What are the best real estate leads in 2026

Based on REDX data, Expired Listings are the best real estate leads in 2026 with a 44% list rate and 20.7% sold rate. They offer the fastest conversion cycle at approximately 30 days from lead to list.

Why are portal leads less effective in 2026?

Portal leads like Zillow and Google PPC have become unsustainable with costs reaching $181 per lead and conversion rates bottoming out at 0.4%. They require a 24+ month nurture cycle compared to 30 days for Expired listings.

What is the conversion rate for FSBO leads?

Answer: FSBO leads have a 27.8% list rate and 13.1% sold rate in 2026, with an average conversion time of 43 days to list.

Are foreclosure leads worth pursuing in 2026?

Answer: Pre-foreclosure leads show a ~13.4% list rate and are ideal for agents who want to specialize in helping distressed homeowners. They take an average of 76 days to list as homeowners navigate legal and financial hurdles.

What makes FRBO leads valuable?

Answer: FRBO leads have a 3.9% list rate but represent long-term opportunities for building investor client relationships. These clients often own multiple properties and can provide repeat business.

The Best Real Estate Leads 2026: ROI Rankings & Conversion Data

In 2026, the real estate landscape has shifted dramatically. The “easy” portal leads that once fueled many businesses are now a massive drain on profitability, forcing agents to return to high-authority, data-driven prospecting.

Based on our analysis of over a year of REDX data (encompassing millions of records across Expireds, FSBOs, Foreclosures, and FRBOs) here is the ultimate breakdown of the best real estate leads in 2026 and where you should spend your time this year to maximize your commission potential.

Quick Links:

Expired Listings: The Best Real Estate Lead in 2026
FSBO (For Sale By Owner): The Skill Builder
Pre-Foreclosures: The High-Equity Opportunity
FRBO (For Rent By Owner): The “Investor Moat”
Portal Leads (Zillow, Google PPC): The Profitability Pit
The Best Real Estate Leads of 2026 (According to the data)

1. Expired Listings: The Best Real Estate Lead in 2026

In the most recent data from REDX, Expired Listings are the highest-performing lead type in 2026. Nationally, they boast a 44% list rate and a 20.7% sold rate. With a short average conversion cycle of about 30 days from lead to list, they offer the fastest path to a commission check in the current market.

The Pros:

Massive Volume: Nationally, there average over 64,000 active Expired leads available weekly.
High Intent: These homeowners have already raised their hand to sell; they just need a better strategy and more authority.
Relisting Advantage: Homeowners who choose a new agent after expiring have a 54.1% higher chance of selling than those who stick with their original agent.

The Cons:

High Competition: Because they are the “best” leads, they require a disciplined, daily prospecting routine.
Skill-Intensive: You must lead with authority and data to overcome the homeowner’s previous frustration.

Who it’s for: Best for the Prospecting Powerhouse. If you are an agent (or team) who is comfortable on the phone and wants to scale your GCI quickly by focusing on high-intent sellers, Expireds should be 70% of your daily focus.

2. FSBO (For Sale By Owner): The Skill Builder

FSBOs remain a consistent staple in 2026, with a national list rate of 27.8% and a 13.1% sold rate. These sellers take slightly longer to convert (averaging 43 days to list) as they often need to experience the “trial by fire” of trying to sell alone before hiring a professional.

The Pros:

Proven Demand: You know they want to sell now; they are simply testing the market’s difficulty.
Lower Competition: Many agents avoid FSBOs because they fear the “I don’t want an agent” objection, leaving more room for you.

The Cons:

Longer Nurture: Requires a consistent follow-up system (like Vortex) to stay top-of-mind when they eventually give up on selling solo.
Commission Friction: You must be highly skilled at explaining your value proposition to justify your fee.

Who it’s for: Best for the Relationship Nurturer. If you excel at building rapport and providing “value-first” information (like market data) over a 4-6 week period, FSBOs are your goldmine.

3. Pre-Foreclosures: The High-Equity Opportunity

Foreclosure leads are specialized, making up a smaller but highly motivated segment of the market. In 2026, they show a 13.4% list rate. Interestingly, they have a longer “burn” time, taking an average of 76 days to list as homeowners navigate legal and financial hurdles.

The Pros:

Extreme Urgency: These sellers have a definitive deadline, making them highly motivated to find a solution quickly.
Unique Value: You can position yourself as a problem-solver who saves their credit and extracts their remaining equity.

The Cons:

Sensitive Situations: Requires a high level of empathy and a specific script that doesn’t sound predatory.
Higher Complexity: You may need to understand short sales or work with legal timelines.

Who it’s for: Best for the Specialist/Problem Solver. This lead type is perfect for agents who want to build a niche around helping distressed homeowners and who aren’t afraid of longer, more complex conversations.

4. FRBO (For Rent By Owner): The “Investor Moat”

FRBOs are the “sleeper” lead of 2026. While they have the lowest national list rate (3.9%), they represent a massive opportunity for long-term wealth building.

The Pros:

Dual Opportunity: You can convert them into a listing (selling the investment) or a tenant-placement client.
Investor Clients: These are often “serial” clients who own multiple properties, offering more than just a single transaction.

The Cons:

Low Immediate Conversion: Most FRBOs intend to keep renting; it takes a market shift or a “tired landlord” moment to trigger a sale.
Volume: These leads take the longest to reach a “sold” status, averaging only a 2.6% sold rate.

Who it’s for: Best for the Investor-Focused Agent. If your goal is to build a portfolio of investor clients or handle multiple listings for single owners, FRBOs are your path to long-term stability.

For more information on how to work FRBO leads, check out our article describing how to list multiple properties from one vacant rental lead.

5. Portal Leads (Zillow, Google PPC): The Profitability Pit

According to the National Association of Realtors portal and internet leads like Zillow and Google PPC represent the “passive” side of the business converting between 0.4% and 1.2%. While they offer convenience, the cost of acquisition has become unsustainable for most independent agents.

The Pros:

Passive Intake: Leads come to you while you sleep; no cold calling or active prospecting required.
Brand Awareness: High-budget PPC can keep your name at the top of search results for specific local ZIP codes.

The Cons:

The “Portal Trap”: Portal lead costs have skyrocketed by 1,107% since 2015, reaching an average of $181 per lead in 2026.
Abysmal Conversion: National conversion rates for portal leads have bottomed out at 0.4%, meaning you must buy 250 leads to find one closing.
The 24-Month Cycle: Unlike Expireds (30 days), portal leads typically require a 24+ month nurture cycle before they are ready to transact.

Who it’s for: Best for High-Budget Teams. Portals are only viable for teams with massive marketing budgets and dedicated Inside Sales Agents (ISAs) who can filter through hundreds of low-quality inquiries to find the needles in the haystack.

The Best Real Estate Leads of 2026 (According to the data)

Leading the pack, REDX lead types like Expireds offer sold rates as high as 20%, while traditional portal leads have bottomed out at a 0.4-1.2% conversion rate. Furthermore, portal leads cost an average of $181 each, whereas prospecting Expireds and FSBOs via REDX provides a value of $1,200 – $2,250 per contact hour.

Final Summary Ranking: