Realay, a Michigan-based referral platform, will attend Real Estate Distilled in Louisville, Kentucky, from March 16-18, marking its first major conference appearance since launching its voice AI-powered mobile app in late 2025. The conference draws approximately 250 independent brokers annually and is one of the few national events focused exclusively on boutique brokerages competing outside franchise systems.
Realay will operate a booth throughout the three-day event and present a breakout session on March 17, focusing on helping independent brokers match the referral capabilities of national franchise operations. The company’s platform provides what founder John LeRoy describes as 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 conference selection reflects Realay’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 traditionally hunt for connections through Facebook groups or lose the business entirely. Realay’s platform addresses this gap by offering a pay-at-closing model with no upfront fees, taking 5% of referral commissions.
During the conference, Realay will demonstrate agent-to-agent referral capabilities and its recently launched contractor referral management system, which allows brokers to organize and refer preferred service providers through voice-activated commands. The mobile app’s voice AI functionality, powered by OpenAI integration, enables agents to submit referrals, update transaction status, and coordinate contractor services entirely through spoken commands, addressing the practical reality that agents spend significant time in vehicles.
The March conference appearance comes as Realay shifts marketing strategy following initial paid advertising tests on Meta platforms. The company recently paused Facebook ad spending to focus on more targeted outreach, including geographic-specific campaigns and direct engagement at industry events. Real Estate Distilled’s focus on independent brokers aligns with Realay’s core market, and the hands-on engagement format allows attendees to experience the platform’s ease of use directly.
Following the Louisville event, Realay plans to evaluate attendee feedback and determine whether the conference format effectively reaches decision-makers at independent brokerages. The company will assess whether to expand its conference presence at similar events. The March 17 breakout session will provide deeper insight into how the platform addresses challenges such as the “black hole” problem where referred clients disappear without updates and the time drain of managing referrals through spreadsheets.
For more information about Realay, visit realay.com. Real Estate Distilled is an annual conference focused on independent real estate brokerages; more details can be found at realestatedistilled.com.
