when I was actively listing property, I would spend $100/ seller with a gift certificate.... I negotiated a deal with a local furniture store... for the $100, the store owner would write a gift certificate for $250...  everyone loved it....and it brought new customers into the furniture store, so the store owner loved it, too.... 

I don't understand the problem of being "compliant"?  I like to take them to dinner. 

A hand written note is always appreciated. During the holiday season, a box of cookies, a cake or a pie are nice gifts to deliver. 

I always write a thank you note, whether of not the referral becomes a reality

The limitation is for the IRS ($25) so I select something meaningful and if it goes over, so be it.

Handwritten notes.

Seana, 

I am with Michael Jacobs on this one.  Do you give a gift to your attorney, dentist, etc?  A

The appreciation of a genuine thank you message can never be underestimated.  

I like to give gift certificates to a local restaurant.

gift card, wine, something personal to the referrer 

A Thank you note is always nice.

I love restaurant.com because it's a simple way to reward my customers and business partners with a "thank you" when they refer other customers to me. It's very cost efficient...you can buy a $25 gift card for $10 or a $50 card for $20. And, you can do it all from your computer...no need to print envelopes or use stamps. It's also great because they have participating restaurants in each town, so I don't need to guess what type of food they like or find different places in different towns. Sign up below.

$25 Restaurant Certificates for $10

(affiliate link)

What are you limited by?  Stay Compliant with what? 

A thank you is a thank you and a gift is a gift. The sky is the limit. 

Depends on the person, depends on a lot of things. I'm known for dropping in with a bottle of top-shelf tequila or an assortment of wines. Or a gift card, or just hand-written note. Use your creativity to come up with things. Make it about your personality and how you enjoy giving.

I decide on a gift that is customized to the person. I dig a little deeper to learn enough to be able to say "Thank You" in a very personalized way and absolutely give a hand written note or card.  

Seana Johnson Michael Jacobs has this one a genuine thank you!!

The handwritten note is still a great compliment! 

"so limited." "stay compliant."

You are thinking to small.

Sum up all of your advertising expenses so you have a number, Perhaps $15,000 annually. Divide that by the number of closed transaction. National average 11.  That is $1,363 dollars spent per closed transaction. That is what is being spent now.

What else can you do with $1,363 that will make available to you the low hanging fruit, more referrals?

My suggestion would be to create a Utah experience that creates such an indelible impression you can not be forgotten.

I give gifts that are appropriate per transaction, and never the same or same amount.

Others have given good ideas.

Sometime I will make them a dinner at my house if not a gift card.

Compliant with what? Perhaps I don't understand or am missing something

I.R.S. , Ugh!

FOOD

You are not limited by what you can give as a thank you gift. Why even refer to this as a referral gift? You are limited by how much you can write off as a tax deduction. Two different things. I like to say thank you in a personal way... addressing someone's personal interests. And you should always send a personal note to say thank you.

Debbie Gartner nailed this one!

Often it is a reciprocal referral that I offer as a thanks. That is very much  appreciated!

 To a non-licensee, Florida law will not allow me to pay them any money.  But I can take them to lunch or dinner.

  For licensees, I can pay whatever referral fee we agree upon.

You've had some wonderful ideas give by others.

I send flowers or food and a hand-written card!  You should ABSOLUTELY thank them for the referral - especially if you want more!

 Hey simple hand written note with say a Starbucks card in it does wonders for referral.  You have to remember that only a small percentage of referrals actually result in a sale of a property  so this is goodwill money ....

I thik that the only limitation is the most you can use to deduct on your taxes.

Seana Johnson - I send them some gift as soon as I receive a referral. No point waiting for the sale to be completed.

Gift certificates are probably best.

Thank them personally.  Give their friend great service.  Maybe take them to a nice dinner.  Thank them a couple times a year while asking if they know of anyone else.

Probably the best way to say thank you to a referring agent is to pay them promptly (out of escrow) and a nice card.

In Texas we can give a referral a gift of up to $50, it cannot be cash or any item that can be converted to cash.  I give a gift card to their favorite restaurant.