Last week I talked about how agents can be one of your best referral sources. This week, Realtor.com backed that up with a new report showing that one in three homes in 2025 were bought with cash. That means a third of all buyers skipped the lender and the lender’s appraisal.
So, who is looking out for those buyers?
Even cash buyers want to make a smart decision. They may not need an appraisal, but they still want to know they are not throwing extra zeroes at the wrong property. A private appraisal gives them exactly what they need: confidence. It confirms what they are paying makes sense and gives them leverage if it doesn’t.
Smart agents already know this. Recommending an appraisal protects their client and protects them. If the property turns out to be worth less than what the buyer paid, that agent can point back and say, “I told you to get an appraisal.” That is not just good service; that is smart business and liability protection.
Here is the truth. Whether your value comes in low or high, most cash buyers will still close. They just want peace of mind before they wire hundreds of thousands of dollars. The appraisal is not a deal killer. It is a deal confirmer.
Now, not every agent gets that. Some avoid recommending appraisers altogether. And frankly, those probably are not the agents you want to partner with anyway. If their only focus is their commission check instead of helping a client make an informed decision, that tells you everything you need to know. The good agents, the ones worth your time, are the ones who value expertise and transparency.
Appraisers, get out there. Go start meeting agents. Go start educating them and let them know what a resource you can be to their business, and especially to their cash buyers. When agents understand how much value you bring to the table, you will start seeing more referral opportunities and stronger partnerships.
If you want to work with those kinds of professionals, join the Appraisal Referral Network. It is where appraisers across the country connect, share referrals, and build strong, non-lender businesses that do not rely on luck or loan volume. Join today and start building the right kind of network that actually works for you.
