Guide to Onboarding Homeowners
Homeowner hubs are private, personalized portals that connect homeowners to their home data, insights, and trusted professionals in one place.
Understanding Onboarding Methods
There are two primary approaches to onboarding homeowners: opt-in (invitation-based) and opt-out (gifted directly). The method you choose depends on the strength of your relationship and whether you know the homeowner's property address.
Hub Invitation Email (Opt-In)
What It Is
An email invitation sent to a homeowner prompting them to create a hub by claiming their home. If the property address is unknown, the homeowner enters it during the registration process. This method is ideal for sphere contacts, leads, and situations where you may not have address information on file.
Best Used For
💡 Pro Tip: Communicating the value of a hub upfront—before sending the invitation—significantly boosts adoption rates. Consider calling or texting contacts before inviting them.
Gifted Hub (Opt-Out)
What It Is
A hub created and given directly to a homeowner without requiring them to opt in first. This method is designed for established relationships—current and past clients with whom you have a strong existing connection. A property address is required to gift a hub.
Best Used For
⚠️ Important: Only use the gifted hub method for contacts with whom you have an established relationship. This method is not recommended for prospecting or contacts with new/early relationships.
Bulk Import from a File
What It Is
A spreadsheet import that allows you to create hubs for multiple homeowners at once using either the invitation or gift method. This is the most efficient way to onboard a large database of contacts or past clients.
Best Used For
💡 Pro Tip: If you need assistance with bulk imports, contact our support team. We're happy to help ensure your import goes smoothly.
Self-Service Onboarding Methods
In addition to inviting homeowners directly, you can create landing pages that allow homeowners to onboard themselves:
Homeowner Landing Page (HLP)
What It Is
A branded URL where homeowners can enter their property address to get started. The page includes educational and marketing content about homeowner hubs. After entering their address, homeowners are routed to a Property Landing Page to complete registration. Use this for social media, email signatures, and marketing campaigns.
Best Used For
💡 Pro Tip: Communicating the value of a hub upfront, before sending the invitation, significantly boosts adoption rates. Consider calling or texting contacts before inviting them.
Property Landing Page (PLP)
What It Is
A URL tied to a specific property address. Homeowners can preview a "public hub" for their property and then register to claim it. This method works well for direct mail, email campaigns, open house signage, and QR codes where you already know the property address.
Best Used For
💡 Pro Tip: Property Landing Pages are ideal for marketing because they show the homeowner personalized information about their specific property before they even register.
Choosing the Right Method
Use this guide to select the best onboarding method based on your specific situation:
By Use Case
Closing Gifts
Recommended: Create hub API (gift) or Bulk-import & gift a hub
Provide a hub as a valuable closing gift to new clients at the end of a transaction.
Stay Connected with Past Clients
Recommended: Bulk-import & gift a hub
Re-engage your database of past clients by giving them hubs to maintain the relationship.
Nurture Sphere Contacts
Recommended: Bulk-import & gift a hub (if address known) or Invite to hub
Keep your sphere engaged until they're ready to transact.
Lead Nurturing
Recommended: Invite to hub or Send link to Homeowner Landing Page
Nurture new leads until they're ready to buy, sell, or borrow.
Social Media & Marketing
Recommended: Post link to Homeowner Landing Page
Engage your social media audience and grow your homeowner base with self-service onboarding.
Build New Relationships
Recommended: Send link to Property Landing Page or QR code
Use personalized property pages at open houses, on signage, or in direct mail campaigns.
Opt-In vs. Opt-Out Method
|
METHOD
OPT-OUT Gift a hub directly You create a hub for a specific property and give it to the homeowner, with automated communications starting right away. If the homeowner chooses not to participate, they can opt out at any time. Requirements
HIGHER ACTIVATION Low opt-out rates when they know you |
METHOD
OPT-IN Send an invitation An invitation is sent on your behalf explaining the value proposition of a hub. The homeowner clicks to accept and onboards in a couple of clicks. If ignored, we send several reminders over a couple of weeks. Requirements
HIGHER ENGAGEMENT Those who opt-in engage more over time |
How Homeowners Get Onboarded
Get Started
Follow these steps to begin inviting homeowners to their hubs:
1. Sign in to your account
2. From the left navigation, click Dashboard
3. Scroll to the Homeowners Under Management section
4. Click Invite Homeowners
5. Choose whether you want to invite a Single Homeowner or Multiple Homeowners
Invite a Single Homeowner
1. From the Dashboard, locate the 'HOMEOWNERS UNDER MANAGEMENT' section
2. Click the Invite Homeowners button
3. Complete the slide-out form with the homeowner's information:
▪︎ First and Last Name
▪︎ Email Address
▪︎ Property Address (recommended, not required)
4. Review the settings
5. Click Send Invitation
Invite Multiple Homeowners
📌 Note: Contacts must be uploaded prior to sending out multiple homeowner invitations.
1. From the Dashboard, locate the 'HOMEOWNERS UNDER MANAGEMENT' section
2. In the slide-out panel, change the dropdown in the upper-right to Multiple
3. Check the box, acknowledging our Spam Policy
4. Click Next
5. Check the box next to each contact to receive the invite email
6. Click Send Invitation
Need Help?
If you have questions or run into issues inviting homeowners, Submit a Request to connect with our Support Team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? We've got answers.
How many clients can I onboard?
There's no limit to the number of clients you can onboard. Your plan determines available features, but you can connect with as many homeowners as you'd like.
What information do I need to send an invitation?
At minimum, you need your client's email address. For gifted hubs, you'll also need the property address. Additional information like phone number and name improves the experience.
Can I customize the branding on invitations?
Homeowner hub email invites can include your organization's branding. Logos and brand colors are applied based on your organization's settings. If your organization manages shared branding, those assets will automatically appear in homeowner invite emails.
How do I track which clients have activated their hubs?
Your dashboard shows real-time status for all clients: pending invitations, activated hubs, and engagement metrics. You can filter and sort to identify follow-up opportunities.
What's the difference between an invitation and a gifted hub?
An invitation prompts the homeowner to set up their own hub, while a gifted hub means the professional has already created and configured a hub with the property information pre-populated.
What if a client doesn't respond to an invitation?
You can resend invitations with one click or try a different method. Consider sending a gifted hub instead—clients are more likely to engage when their hub is already set up.
Can multiple professionals be connected to the same homeowner?
Yes, homeowners can have connections with multiple professionals (their agent, lender, insurance provider, etc.). Each professional sees only their relationship with the client.