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Statewide Realty (Liberty Board) offers the lowest annual fee in the NJ referral brokerage space at just $75 per year, making it an attractive option if you are focused purely on minimizing upfront costs. However, Statewide takes a 30% cut of every referral commission you earn, meaning you keep only 70%. While the savings on the annual fee are real, they are small compared to the amount you lose on each referral through the commission split. For most agents, the math favors a flat-fee model like General Referral, where one referral is enough to more than offset the slightly higher annual fee.

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Quick Comparison

FeatureGeneral ReferralStatewide Referral
Commission Split100% (less $295 flat fee per referral)70% (30% to brokerage)
Annual Fee$99-$119$75
NJ OfficeYes (Midland Park & Holmdel)Yes (Secaucus)
Online SignupYesNo
Referral RestrictionsNoneNone stated
Online Referral PortalYesNo

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Commission Deep Dive

With General Referral, you pay a flat $295 transaction fee per closed referral and keep everything else. Here is how that works on a typical referral:
  • Home sale price: $500,000
  • Commission rate: 3% ($15,000)
  • Referral fee (25%): $3,750
  • Less flat fee: $3,750 - $295 = $3,455 to you
  • Effective split: 92.1%
You keep $3,455 out of the $3,750 referral commission regardless of how large or small the transaction is. The flat fee never changes.
Even though Statewide saves you $24-$44 on the annual fee, the 30% commission split costs you $830 on a single $500K referral. One closed referral erases the annual fee savings many times over.

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Technology & Tools

General Referral provides a modern, online-first experience for referral agents:
  • Online referral portal for submitting and tracking referrals
  • Digital referral submission so you can send referrals from anywhere
  • Electronic agreements powered by SignWell for fast, paperless signing
  • Commission tracking so you always know the status of your earnings

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Office Locations & Accessibility

DetailGeneral ReferralStatewide Referral
Primary OfficeMidland Park, NJSecaucus, NJ
Additional OfficeHolmdel, NJ—
Online SignupYesNo
Online Referral SubmissionYesNo

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Resources & Support

  • Dedicated support for referral agents
  • Online portal for self-service referral management
  • Electronic document signing for faster processing
  • Commission tracking dashboard

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Who Should Choose Statewide Referral?

Statewide Referral can be the right fit if you meet all of the following criteria:

Lowest Possible Annual Fee

You want to pay the absolute minimum to maintain your license and the $75 annual fee is your top priority.

Located Near Secaucus

You are based in or near Secaucus, NJ, and prefer to work with a brokerage close to you.

Very Few or No Referrals

You expect to make very few or zero referrals per year, so the commission split has little practical impact on your income.

No Need for Online Tools

You do not need a digital referral portal or electronic agreements and are comfortable with traditional processes.
If you expect to close even one referral per year, the savings from a flat-fee model will almost certainly outweigh the $24-$44 you save on the annual fee with Statewide.

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Who Should Choose General Referral?

General Referral is the stronger choice for agents who want to maximize their referral income:

Plan to Make Referrals

If you expect to close even one referral per year, the flat $295 fee keeps far more money in your pocket than a 70% split.

Want Online Tools

You prefer submitting referrals online, signing agreements electronically, and tracking commissions through a portal.

Prefer a Flat-Fee Model

You want predictability. A flat $295 per referral means you know exactly what you will pay regardless of the transaction size.

Value Flexibility

No referral restrictions and two NJ office locations give you more options for how and where you work.

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Income Comparison

See how your net income compares across different referral volumes, assuming a $500,000 home sale price, 3% commission ($15,000), and a 25% referral fee ($3,750 per referral).
General ReferralStatewide Referral
Gross Referral Income$3,750$3,750
Brokerage Fees$295 flat fee$1,125 (30% split)
Net Referral Income$3,455$2,625
Annual Fee$119$75
Total Net Income$3,336$2,550
Difference+$786 with General Referral
The gap between the two models widens with every additional referral. At five referrals per year, you keep over $4,100 more with General Referral than with Statewide Referral.

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How to Switch to General Referral

Transferring your license is straightforward and typically takes less than one week.
1

Sign up with General Referral

Complete the online application in about 5 minutes. Select your plan and submit payment.
2

Your current broker releases your license

Notify your current brokerage that you’re transferring. They release your license to the state — typically 1-2 business days.
3

General Referral activates your license

We sponsor your license with the state. Activation typically takes less than one week.

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Ready to Maximize Your Referral Income?

Join General Referral

Complete your application in about 5 minutes and start keeping more of every referral fee

Calculate Your Earnings

See exactly how much you’d earn with our 100% commission model
Have questions? Contact us or email support@generalreferral.com.