For real estate agents in India, 99acres, MagicBricks and Housing.com are paid listing and lead-generation portals, not CRMs. Each sells agent packages that combine listing slots, visibility boosts and buyer or tenant enquiries. None of the three showed a complete agent rate card on the pages we could access, so prices come through sales quotes that vary by city, listing volume and duration. The right approach is to test one or two portals in your micro-market for a quarter, route every portal lead into your own CRM automatically, and judge each package by cost per qualified lead and cost per closed deal, not by listing count. Every agent advertising property in a RERA state also needs a valid RERA agent registration, which portals increasingly ask for.
Executive summary
- Portals sell demand; your CRM owns the relationship. Treat 99acres, MagicBricks and Housing.com as paid media. Capture their leads in a CRM within minutes. See our best CRM for real estate in India guide.
- Agent package pricing is quote-based. 99acres operates a "buy our services" page for agents, but it was not readable from our access. MagicBricks and Housing.com also did not publish complete agent packages on the pages we could access. Get written quotes with lead guarantees, if any.
- RERA agent registration is the baseline. The central RERA portal lists mandatory registration of real estate agents, and of projects above 500 square metres or eight units.
- Integration saves money. "99acres integration" searches reflect a real need: automatic lead import through email parsing, APIs or CRM connectors, instead of downloading spreadsheets.
- Measure by micro-market. Portal performance varies sharply by city and locality. Run controlled tests and compare cost per site visit.
App Advisor is not affiliated with 99acres, MagicBricks, Housing.com or any portal or vendor named here.
Market context
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 created state Real Estate Regulatory Authorities and a registration regime for projects and agents. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs' RERA portal lists, among RERA's key features, "Mandatory Registration for Projects: above 500 square meters and above 8 units" and "Mandatory Registration of Real Estate Agents" (rera.mohua.gov.in). The portal publishes a weekly tracker of registrations by state (RERA weekly tracker). For portal advertising, this means project listings should carry RERA registration numbers where applicable, and agents should hold valid registration in the states where they operate. Each state RERA sets its own agent registration process and fees (list of state RERA authorities).
Online property search in India is dominated by horizontal portals and newer broker-free models:
- 99acres (99acres.com) runs listings for sale, rent and commercial property, with paid services for owners, agents and builders.
- MagicBricks (magicbricks.com) offers listings and property services, including paid plans for agents and owners.
- Housing.com (housing.com) offers listings and seller or agent packages.
- Square Yards (squareyards.com) combines a portal with transaction and advisory services.
- NoBroker (nobroker.in) connects owners and tenants directly, which competes with brokers in the rental segment.
For agents, the business model question is simple. Portal packages are a marketing expense whose return depends on lead quality, response speed and follow-up discipline. Industry sources do not provide verifiable, portal-independent data on lead conversion rates, so we do not cite any. Build your own benchmarks from CRM data.
Evaluation framework
App Advisor methodology: weighted criteria for a residential resale and rental agency with 3–20 agents in one metro. Builders and channel partners marketing new projects should raise the weight of project visibility products.
| Criterion | Weight | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Lead volume and quality in your micro-market | 25% | Enough genuine buyer and tenant enquiries in your localities; low duplicate and fake leads |
| Price and contract transparency | 15% | Written package inclusions, listing slots, boosts, duration, refund or credit rules |
| Lead delivery and CRM integration | 15% | Real-time lead push by API, webhook or email parsing to your CRM; no manual download |
| Listing quality tools | 10% | Photo and video upload, verification badges, RERA number fields, bulk listing |
| Visibility controls | 10% | Featured or premium placement options with clear placement logic |
| Analytics | 10% | Views, responses, lead source by listing, competitor benchmarks |
| Account support | 5% | Named relationship manager, response time on disputes |
| Brand and audience fit | 10% | Strong in your segment (rent vs resale vs new launch; budget band) |
Vendor comparison
| Portal or product | What agents buy | Published agent package price | Lead integration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99acres for agents | Listing and visibility packages for dealers and agents | Not published on the page we could access (99acres' "buy our services" page returned an access block) | Ask for API, email-parsing or CRM connector options | 99acres.com |
| MagicBricks business | Agent and owner plans, premium listings, property services | Not published on the page we could access | Ask vendor | magicbricks.com |
| Housing.com for sellers | Seller and agent listing packages | Not published on the page we could access | Ask vendor | housing.com |
| Square Yards | Portal plus transaction services | Not published on the page we could access | Ask vendor | squareyards.com |
| NoBroker for owners | Owner plans (competes with brokers in rentals) | Not published on the page we could access | N/A for agents | nobroker.in |
| LeadSquared Real Estate | CRM that captures portal leads | Quote | Portal lead capture connectors (confirm per portal) | leadsquared.com |
| Zoho CRM for Real Estate | CRM configured for real estate | See Zoho pricing page for current plans | Email parsing, webforms, API | zoho.com/crm |
What to ask each portal's sales team:
- Number of listing slots, premium or featured slots and their duration.
- Whether leads are guaranteed, estimated or neither, and how duplicate or invalid leads are credited.
- The localities and property types where the package gives visibility.
- How leads are delivered: dashboard, email, SMS, API, or a direct CRM integration.
- Renewal price, lock-in and GST on the invoice.
Explore more tools in real estate software, CRM software and lead generation.
Total cost of ownership
Illustrative model — assumptions stated. Package prices are placeholders because portals did not publish agent rate cards on the pages we could access.
Agency profile: 6 agents, residential resale and rentals in two localities, average commission per closed deal ₹60,000.
| Metric | Portal A package | Portal B package |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly package cost (quote) | P_A | P_B |
| Leads received in quarter | 300 | 180 |
| Qualified leads (reachable, genuine, in budget) | 120 (40%) | 108 (60%) |
| Site visits | 36 | 38 |
| Closed deals | 6 | 7 |
| Commission earned | ₹3,60,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| Cost per qualified lead | P_A ÷ 120 | P_B ÷ 108 |
| Cost per closed deal | P_A ÷ 6 | P_B ÷ 7 |
| Return on package | (₹3,60,000 − P_A) ÷ P_A | (₹4,20,000 − P_B) ÷ P_B |
Add the costs that sit outside the portal invoice:
- CRM subscription for 6 users, with portal integration.
- Response labour: at 10 minutes per lead, 300 leads take 50 agent-hours. A portal with fewer but better leads may be cheaper in practice.
- Photography and video for listings.
- Telephony or WhatsApp for follow-up. See cloud telephony options.
The lesson: a portal with fewer, higher-quality leads can deliver lower cost per closed deal. You can only see this if every lead is tagged by source in your CRM.
Implementation roadmap
| Phase | Weeks | Activities | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Compliance and inventory | 1 | Verify RERA agent registration; collect project RERA numbers; clean listing inventory | Advertising-ready inventory |
| 2. CRM setup | 1–2 | Source tags per portal, lead routing by locality and agent, response SLAs | Configured CRM |
| 3. Portal trial | 2–3 | Buy one quarter's package on one or two portals, with written inclusions | Signed trial terms |
| 4. Integration | 2–4 | Connect portal lead delivery to CRM (API, email parser or connector); test with dummy leads | Leads auto-arrive in CRM |
| 5. Listing optimisation | 3–6 | Photos, video, accurate pricing, verification badges, weekly refresh | Listings live |
| 6. Measure | 4–13 | Track cost per qualified lead, visits and closures by portal and locality | Quarter scorecard |
| 7. Decide | 13–14 | Renew, renegotiate or switch based on cost per closed deal | Next-quarter media plan |
Risks and compliance checklist
- RERA registration: keep your agent registration valid in every state where you market property, and display registration numbers as required by the state authority.
- Accurate listings: do not advertise sold, rented or non-existent properties. Portals may penalise or delist accounts, and misleading advertisements create legal risk.
- Project RERA numbers: include them for registered projects as required.
- Consent and privacy: buyer and tenant contact data from portals is personal data under the DPDP Act, 2023. Use it only for the enquiry purpose, and respect opt-outs.
- Calling rules: follow telecom commercial communication rules and DND preferences for follow-up calls and SMS.
- Contract terms: get lock-ins, renewals, lead credit rules and GST in writing.
- Data ownership: export your leads regularly, because dashboards may limit history after a package ends.
- Duplicate commissions: use CRM source tracking to resolve disputes when a lead arrives through multiple portals.
KPIs to track
| KPI | Definition | Decision it supports |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per lead | Package cost ÷ total leads | Headline comparison only |
| Qualified lead rate | Qualified ÷ total leads | Lead quality by portal |
| Cost per qualified lead | Package cost ÷ qualified leads | Better comparison |
| First response time | Median minutes from enquiry to agent contact | Conversion driver you control |
| Lead-to-visit rate | Site visits ÷ qualified leads | Listing and pitch quality |
| Visit-to-close rate | Closures ÷ site visits | Agent effectiveness |
| Cost per closed deal | Package cost ÷ closures | Renewal decision |
| Listing freshness | % listings updated in last 14 days | Portal ranking hygiene |
How to choose
- Start with your segment: rentals, resale or new launches, and budget band. Ask each portal for locality-level evidence of demand.
- Trial, do not commit: buy the shortest package that gives meaningful visibility, and avoid long lock-ins until you have data.
- Integrate before you spend: make sure every lead lands in your CRM with the portal tagged as source.
- Negotiate on outcomes: ask about credits for invalid or duplicate leads.
- Compare cost per closed deal each quarter and reallocate budget.
- Keep a direct channel: your own website and WhatsApp catalogue reduce dependence on portals over time. See our website builders and hosting guide.
Portal trial playbook
Portal packages are usually sold on a call, with urgency and discounts. Slow the process down with a structured 90-day trial that gives you evidence for renewal.
Before you pay (week 0).
- Write down your target localities, property types and budget bands.
- Ask the portal for locality-level evidence: active listings by competitors, typical enquiry volumes for similar listings, and which of their products give visibility there. Keep it in writing.
- Confirm lead delivery options and connect them to your CRM with a test enquiry.
- Agree how invalid, duplicate or out-of-area leads are treated.
- Record the full price including GST, duration, renewal terms and any lock-in.
Month 1: Listing quality.
- List only verified, currently available properties with accurate prices, good photographs and, where relevant, RERA numbers.
- Refresh listings on a schedule the portal allows, and remove closed deals the same day.
- Set a response standard, for example a first call within 10 minutes during business hours, and assign leads by locality in your CRM.
Month 2: Lead quality review.
- Tag every lead in the CRM as qualified, unqualified (reason), duplicate or unreachable.
- Listen to a sample of calls to understand why leads are unqualified: budget mismatch, location, or property already sold.
- Adjust listings and pricing based on what buyers and tenants ask about most.
Month 3: Decision data.
- Calculate cost per qualified lead, site visits and closures by portal and locality.
- Compare these with your referrals, walk-ins and your own website or social media leads.
- Decide to renew, renegotiate, change package or exit. Share the data with the portal's account manager when negotiating.
Questions to ask in the sales call
- Which exact listing slots, premium placements and boosts are included, and for how long?
- In which localities and categories will the premium placement appear?
- Are leads exclusive to me or shared with other agents?
- How are leads delivered, and is there an API or CRM connector?
- What happens to unused listing slots at the end of the package?
- What reports will I get, and can I export them?
- What is the renewal price, and is there an auto-renewal?
Common mistakes agents make
- Buying the biggest package first. Start small and expand once you can see where your deals come from.
- Listing unverified properties. Poor listings reduce trust, response rates and possibly account standing.
- Slow lead response. Enquirers usually contact several agents at once. The first credible response often wins the visit.
- No source tracking. Without CRM tagging, renewal decisions become guesses.
- Ignoring direct channels. Past clients, referrals and your own website cost less over time and build a brand the portals cannot take away.
Treating portals as measurable media, not as a necessity, is the difference between a profitable listing budget and a monthly subscription habit.
Key terms
- Listing slot: one active property advertisement allowed by a package.
- Premium or featured placement: paid visibility that shows a listing higher or more prominently in search results.
- Qualified lead: an enquiry from a reachable, genuine buyer or tenant whose budget and location match the listing.
- Lead push or integration: automatic delivery of portal enquiries into your CRM.
- RERA agent registration: registration with the state Real Estate Regulatory Authority that agents need to market registered projects.
FAQs
What is the 99acres agent package price?
99acres did not publish a complete agent package rate card on the pages we could access. Its services page for agents was not readable from our access. Prices are quoted by 99acres sales and depend on city, listing slots, visibility options and duration. Ask for a written quote with inclusions and GST.
99acres vs MagicBricks vs Housing.com: which is best for agents?
It depends on your city, locality and segment. Run a quarter-long trial on one or two portals, route all leads into a CRM, and compare cost per qualified lead and cost per closed deal. No portal is universally best.
How do I integrate 99acres leads with my CRM?
Common methods are portal APIs or connectors offered by CRM vendors, email parsing of lead notification emails, or scheduled exports. Ask 99acres and your CRM vendor which methods are available for your account. Test with dummy enquiries before relying on it.
Do real estate agents need RERA registration to list on portals?
RERA makes registration of real estate agents mandatory, and state authorities run the process. Portals may ask for your RERA number. Check your state RERA's requirements.
Is Housing.com free for agents?
Housing.com offers seller and agent packages. Free listing options, if any, and paid package prices were not published on the page we could access. Confirm current terms with Housing.com.
What is a good cost per lead for property portals?
There is no reliable public benchmark. Calculate cost per qualified lead and cost per closed deal from your own CRM data, by portal and locality.
Should I use a CRM if I already pay for portals?
Yes. Portals deliver enquiries, but a CRM stores every lead, enforces follow-up, prevents lost leads and shows which portal actually produces deals. See our real estate CRM comparison.
Can builders list projects without a RERA number?
Projects above the RERA thresholds (land above 500 square metres or more than eight units, as listed on the central RERA portal) must be registered before advertising, subject to state rules. Check your state authority.
