Absolutely, I think the most important aspect to consider within the topic is that the quality of the links heavily transcend the importance of the quantity.
Google has a tendency to release some updates which seem more like “scare factors” to ward off any creators or businesses out there who think they can get away with some of the more spammy content they think won’t be noticed.
At the end of the day, external linking, especially for local real estate SEO, can be very beneficial. Getting links from trusted local businesses with high-quality sites can both increase your exposure to potential customers in your area, and build credibility and authority in Google’s eyes that you’re both a reliable and trusted source.
A few high-quality links will always trump many low-quality ones, especially as Google looks to crack down on these links more than ever before.