If you've ever had to deal with anything real estate-related, you know how dynamic this industry is. For instance, currently in the US, the demand for property is growing exponentially, the prices are up 15.8% on average year-over-year, and the market is said to be overheating already.
Fast communication and the ability to react immediately in real estate are what make it possible to get closer to your dream. For this, many realtors and their clients choose SMS over other channels because of several reasons:
- Its high open rates 98%
- Response rates of 90 seconds on average
- No internet connection is required to communicate using SMS
Whether you’re selling, renting, managing, or looking to buy property, let’s go through some examples of how to get the best of SMS marketing for real estate.
How does real estate text message marketing work
SMS marketing is reliving its renaissance, meaning that more and more businesses in various industries are rediscovering the benefits it brings. Real estate is not an exception.
Any realtor knows that in real estate, communication is of the utmost importance. When so much money is at stake, people don’t just trust anyone blindly. A realtor should focus on building real connections that can help them achieve big results in the future. Sincere interest to help, prompt offers, and problem-solving skills all come down to stronger bonds between a realtor and their clients.
For this, SMS seems to be just the right channel. It’s very personal, direct, straight to the point, and comes with many possible use cases for different purposes.
What’s also great about using SMS marketing for real estate is that texting each customer individually is not necessary to achieve the goal. It can also be done by sending automated text messages or text blasts for real estate investors and regular customers who are looking for their future homes or want to sell/rent their property at the best possible rates.
Main benefits of real estate text message marketing
If you’re still thinking of sending real estate text messages, let’s explore other valuable benefits they can bring:
1. Seal the deal faster
Texting is a widely popular digital activity, which makes it easier to reach customers in real-time. Thanks to the already mentioned high open and response rates, you can expect an immediate reaction from your interested clients.
2. Personalized approach
SMS is a channel mostly used to get in touch with friends and family, and that is what makes it intimate. Besides, various SMS marketing software allows you to add a personal touch to each of the messages you send, even if you send hundreds of them at once.
3. Automation possibility
Many messages that you send manually can be automated, and that comes with many benefits. Besides better engagement with clients, you’ll also be able to save some valuable time.
4. SMS cuts through the noise
Compared to email marketing, there are still many businesses that haven’t taken advantage of SMS messages. It means that your texts won’t get lost in a pile of other marketing material, which increases the chances of them being read.
7 ideas on how to use SMS marketing for real estate
Below you will find 7 ways to use SMS for real estate marketing that can lead to many win-win situations.
1. Take advantage of real estate text riders
You might not be familiar with the name, but you’ve definitely seen real estate text riders, at least in movies. Text riders are signs strategically placed in a yard of the property that is for sale to attract attention and inform those who are looking for houses.
By placing a keyword and your short code on a yard sign, you’re allowing potential homeowners to effortlessly sign up for your marketing messages, get information regarding that property, and receive other relevant updates.
2. Share new property listings
This is probably one of the most popular use cases of text messaging in real estate. Everyone who’s actively looking for a new place to live knows how fast it can become unavailable. In addition, you’re simply not able to be on top of property listings 24/7.
Here’s where bulk SMS for real estate comes into play. You can engage with many people with a single click and let thousands of potential buyers know about new property listings. A few ideas:
- Take advantage of MMS messages and include a picture of the property
- Send your subscribers a link to a short video tour around the property
- Inform about open house dates
- Book time for viewing appointments
3. Send SMS reminders and updates to tenants
If you’re a property manager, mass text messaging is a convenient way to spread the news and keep in touch with the tenants.
Similarly like in any other business, you can use SMS reminders to let your tenants know about upcoming maintenance works, community events in the common areas, if there are any, or, for instance, that it’s already time to pay rent.
4. Capture emails
Which channel is more effective also depends on the content a lot, and sometimes it just makes sense to combine your marketing efforts. As great as SMS is for short-form content, it’s not the best channel for presenting more detailed information.
For this, you can send email newsletters. If you already have a proper SMS subscriber list, you can use it to collect emails for future communication. This will allow you to share more information, create listicles, send tips to your clients, if you’re up for it, and build their interest and trust.
5. Remind clients about upcoming appointments
SMS is used for appointment reminders in many different industries, like health and beauty, and real estate is not an exception. Booking time and experiencing no-shows cost you money, so send reminders to your clients at least 24 hours in advance to make sure that doesn’t happen.
6. Re-engage cold leads
Cold leads are those people at the beginning of your sales cycle that have opted-in but have never engaged with your brand. Or interacted with you in the past but dropped for one reason or another.
So what you might want to do is to start warming those leads up with SMS messages. Ask if they’re still looking for a place, offer to show some properties in the area of their interest, send a link to your calendar so you could schedule an appointment at the best time for both sides.
7. Stay in touch with former clients
Keep in mind that real estate is not only a simple business, it’s an ongoing conversation. The conversation that requires trust and needs to be nurtured to "survive."
But there are actually no "former clients" per se. You never know when they (or someone they know) will need your help again. Drop a simple message with relevant information once in a while to remind people about yourself and be the first that they think of when the time comes.
12 SMS templates for real estate
Let’s cut to the chase here. To make it easier for you, we’ve prepared 12 SMS templates for real estate that you can simply use or adjust to your needs and objectives - see them below.
Real estate SMS templates to send to property sellers
Template #1: Asking for details
Hi {client name}, I have a few people interested in buying a house in your area. Is yours still available? Let me know if you’re up for a chat.
Template #2: Scheduling appointments
Hello, {agent name} from {agency name} here. I’ve come up with a few interesting ideas on how to sell your apartment faster. Would you like to discuss them sometime this week?
Template #3: Offering guidance and encouraging decisions
Hi {client name}! Are you still not sure if it’s the best time to sell your condo? Can I help you with anything to make your decision easier?
Template #4: Reminders
Hi {client name}, just a quick reminder that there’s a viewing scheduled for your property this Saturday, June 15, @1PM. {agent name}
Template #5: Ongoing communication
{client name}, a buyer’s home inspector reported the mold problem behind the bathroom cabinets. Can I stop by at 1PM tomorrow? Reply YES to confirm.
Template #6: Follow-up
Hi {client name}, it’s {agent name} from {company name}. We talked about selling your house last week - are you still up for it? If you’d like to schedule a meeting to discuss this, let me know what time works best for you.
Real estate SMS templates to send to property buyers
Template #7: Email capture
Hi, thank you for inquiring about our properties. Text us your email and we’ll send you our TOP 10 recent listings. {company name}
Template #8: Listing alert
{client name}, I've just come across a new listing for a 4-bedroom house (priced at $300K) in the area you’re interested in. Would you like to chat and learn more?
Template #9: Confirmation/congratulations texts
Great news, {client name}! Your offer for an apartment on {address} has been accepted! Can we set up a call and discuss the next steps?
Template #10: Discounts and offers
Hi {client name}! Remember the house at [address] that you thought is a good fit for your family? It just dropped from $155K to $130K. Would you like to make an offer?
Template #11: Listing information
Hi {client name}, are you still interested in the property in {location}? I have several new listings that I think are perfect for you. Give me a call if you're interested. {agent name}
Template #12: Open house announcements
This Friday, we're hosting an open house at {address}. If you're interested, come visit anytime between 3 PM to 8 PM. {agency name}
Build stronger relationships with SMS marketing for real estate
SMS is a very simple channel but it goes a long way. For realtors, it can help to connect with clients efficiently and cost-effectively, not only saving time and money but also helping to generate leads and grow their businesses.
Due to its wide accessibility and straightforward nature, SMS is a powerful tool in the real estate industry that's so dynamic that it requires you to be alert at all times. It’s a way to connect fast, and that’s why text messaging for real estate investors and agents is a win.