Real estate text messaging is how agents and teams reach leads, buyers, sellers and past clients by text from a business number. Four jobs cover most of it: replying quickly to new leads, confirming and reminding people about showings, sending open house and new listing alerts to people who asked for them, and keeping in touch with past clients. Every message should name you and your brokerage, stay under 160 characters, and go only to people who agreed to receive texts from you.
This guide covers each of those jobs with templates you can copy, explains the consent rules that apply to real estate leads, and shows how to set up a texting account for an agent or a team. For the general approach to sending one message to many people, see what a business texting program looks like.
Replying to new leads quickly
A buyer or seller who has just filled out a form is thinking about the move right now. A prompt, useful reply is more likely to start a conversation than one that arrives days later. Texting helps because a short text is easier to send between appointments than a phone call, and easier for the lead to answer.
Text a lead only if they agreed to receive texts. A web form, an open house sign-in sheet or a portal inquiry counts as consent only if it said plainly that you may contact them by text. If it did not, call or email first and ask whether texting is all right.
There are two ways to reply quickly with CampaignCNX+.
- From the shared inbox. When a lead arrives, you or a teammate sends the first text from the inbox. Replies come back to the same conversation, where anyone on the team can see them.
- Through Zapier and the API. If your lead form connects to Zapier, a zap can send your first text through the CampaignCNX+ API (the connection other programs use to send it instructions) as soon as the lead arrives. Texts send only between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the lead's time zone, so a lead that arrives late at night should receive a scheduled text the next morning instead.
If your website uses Alma, a separate website chatbot from the same company, its leads arrive by email notification. You would then send the first text yourself from CampaignCNX+.
First reply to a website lead
Hi [Name], this is [Agent] with [Brokerage]. Thanks for asking about [Address]. Would you like to see it this week? Reply STOP to opt out.
First reply to a seller inquiry
Hi [Name], it's [Agent] with [Brokerage]. Thanks for reaching out about selling. When is a good time for a short call? Reply STOP to opt out.
Follow-up after an open house sign-in
Hi [Name], it's [Agent] with [Brokerage]. Thanks for stopping by [Address] today. Any questions about the home? Reply STOP to opt out.
Second follow-up, two or three days later
Hi [Name], [Agent] here. [Number] homes similar to [Address] just came on the market. Would you like the details?
Showing confirmations and reminders
Showings work like any other appointment. A confirmation when the showing is booked, a reminder the day before, and a short message on the day cover most needs. Our guide to appointment reminder texts explains timing and how to automate reminders from a booking tool.
Showing confirmed
Hi [Name], [Agent] with [Brokerage]. You're set to see [Address] on [Day] at [Time]. Reply C to confirm or R to reschedule. Reply STOP to opt out.
Day-before reminder
Reminder from [Agent]: we're seeing [Address] tomorrow at [Time]. I'll meet you out front. Reply R if you need to change the time.
Day of, running a few minutes late
Hi [Name], [Agent] here. I'm running about [Minutes] minutes behind for [Address]. Thank you for waiting.
After the showing
Thanks for touring [Address] today, [Name]. What did you think? If you'd like a second look or an offer, reply here.
Open house and new listing alerts
Listing and open house alerts are the most useful texts you can send to active buyers, as long as they asked for them. Send them only to people who agreed to receive listing texts. Do not send them to a mailing list, a purchased list or a neighborhood list of people who never signed up.
Send each alert only to the buyers it fits. In CampaignCNX+, you can tag contacts and sort them into groups, such as "buyers under $400,000," "buyers in [School District]" or "condo buyers," and send each listing to the matching group. A buyer who receives only relevant listings is less likely to reply STOP.
A picture message (MMS) uses three message credits, so it costs $0.18 on pay-as-you-go. A standard text with a link to the listing photos uses one credit. For a large group, the link costs a third as much.
New listing alert
New listing from [Agent]: [Beds] bed, [Baths] bath in [Neighborhood], [Price]. Photos: [Link] Want to see it? Reply here.
Open house invite
[Agent] with [Brokerage]: open house at [Address] this [Day], [Time] to [Time]. Details: [Link] Reply here with questions.
Price change
Update from [Agent]: [Address] is now listed at [Price]. Photos and details: [Link] Reply if you'd like to see it.
Coming soon
[Agent] here. A [Beds] bed home in [Neighborhood] is coming on the market [Day]. Reply here if you'd like to see it first.
Your brokerage's advertising rules and fair housing rules apply to texts in the same way they apply to any listing advertisement. Describe the property, not the people you expect to buy it, and check with your managing broker if you are unsure about wording.
Keeping in touch with past clients
Past clients are a common source of referrals and repeat business. A text a few times a year, for people who agreed to receive them, keeps you in mind without becoming a nuisance.
Home anniversary
Hi [Name], it's [Agent]. One year ago today you got the keys to [Street]. I hope the house is treating you well.
Market update offer
Hi [Name], [Agent] here. I put together a short update on recent home sales near you. Would you like a copy, or an estimate of your home's value?
Referral thank-you
Thank you for referring [Friend] to me, [Name]. I appreciate your trust and will take good care of them. [Agent]
Keep these to once a month or less. Past clients who receive frequent promotional texts tend to opt out.
Setting up real estate texting in CampaignCNX+
- Open an account and buy your number. Every new account includes 100 free SMS, and your number is $5 a month. A team can share one number for listing alerts and office open houses.
- Let CampaignCNX+ file your carrier registration. The carriers (the mobile phone companies, such as AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile) must approve business texting. A toll-free number is usually verified in about three business days. 10DLC registration (registering a standard local-style number for business texting) has a one-time $75 fee.
- Import only your opted-in contacts. Add tags such as buyer, seller, past client and price range, and sort contacts into groups for each kind of alert.
- Add your team. Team members can be admins, managers or staffers, and they all work from the same shared inbox. The two-way inbox is a $12.49 monthly add-on on most plans and is included on Enterprise.
- Schedule your alerts and drips. Schedule open house invites ahead of time, and use drip sequences for a planned series of follow-ups to new leads.
- Connect your other tools if you want to. CampaignCNX+ can send each incoming reply to Zapier, Make or n8n through an outgoing webhook (an automatic notice sent to a web address you choose), which can then pass the reply to your other software.
Our page on texting for real estate teams shows more of what an agent or team account includes.
Common questions
Can I text leads from real estate portals or my website?
Yes, if the form the lead filled out included clear consent to receive texts. Import only the leads who gave that consent. If you are not sure, contact the lead by phone or email first and ask.
How much does real estate texting cost?
As an example, an agent who sends 600 texts a month on pay-as-you-go pays $36, plus $5 for the number. Above about 900 texts a month, the Basic plan ($55 with 1,000 texts) costs less. Our explainer on business text messaging costs walks through more examples.
Should I send listing photos as picture messages?
You can. A picture message uses three credits instead of one. For a large group of buyers, a text with a link to the photos costs less and still shows the home.
Can a whole team share one number?
Yes. A team can send from one number and answer replies together in the shared inbox. Each team member signs in with their own account and role.
Start texting your buyers and sellers
Set up your number, import the contacts who agreed to receive texts, and have your first lead reply and showing templates ready. Every new account includes 100 free SMS, and your number is $5 a month.