CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for offices of real estate agents and brokers in Alabama
1,582 offices of real estate agents and brokers operated in Alabama in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 1,582CBP 2023
- Employees
- 4,403mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 30.7U.S. 48.2
- State rank
- 29th of 51by count
The real estate office industry in Alabama
County Business Patterns counts 1,582 establishments in Alabama classified as Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (NAICS 531210) for 2023. They employed 4,403 people in mid-March and reported $277.0 million in annual payroll. That is the 29th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Offices of real estate agents and brokers make up 1.5% of the 105,720 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Alabama has 30.7 offices of real estate agents and brokers, 36.3% below the national rate of 48.2. The average establishment has 2.8 employees against 2.4 nationally. Payroll per employee is $62,908, 20.5% below the U.S. figure of $79,090.
| Measure | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 1,582 | 163,894 |
| Mid-March employees | 4,403 | 395,264 |
| Annual payroll | $276,985,000 | $31,261,611,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 2.8 | 2.4 |
| Payroll per employee | $62,908 | $79,090 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 30.7 | 48.2 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Where offices of real estate agents and brokers in Alabama are concentrated
Census published real estate office counts for 23 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Alabama. The largest is Birmingham, AL, with 441 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 96% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 441 | 1,915 | 37.0 |
| Daphne, AL | 244 | — | 93.3 |
| Huntsville, AL | 239 | 460 | 44.1 |
| Mobile, AL | 132 | 327 | 32.0 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | 127 | 381 | 39.2 |
| Montgomery, AL | 101 | 198 | 26.0 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 71 | — | 25.2 |
| Auburn, AL | 64 | 115 | 31.1 |
| Decatur, AL | 32 | — | 20.0 |
| Dothan, AL | 32 | 56 | 20.7 |
| Florence, AL | 29 | 65 | 18.6 |
| LaGrange, GA-AL | 28 | — | 26.6 |
| Anniston, AL | 24 | 83 | 20.6 |
| Enterprise, AL | 21 | — | 37.3 |
| Albertville, AL | 18 | 28 | 17.6 |
| Cullman, AL | 18 | 22 | 19.4 |
| Gadsden, AL | 13 | — | 12.6 |
| Alexander City, AL | 11 | — | 27.0 |
| Troy, AL | 9 | — | 27.2 |
| Fort Payne, AL | 8 | — | 10.9 |
| Scottsboro, AL | 6 | — | 11.2 |
| Ozark, AL | 6 | — | 12.0 |
| Talladega, AL | 5 | — | 5.5 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at offices of real estate agents and brokers in Alabama
91.0% of Alabama's offices of real estate agents and brokers with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 92.2% nationally. 96.9% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 1,438 | 91.0% | 92.2% |
| 5–9 employees | 94 | 5.9% | 4.9% |
| 10–19 employees | 32 | 2.0% | 1.7% |
| 20–49 employees | 10 | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| 50 or more employees | 7 | 0.4% | 0.4% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
What offices of real estate agents and brokers in Alabama use the phone for
Real estate agents work on their cell phones from showings and open houses, and a missed call from a buyer can go to another agent. A business number that rings their cell, and that stays with the brokerage, keeps leads in one place.
Typical inbound and outbound calls for offices of real estate agents and brokers in Alabama:
- A seller calls to ask about a market valuation.
- A lender calls about a buyer's financing.
- The agent calls a buyer back after an open house.
Calls after closing time
Buyers and sellers call evenings and weekends, so a quick callback or text reply often decides who gets the business.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for offices of real estate agents and brokers in Alabama
Offices of real estate agents and brokers in Alabama average 2.8 employees, so the comparison uses a 3-person team. Priced per seat, 3 users would run $90.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $74.85 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). Callata is $99.00 a month with 5 users included, which is more than either per-seat plan for 3 people; it becomes the lower price at 4 users or more.
At this team size the per-seat plans cost less than Callata's $99 base price, which already covers 5 users; Callata becomes the lower price from 4 users.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $99.00 | $1,188.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $57.00 | $684.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $69.00 | $828.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $74.85 | $898.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $81.00 | $972.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $90.00 | $1,080.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Alabama
Alabama has 7 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your buyers and sellers know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 256 | 786 | Central | 1998 | 938 |
| 205 | 785 | Central | 1947 | 659 |
| 334 | 784 | Central | 1995 | 483 |
| 251 | 528 | Central | 2001 | none |
| 938 | 193 | Central | 2010 | 256 |
| 659 | 177 | Central | 2019 | 205 |
| 483 | 11 | Central | 2026 | 334 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for offices of real estate agents and brokers in Alabama
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
If you already have a number in Alabama, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Marketing calls and texts to prospects require consent, and numbers on do-not-call lists must be respected.
Frequently asked questions
How many offices of real estate agents and brokers are in Alabama?
1,582 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 4,403 people in mid-March.
Which Alabama metro area has the most offices of real estate agents and brokers?
Birmingham, AL, with 441 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 3-person real estate office?
$90.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $74.85 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $99.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Alabama number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.