because Carpenter no longer needs to monitor the transaction as closely. Realay’s vetting process and platform transparency eliminate the need for constant check-ins to ensure the agent is performing.

Additionally, the payment process is streamlined. The referral fee appears directly on the settlement statement at closing rather than requiring follow-up requests and check processing from out-of-state brokers.

The Confidence Factor

Beyond time savings, Realay provides something harder to quantify: confidence. Carpenter can maintain his service standard for clients moving out of state without personally vetting every agent.

“Realay is vetting these people, they’re making sure that they are good agents, that they are gonna follow up,” he says. “It gives them a platform where I can go in and check and see what’s going on with the deal. It was the right idea at the right time and it solves a lot of problems as far as referrals go.”

This confidence allows brokers to say yes to referral opportunities they might have previously declined due to uncertainty about finding quality representation.

The Economics

Carpenter frames the referral fee structure pragmatically. While brokers would prefer to handle transactions directly, 25% of a commission from a referred deal exceeds zero percent from a declined opportunity.

“In those situations when you have to refer something or when you can gain a referral and do a good job for someone, 25% of a transaction is better than 0% of a transaction always,” he notes.

The calculation becomes more favorable when considering the alternative: hours of unpaid research time with uncertain outcomes and potential reputation damage from poor agent performance.

Market Context

Client mobility is increasing. Remote work options mean buyers and sellers aren’t as geographically constrained as they were previously. For brokers, this creates both opportunity and obligation.

“Clients are moving more and more out of state for whatever reason. People can work a lot more remotely now. So you’re not as confined as you used to be,” Carpenter observes.

This trend means referral volume will likely increase. Brokers need systems that scale beyond personal networking and manual vetting processes.

The Brokerage Perspective

As a broker-owner, Carpenter appreciates the flexibility Realay provides for assigning incoming referrals to appropriate agents within his team.

“It comes to me first as the broker. You would not have any of that in the old school way of referring things,” he says. Different agents have different strengths and service areas, allowing Carpenter to match referrals strategically rather than having them assigned randomly.

This broker-level control maintains team cohesion while leveraging the Realay network for out-of-state opportunities.

The Recommendation

When asked what he’d tell brokers considering Realay, Carpenter acknowledges the industry’s oversaturation with marketing tools and platforms. His advice: try it.

“Realay is one that you technically can try the platform out. You don’t have to immediately commit,” he notes. “To me, it was a no-brainer to see where it goes. And I literally am just beyond happy to the moon, happy with the results that we’re getting out of it.”

The value proposition is straightforward: help more clients without assuming unmanageable risk or spending hours on research that may not yield quality results.

“It really is just a way to help more people, which ultimately is what we’re all here to do is help people,” Carpenter says. “If you can do that without having to take on that burden of trying to 100% safeguard and foolproof yourself, it is a no-brainer.”

About Realay: Realay operates a network of vetted real estate professionals who handle client referrals across markets. The platform connects brokers with qualified agents, manages the referral process, and maintains service standards through performance monitoring.