A 1031 exchange real estate referral should carry the client’s consent, verified receiving license and brokerage, objective property criteria, known exchange status and dates, named qualified intermediary and tax-team contacts when the client authorizes sharing, professional boundaries, explicit acceptance, and the first next action. The IRS’s new 2026 Form 8824 instructions reinforce why the handoff needs exact property and date records. The referring or receiving agent can coordinate real estate; neither should promise exchange qualification, full deferral, tax treatment, or a deadline extension.
Get consent and share only what is needed
Explain the receiving professional, purpose, information to be shared, and client choice. Transfer objective property needs, timing, communication preferences, and authorized team contacts through the approved route. Do not place tax returns, identification numbers, bank data, protected-class information, or speculative personal notes in a routine referral message.
Verify the receiving license and brokerage
Use the Nevada Real Estate Division License Lookup, then confirm current brokerage, geographic and property scope, investor experience, availability, conflicts, supervision, and communication plan. A lookup proves a credential status at a moment; it does not prove exchange expertise, fit, acceptance, representation, closing, or a referral fee.
Preserve the exchange facts without practicing tax law
Record the client’s stated taxpayer or entity, relinquished property, transfer or projected closing date, identification status, replacement criteria, financing, cash range, current QI, CPA, and attorney, and known deadlines. Label unverified statements. Route tax, legal, identification, related-party, basis, liability, and reporting questions to the appropriate professionals.
Make property work visible to the whole team
The receiving agent should own search, local evidence, showings, offers, inspections, title coordination, property questions, and real-estate communication within licensed scope. The QI owns exchange administration under its agreement; the CPA owns tax reporting; the attorney owns legal advice. Name the owner of each next action and date.
Close the referral loop with observable evidence
Record broker-to-broker agreement status, receiving professional acceptance, client introduction receipt, first meeting, property-search launch, QI coordination, next check-in, and referral-fee conditions. Keep referred, accepted, represented, identified, under contract, acquired, exchange completed, Form 8824 filed, and fee paid as separate statuses.
FAQ
What exchange details can an agent include in a referral?
With client consent, include objective property criteria, timing, client-stated exchange status, relevant authorized contacts, financing stage, deadlines, communication preferences, and the first requested action. Send sensitive documents only through approved secure channels when necessary.
Should the receiving agent choose the qualified intermediary?
The client should evaluate and select the QI and advisers with appropriate diligence. An agent may provide neutral resources or coordinate an introduction within brokerage policy, but should not guarantee independence, qualification, tax treatment, or performance.
Does an accepted referral mean the 1031 exchange is protected?
No. Referral acceptance is separate from representation, QI engagement, valid identification, property acquisition, tax treatment, filing, closing, and payment. Track each status and owner separately.
Primary sources and limits
- IRS, 2026 Instructions for Form 8824
- IRS, Publication 544, Sales and Other Dispositions of Assets
- Nevada Real Estate Division, License Lookup
- HUD, Fair Housing Act overview
General education only. A listing, rental estimate, lease, license lookup, referral, Form 8824, exchange agreement, identification notice, closing statement, calendar, or property record does not establish tax treatment, residency, landlord compliance, property value, condition, suitability, financing, exchange qualification, valid identification, full deferral, professional acceptance, representation, closing, filing, referral fee, or future result. Verify the taxpayer and entity, property ownership and use, basis and depreciation, income and expenses, residency facts, landlord duties, title, lease, disclosures, insurance, HOA, lender requirements, exchange agreement, transfer and identification dates, replacement property, financing, values, liabilities, cash, closing statements, qualified intermediary, CPA, attorney, receiving professional, brokerage, license status, client consent, referral agreement, responsible people, and completion evidence with the appropriate real-estate, property-management, lending, title, escrow, insurance, qualified-intermediary, tax, legal, regulatory, and other qualified professionals. No individualized legal, tax, residency, lending, insurance, securities, appraisal, fair-housing, property-management, or investment advice is provided.
Related: organizing a cross-state handoff, reviewing the referral process, contact You Decide Referral.