A pipeline in GoHighLevel gives each buyer one card that moves through stages from first inquiry to closing, so a team can see every buyer and where each one stands. The bottom line: a pipeline works when each stage has a plain definition, a Pipeline Stage Changed workflow starts the right next step, and a rule flags any card that has not moved, because stalled deals are where buyers are lost.
The stages
| Stage | Definition | What starts |
|---|---|---|
| New inquiry | A lead has arrived and nobody has spoken to them | Speed to lead workflow |
| Contacted | A conversation happened | Criteria form and listing alerts |
| Agreement signed | A written buyer agreement is signed | Client onboarding, as in our lead to client guide |
| Touring | At least one showing is booked or done | Showing reminders and feedback |
| Offer made | An offer has been submitted | Daily check in task |
| Under contract | An offer is accepted | Deadline reminders |
| Closed | The sale has closed | Thank you, review request, anniversary schedule |
| Paused | The buyer is not searching now | Quarterly check in |
| Lost | The buyer chose another agent or stopped | Reason recorded, and removal from sequences |
The Agreement signed stage reflects NAR's settlement practice changes, which since August 17, 2024 require MLS participants working with buyers to enter into a written agreement before touring a home. Putting it in the pipeline makes it visible when a buyer is touring without one.
What to put on each card
- Assigned agent and the source of the lead.
- The buyer's stated price range, areas, and move date, from the fields in our data guide.
- Next step and due date.
- Opportunity value: an estimated gross commission, if the team tracks it. Commissions are negotiable, so use the amount in the signed agreement, not an assumption.
- Key dates for contracts: inspection, appraisal, financing, closing.
Make stalled cards visible
NAR's 2025 Profile reports a median buyer search time of 10 weeks. A card that has sat in one pre contract stage for much longer than the team's usual pace deserves a look. A workflow can wait 14 days in a stage and then create a task for the agent and an alert for the team lead.
What GoHighLevel documents
GoHighLevel's help pages describe pipelines with stages, opportunity triggers, and a Pipeline Stage Changed trigger that can be filtered by opportunity fields, as well as actions that create tasks and notifications. Confirm the names in your account.
Build it in GoHighLevel
- Create a Buyers pipeline with the stages in the table.
- Create a card automatically for each new lead, with the source and the assigned agent.
- Build a workflow with the Pipeline Stage Changed trigger for each stage that sends the right message and creates the next task.
- Move a card to Agreement signed when the Documents and Contracts trigger fires, and to Touring when a showing is booked.
- Add a Wait and an alert for any card that stays in a stage for 14 days.
- Hand each Under contract card to the transaction coordinator, with the key dates as fields.
- Review the pipeline in the weekly team meeting, stage by stage.
Worked example
For example, a team with 120 active buyer cards might find 30 in Contacted for more than 14 days (25 percent). Seeing them as a group lets the team lead assign calls for those 30 in one meeting, instead of finding them one by one.
Mistakes to avoid
- Vague stage definitions. Write a one line definition for each.
- Moving cards by hand only. Automate the moves you can.
- No stall alert. Add one.
- Assuming a commission amount. Use the signed agreement.
How this was handled before
Teams tracked buyers on a whiteboard or a spreadsheet and reviewed them in a weekly meeting. A pipeline board shows the same view live, and a stall alert replaces the question of who has gone quiet.
What to measure after launch
Track cards by stage, days in stage, stalled cards, and closings. Review stalled cards in the weekly meeting.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Confirm your state's buyer agreement rules and keep Fair Housing consistency in how every buyer is staged and served. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
What stages should a buyer pipeline have?
New inquiry, Contacted, Agreement signed, Touring, Offer made, Under contract, Closed, Paused, and Lost, with a plain definition for each.
Why include an Agreement signed stage?
Since August 17, 2024, NAR's practice changes require MLS participants working with buyers to have a written agreement before touring a home.
How do I spot stalled buyers?
Use a Wait and an alert on cards that stay in a stage past the team's normal pace, such as 14 days.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.