Mark, there is a referral network connected with licensees who earn the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation.  I have received most of my inbound referrals from other CRS agents.  And I tend to refer friends or contacts to a fellow CRS agent if are looking for a home in another state.

Active Rain has started its own referral network.  REBAC (the Real Estate Buyer Agency Council) has its own referral network too.  I think there are many places you can go within the industry that can help you avoid working with non-licensee companies.

I hear that....well...there is supposedly a referral network set up on this site...but based on the blogs I am reading, it does not seem to be working too well....since there are so many complaints about it, AR might clean it up....

I've begun looking at activerain for referrals- but I'm not a fan of blind referrals. I like to look at the city in activerain and look through the blog posts of agents that I think may match my client's interests. Then I contact that blogger.

I am part of a team in Virginia and we make a point to network with agents at every event we go to so we can have contacts across the country. I do not like blind referrals either but there is a wealth of information online now and you can really do alot of research on your own about who to refer to. If you have anyone moving to Northern Virginia, I would greatly appreciate the referral!