How it runs for real estate agents and brokerages
Statements go out under your brand, and every open balance is visible per agent in QuickBooks Online or Xero.
What are outsourced invoicing services?
Outsourced invoicing services mean a remote billing team prepares, checks and sends your customer invoices instead of your office staff doing it between other tasks. The team works inside your accounting or billing software, follows your rate cards and contract terms, and issues credit notes and corrections. You keep control of pricing, approvals and the customer relationship.
What we handle for real estate agents and brokerages
- Monthly agent statements for desk, technology and marketing fees
- Referral-fee invoices to other brokerages with settlement support attached
- Approved charges netted against commission disbursements where agreements allow
- Rental placement and consulting invoices issued under your brand
- Recurring agent billing set up once and reviewed each quarter
The KPI that matters here
Agent statements issued on business day 1 each month with zero missed recurring fees.
Real estate compliance notes
1099-NEC for agents and referral partners
Brokerages report commissions paid to licensed agents on Form 1099-NEC because agents who meet the IRC section 3508 tests are statutory nonemployees. Referral fees paid to other brokerages and payments to unincorporated vendors are reported the same way once they reach the annual threshold. We keep W-9s and cumulative totals current so the forms are prepared for your review and filing by the January deadline.
Commission splits and disbursement records
Each closing is documented from the settlement statement through the commission disbursement authorization to the agent payment, so the split, cap progress, franchise royalty and any referral fee are traceable. Many state commissions require these records to be retained for several years. We file the documents with the entry in LedgerDesk.
Earnest money and trust accounts
Most state real estate commissions require earnest money to be held in a separate trust account, never commingled with operating funds, with a transaction-level ledger and a monthly reconciliation. Some states require interest-bearing accounts or set deadlines for deposit and disbursement. We maintain the ledger and reconciliation; the broker signs and remains responsible under the license.
Client money in the UK, Canada and Australia
UK letting and estate agents must belong to a Client Money Protection scheme and keep client money in a separate account. Canadian and Australian agencies operate under provincial or state trust-account rules with regular reconciliation and audit requirements. We prepare the ledgers and reconciliations in the format the regulator or auditor expects.
Real estate software we work in
- QuickBooks Online
- Xero
- Gusto
- Bill.com
- Stripe
- Brokermint
- SkySlope
- dotloop
- Lone Wolf Back Office
- All 50 platforms
More for real estate agents and brokerages
Other services for real estate
Invoicing and billing in other industries
Frequently asked questions
Can agent fees be deducted from commissions instead of invoiced?
Yes, where the independent contractor agreement permits it, approved fees are netted against the agent's next commission disbursement, and the agent statement shows both the charge and the deduction. Agents with no closing that month receive an invoice payable by card or ACH. Either way, the balance per agent is tracked in the ledger.
How do you invoice a referral fee to another brokerage?
When a referred client closes, the accountant prepares an invoice to the receiving brokerage for the agreed percentage, attaches the referral agreement and the settlement statement and sends it under your brand. Payment is followed up on the DunningDesk cadence. Incoming referral-fee obligations are recorded as payables when your closing settles.
Do you bill for rental placements and property management side services?
Yes, placement fees, lease renewal fees and any consulting are invoiced from the agreement terms with the landlord or client, and receipts are matched to the invoice. Where the brokerage also manages properties, those books follow trust-account rules, and the property management industry page covers that side in detail.
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