As a real estate agent, you probably have a lot of expenses associated with running your business.
From marketing your business to travel to showings and meetings with potential clients, it would be great to have a tool to manage your cash flow while also earning some extra rewards.
We’ve rounded up a list of the 8 best business credit cards to help real estate agents do just that.
No matter what your spending priorities or business style are, you’ll find a card on this list that meets your needs.
8 Best Credit Cards For Real Estate Agents In 2024
1. Best For Everyday Business Spending: American Express Blue Business Plus Card
Introductory APR
Annual Fees
Regular APR
Credit Required
The American Express Blue Business Plus card is ideal for everyday business spending across all spending categories.
You’ll get 2X points on everyday eligible business purchases, up to $50,000. After $50,000, you’ll get 1X points on eligible business purchases.
This card also offers a 0% introductory APR on all purchases for the first year, so you can make large investments in your business without paying interest.
Finally, this popular business card doesn’t require an annual fee.
2. Best No-Fee Business Card: Chase Ink Business Cash Card
Introductory APR
Annual Fees
Regular APR
Credit Required
The Chase Ink Business Cash card is an excellent option for someone who wants high rewards for their business spending.
First, you’ll get $750 cash back when you spend $6,000 in the first three months after opening the account.
You’ll also get the following spending rewards:-
- 5% cash back on office supplies and communications (up to $25,000 per year).
- 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $25,000 per year).
- 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The Chase Ink Business Cash has no annual fee. You’ll also get an introductory APR of 0% APR for the first year.
3. Best For Bank Of America Customers: Bank Of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards
Introductory APR
Annual Fees
Regular APR
Credit Required
If you’re a Bank of America business checking account customer, the Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards could be a good option for you.
This card offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases with no annual caps.
And while that’s a decent rewards rate, Bank of America business checking customers will get 75% more cash back, meaning a rewards rate of up to 2.62% on all purchases.
This card also offers a $300 signup bonus when you spend at least $3,000 in the first 90 days.
Finally, the card has no annual fee and has a 0% introductory APR for nine billing cycles before the regular APR kicks in.
4. Best For Local Business Travel: U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card
Introductory APR
0% APR for 15 Months
Annual Fees
$0
Regular APR
19.24% – 28.24%
Credit Required
Good or Excellent
If you do a lot of driving for your real estate business, which many agents do, the U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards card might be right for you.
The card offers an elevated 3% cash back on purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone providers, and restaurants.
You’ll also get 1% cash back on all of your other spending.
This U.S. Bank card has a longer introductory APR period than most cards — you’ll pay 0% APR for the first 15 months.
You’ll also get a $100 annual statement credit for recurring software subscription expenses.
Finally, you’ll get all of this with no annual fee.
5. Best For Marketing Your Business: Chase Ink Business Preferred Card
Introductory APR
Annual Fees
Regular APR
Credit Required
The Chase Ink Business Preferred Card can help you save money on your business’s marketing costs.
You’ll get 3X points (up to a maximum of $150,000) for the following categories:-
- Shipping
- Advertising
- Internet, cable, and phone
- Travel
You’ll also get 1X points on all other purchases and 5X points on Lyft rides.
And because it’s a premium Chase card, you’ll also get 25% more value for your points when you redeem them for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
As a final bonus, this card offers 100,000 bonus points when you spend $8,000 in the first three months after opening the card.
That amounts to either $1,000 in cash back or $1,250 towards travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
6. Best Premium Business Card: American Express Business Gold Card
Introductory APR
Annual Fees
Regular APR
Credit Required
The American Express Business Gold Card has the price tag of a premium business credit card, but it also has the rewards of one.
When you sign up for this card, you’ll get 70,000 Membership Rewards Points when you spend $10,000 in the first three months.
That’s a value of up to $1,400, depending on how you use your points.
When you spend with your American Express Business Gold, you’ll get 4X points in your top two business spending categories each billing cycle.
Unlike other cards, you aren’t locked into certain categories for the best rewards, but they can adapt to your needs.
You’ll also get 1X points on all other spending.
7. Best Low-Fee Business Travel Card: Capital One Spark 2X Miles For Business Card
Introductory APR
Annual Fees
Regular APR
Credit Required
If you’re a real estate agent who wants a travel credit card, consider the Capital One 2X Miles for Business card.
When you sign up, you’ll get 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,500 in the first three months.
When you spend on your Capital One Spark 2X Miles card, you’ll get 5X points on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One travel portal.
You’ll also get 2X unlimited points on all other business expenses, which makes this one of the top-earning rewards cards.
Other benefits of this card include a $100 travel credit to use for either Global Entry or TSA Precheck, as well as no annual fee for the first year.
8. Best Premium Travel Business Card: American Express Business Platinum Card
Introductory APR
Annual Fees
Regular APR
Credit Required
The American Express Business Platinum Card has the highest fee of any on our list but also some of the best rewards.
First, you’ll get 120,000 Membership Rewards Points when you spend $15,000 in the first three months.
That could equal up to $2,400, depending on how you use your points.
Next, this card offers 5X points on travel booked through the American Express travel portal, 1.5X points on purchases in key business categories (up to $5,000 per year), and 1X points on all other purchases.
Finally, you’ll get other business perks and statement credits of more than $1,000, including:-
- $200 semi-annual Dell statement credit
- $90 quarterly Indeed statement credit
- $150 annual Adobe statement credit
- $10 monthly cell phone statement credit
- $200 annual airline fee credit
- $189 CLEAR Plus credit
- 35% airline bonus, up to 1 million points per year
How To Choose The Best Credit Card For Real Estate Agents?
There’s no shortage of credit cards on the market that could offer valuable benefits to real estate agents.
Here are a few things to consider when choosing the best card for you:-
(1) Business v/s Personal Card
First, real estate agents will have to decide whether to use a personal or a business credit card for their expenses.
As you can see, we’ve included only business credit cards on our list, and we’ve done this for several reasons.
First, using a business credit card makes it easy to separate your business and personal spending.
And when it comes to filing your taxes, having these separate is critical.
Additionally, business credit cards offer some key benefits.
First, they often have higher credit limits than personal credit cards because they take into account your business revenue.
Business credit cards may also have higher spending rewards for the type of purchases you often make for your business.
(2) Interest Rate And Fees
The next thing to consider when choosing a credit card for your real estate business is the interest rates and fees.
First, several credit cards on our list offer 0% APR for anywhere from nine to 15 months.
While not everyone needs this perk, it can be valuable if you’re just getting your business up and running.
You can make big investments in your business without having to pay interest.
Next, you should consider the regular interest rate on your card. Ideally, you’d be able to pay your card off each month and never pay interest.
But if that’s not feasible, you want as low of an interest rate as possible.
Finally, pay attention to each card’s annual fee. There are some free cards on our list, as well as some with annual fees.
It’s not necessarily that one option is better than the other.
However, a card with an annual fee is only worth it if you’ll get enough rewards to compensate for the fee.
(3) Rewards
When choosing a credit card for your real estate business, be sure to choose one that offers points or cash-back rewards that truly benefit you.
First, many cards offer a sign-up bonus when you spend a certain amount within the first few months after opening the card.
While some of these bonuses are quite large, most are relatively small.
Additionally, these are a one-time reward, not an ongoing one.
It’s even more important to look at the ongoing rewards you’ll get from a card.
Some cards offer a flat cash-back rate on all spending, while others offer elevated rewards in specific spending categories.
If you do a lot of spending in a few specific areas, you might be better off choosing a card that has elevated rewards in certain categories.
Some cards offer higher rewards for travel, office supplies, advertising, or other expenses.
And one card on our list — the American Express Business Gold — lets you get elevated rewards in the categories where you spend the most.
On the other hand, if you spend in lots of different categories, you might choose a card that has a higher flat rewards rate for all business spending.
Conclusion
In conclusion, selecting the right credit card is crucial for real estate agents to optimize their financial management in 2024.
The top eight credit cards highlighted in this blog offer diverse benefits tailored to the unique needs of real estate professionals, from robust rewards programs to tailored perks like cashback on office supplies and travel expenses.
By leveraging these credit cards effectively, real estate agents can streamline their expenses, maximize rewards, and ultimately enhance their bottom line.
Whether it’s earning points on business purchases or enjoying exclusive travel benefits, these credit cards provide invaluable tools to support the success and financial stability of real estate agents in the dynamic landscape of 2024.
FAQs
It’s wise for real estate agents to have a business credit card that’s separate from their personal credit card. First, it keeps all of their business spending in one place so they can easily deduct those expenses when filing their taxes. Additionally, it gives agents access to rewards and benefits specific to business credit cards.
When looking for the best credit card as a real estate agent, you should look for cards with the best rewards to fit your spending needs. Also, look at interest rates and annual fees, as these will increase your business costs.
It is possible to use a credit card to buy real estate with a credit card if you have a very high credit limit. However, it’s unlikely it will be the best option.
