From the Desk of TJ Schowalter, Business Development Account Manager of Rentometer
If you’re anything like me, your phone has probably been flooded with texts from so-called lead sources promising “exclusive, high-intent buyers.” (And for some reason, Medicaid trying to sell health insurance with tombstone benefits — always a great way to start the day.)
Curious whether these lead services actually live up to the hype, I interviewed 41 different lead providers to understand exactly what they were offering. When you strip away the different branding and buzzwords, most of them boil down to the same pitch.
What Lead Companies Promise
$600–$3,000+ per month (sometimes paired with a 10%–15% referral fee, sometimes with a $3,000 startup fee on top)
Roughly 500 leads per year
A projected 5%–7% conversion rate
On paper, that sounds reasonable.
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What Happens in Reality
You still pay $600–$3,000+ per month
You still receive roughly 500 leads per year
But the real conversion rate? Closer to 2%
And in many cases, even that number is generous.
At this point, you might be thinking: “Well TJ, maybe that’s just because you’re bad on the phones.”
Fair point — so I tested that theory.
What 1,000+ Top Producers Confirmed
I went a step further and interviewed 1,000 Rentometer Pro subscribers, all producing $10M+ annually. What I found was eye-opening:
For traditional lead sources, that ~2% conversion rate held true across the board (in some cases, 2% was actually generous).
What was more interesting, though, was why many of them stopped buying leads altogether — and what tool they used to replace their previous lead sources.
How Top Producers Are Actually Generating Business Using Rentometer
Leads get value immediately.
“I not only put my lead gen widget on my website, but on social media ads and in investor groups. This allows me to specifically target the investors I want to reach, whereas other lead gen companies just create a separate website and funnel generic leads to me from there. Additionally, the Rentometer Lead Gen Widget actually gives incoming leads immediate data backed value, which makes my outreach much easier. Not to mention, I was paying over $10,000 per year in leads and now my lead gen comes with my $199 Rentometer Pro Plan.”
-Brooke M. St. Louis, MO 12.9 Million in 2025 Production
Data is the pitch.
“It’s all about the numbers. [Rentometer's new] Yield Tracker provides them to me and I send them out to my leads from the lead gen widget. 'I found 3 listings that meet your specs, price point, and have an estimated 15% return per year.' It is a pretty great sales pitch to get an investor to the table."
-Scott S Jacksonville, FL 14.2 Million in 2025 Production
Focus on investors who actually act.
“I have a fair amount of leads in my Rentometer Lead Portal. When I come across a property that fits their buy box, I send over a Pro Report. It provides clarityas to which properties will work with their numbers and which ones won’t be a good fit. The report is branded to me, so it strengthens my position as the expert. It also helps put into focus who I should be working with. When I send motivated investors properties that fit their buy box, they act. Judging by the action of my investors I’ve been able to create my core investor base and not waste time on those who want to look, but never act.”
-Selma Z. Atlanta, GA 11.7 Million in 2025 Production
The Pattern I Keep Seeing
Top producers aren’t chasing more leads.
They’re qualifying better ones, leading with data, and positioning themselves as the expert from the first interaction.
Instead of paying thousands for shared, low-intent leads, they’re using tools that:
Deliver immediate value to prospects
Create clarity around deal viability
Filter out tire-kickers before wasting time
Strengthen their authority with branded, data-backed insights
If you’re curious how Rentometer can support your business growth — or want to talk through how other top producers are using it — reach out anytime. I’m always happy to help.
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