Chris Webb provided exceptional guidance.

You must be aware the greatest cost of a CRM is not the monthly fee but your investment in setup, configuration, testing, training and implementation. When you invest the 80 hours needed, you are already in to deep to spend those resources again. Now you are stuck with a program whose trial period has expired.

So, before you enroll in that FREE TRIAL, make sure you have a designed test plan that verifies the features you need actually work. One NC based CRM is simply too dangerous for a professional to use.

But to do that, you need to have an idea regarding where you business is going? To get there what tools, resources will you need? Is your business based on 1980 technology with drip campaigns and post cards or do you need a business model that places you where those, NOT in the sunset years of their real estate career, need to be.

You have REAL decisions to make. As a result of your effort, you will want to consider either:

WiseAgent.com

SurgarCRM.com

Remember the REAL cost is not in the program, but the investment of your human resources.

I have never known an industry that uses more acronyms that ours. What is a CRM?

Top Producer is excellent however their is a lot to learn.  Many of our agents use Insightly.  The very best one is the one you will use.

There are many.  Try looking at your friends and see which one you like.

Check out IXACT Contact.  The 5 week free trial and outstanding customer support team gives you the time you need to assess whether it's right for you.  In general, agents praise it for being easy to use, well organized and they love the monthly e-Newsletter that comes with the system.

By far the best CRM I have come across JJ Canull  is from Buffini and Company - ReferralMaker! It's your one stop shop for everything you need for your real estate business.

And of course, there are TopProducer, MarketLeader, RealltyJuggler and many others!

Really depends on your budget and what you would like to have with it. For example, if you are marketing yourself and properties through a separate source a CRM can be a simple excel spreadsheet. If you need to add marketing to your business look for one with marketing options.  

I would also ask - does it work with my website? If you have a WordPress site is there a widget and is it an additional cost? 

What types of flexibility does it offer, can I input a lead through my phone?

Does it allow for video or image uploads on the spot? 

Great question - remember CRM is about you managing your relationships, not automated marketing or any other technical sales jargon. You managed to get this far because you are probably able to manage your existing database without one.