Realay, the Michigan-based referral platform, will attend the Real Estate Distilled conference in Louisville, Kentucky from March 16-18, marking its first major conference appearance since launching a voice AI-powered mobile app in late 2025. The conference, drawing approximately 250 independent brokers annually, is one of the few national events tailored for boutique brokerages operating outside franchise systems.
Realay will operate a booth throughout the three-day event and present a breakout session on March 17 focused on helping independent brokers match the referral capabilities of national franchise operations. John LeRoy, Realay’s founder, said the conference selection reflects the platform’s strategic focus on independent brokerages that lack built-in referral networks. When clients relocate outside their market, franchise agents can call sister offices, while independent brokers often rely on Facebook groups or lose business entirely.
Realay’s platform provides a “plug and play relocation tool” that gives independent brokerages nationwide network access, automated tracking, and mobile functionality previously available only through franchise systems. The company will demonstrate both agent-to-agent referral capabilities and a recently launched contractor referral management system. The contractor feature allows brokers to organize preferred service providers—painters, plumbers, electricians—and refer them to clients via voice-activated commands in the mobile app.
The mobile app’s voice AI functionality, powered by OpenAI integration, lets agents submit referrals, update transaction status, and coordinate contractor services entirely through spoken commands. LeRoy noted that hands-free capability addresses the practical reality of agents spending significant time in vehicles between showings and closings, eliminating the need to pull over and type information.
The March conference appearance comes as Realay shifts marketing strategy following initial paid advertising tests on Meta platforms. The company paused Facebook ad spending to focus on targeted outreach, including geographic-specific campaigns and direct engagement at industry events. Realay operates on a pay-at-closing model with no upfront fees or monthly subscriptions, taking 5% of referral commissions while originating agents receive their standard 25% referral fee. This structure removes financial barriers for small brokerages testing new technology.
Franchise fees typically range from 6-8% of gross commission income, with access to nationwide referral networks being a primary justification. If independent brokers achieve similar network access through technology platforms at lower cost, it fundamentally changes the value proposition of franchise membership.
Following the Louisville event, Realay plans to evaluate attendee feedback and gauge interest levels to determine whether the conference format effectively reaches decision-makers at independent brokerages. The conference represents a test case for whether in-person demonstrations of voice AI and contractor network capabilities resonate more effectively than digital advertising campaigns.
For independent brokers attending, the Realay booth offers an opportunity to experience how voice commands translate into automated referral workflows, explore the contractor management system, and understand the platform’s vetting process ensuring quality connections across all 50 states. The March 17 breakout session will address specific challenges facing independent brokerages, including the “black hole” problem where referred clients disappear without updates and the time drain of managing referrals through spreadsheets.
