A preferred vendor list your clients will actually use.

Why a list beats a quick text

When a client texts "do you know a good electrician?", a name and number from memory works once. A list works every time, for every client, and it shows you've thought about who you recommend. It also protects you. When you give clients several options and make clear they choose, you're less exposed if a job goes badly than if you'd pushed one person.

A good list is also a marketing piece. Clients keep it, forward it to friends, and remember who gave it to them.

The categories to include

Start with the vendors clients need most often around a transaction, then add the ones homeowners need for years after:

• During the deal: home inspectors, specialty inspectors (radon, sewer scope, chimney, pest), appraisers where appropriate, real estate attorneys, title and settlement companies, mortgage lenders, insurance agents.
• Before listing: painters, handymen, cleaners, landscapers, stagers, junk removal, photographers.
• Moving: movers, storage, utility setup contacts.
• Homeownership: HVAC, plumbers, electricians, roofers, pest control, appliance repair, locksmiths.

Two or three vendors per category is plenty. A list of a hundred names is a phone book, not a recommendation.

How to vet a vendor

Only list people you'd be comfortable sending your own family to. A simple vetting routine:

1. Check the license on your state's licensing board site where the trade requires one.
2. Ask about insurance and get a copy of their certificate for your file.
3. Look at public reviews, paying attention to how they respond to complaints.
4. Use them yourself or ask clients who have, and note how they communicated, showed up and charged.
5. Re-check yearly. Licenses lapse and businesses change hands.

What to write for each vendor

A name and phone number isn't enough. For each vendor, include: business name and contact person, phone, email and website, the services they offer and areas they cover, license number where applicable, a one-line note on why they're on your list ("answers the phone on weekends," "great with older homes"), and any special offer they make for your clients.

Keep your notes factual and about the work. Don't describe vendors by personal characteristics; describe what they do and how well.

A copy-ready template

Copy this into a spreadsheet or document, one row per vendor:

Add a short line at the top of the list your clients see: "These are vendors our clients have used. You're free to choose any provider. We don't receive payment for these recommendations."

How to share the list

Format matters. A one-page PDF with your branding is easy to email and print for a buyer consultation folder. A shared online document is easier to keep current. Some agents create a simple page on their website so the link never changes, even as the vendors do.

Timing matters too. Send the inspection and settlement section when you go under contract, the moving section a few weeks before closing, and the homeownership section in your closing gift or move-in email. Clients take in short, relevant lists far better than one long document sent all at once.

Whatever format you choose, put your name, phone number and a short note at the top so the list always leads back to you.

The RESPA basics

The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) applies to settlement services like lending, title and settlement, and some inspections and insurance tied to a federally related mortgage. In broad terms, it prohibits giving or receiving anything of value in exchange for referrals of settlement service business. That means no referral fees, kickbacks or "marketing" payments that are really payment for referrals.

Keep your list simple: recommend vendors because they're good, don't accept money or gifts tied to referrals, and tell clients they're free to choose. If you're unsure about a specific arrangement, like a vendor sponsoring your event, ask your broker or an attorney before agreeing. This is general information, not legal advice.

Keeping the list alive

A vendor list goes stale fast. Set a reminder every six months to call each vendor, confirm they're still taking work in your area, and check their license and insurance. After every transaction, ask your client how the vendors they used performed and note it. Remove anyone who no showed, overcharged or treated a client poorly, without hesitation. Your name is on the list.

Getting vendors on board

Most good vendors are glad to be recommended. When you add someone, call them. Tell them you're putting them on your list, ask how they prefer to be contacted, and confirm the areas they cover. Ask whether they'd like to offer anything special to your clients, like priority scheduling, but make it clear nothing is expected in return for the referral.

Ask vendors to let you know about changes: a new phone number, a retirement, a waitlist. And when a client has a great experience, tell the vendor. Good relationships with reliable tradespeople are one of the most underrated assets an agent can build, and they often send business back your way through their own clients.

When a recommendation goes wrong

Sooner or later a vendor on your list will disappoint a client. Respond quickly: listen, apologize that it happened, and help connect them with an alternative. Contact the vendor to hear their side and give them a chance to make it right. If the problem was serious or part of a pattern, remove them from your list. Handling it well often earns more trust than a perfect record would have.

Using KONAH Vendors

If you work in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia, KONAH Vendors is a directory of lenders, title companies, inspectors, attorneys, contractors, movers and more, with every vendor reviewed by the KONAH team before listing. Vendors pay nothing to be listed and KONAH takes no referral fees. Agents can share it alongside their own list. Vendors can apply to be listed and get a portal showing who actually called, emailed or requested a quote. You can also keep your own vendor contacts in KONAH CRM 2.0, tagged by category.