Texting Guide for Real Estate

Real estate teams rely on speed and visibility. Every lead, showing, and follow-up must happen on time to turn inquiries into contracts. TextUs helps agents, brokers, and coordinators connect with buyers, sellers, and tenants instantly while keeping every conversation organized and compliant.

How TextUs Fits Real Estate Workflows

TextUs Campaigns let you reach targeted lists of leads or clients from your CRM (buyers, sellers, renters, or past clients) using short, focused messages. You can attach PDFs or images like property brochures, virtual tour links, or appointment maps to make decisions faster.

Keywords such as TOUR or INFO route replies into Sequences that confirm appointments or send listings automatically.

Replies appear in the Shared Inbox, where agents and assistants can assign ownership and respond quickly. Templates keep follow-ups consistent across your team. TextUs integrates with systems like Follow Up Boss, HubSpot, and BoomTown to sync contacts and record message history.

Deliveries, replies, and clicks are tracked directly inside TextUs and can be exported as CSVs for CRM reporting.

What to Set Up First

Connect your CRM so contacts, conversations, and lists stay in sync. Confirm your texting numbers are registered for 10DLC to ensure compliance and deliverability. Keep opt-out handling active so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE are processed automatically.

Create Templates for recurring moments like appointment reminders, open house follow-ups, or new listing alerts. Assign team members to monitor the Shared Inbox during defined hours to guarantee fast replies.

Segment your lists by intent, such as new leads, active buyers, open house visitors, or long-term nurtures, so that each message matches where the contact is in the sales process.

How to Create an SMS Campaign With TextUs

1. Choose your audience: Open Campaigns in TextUs and select a segment from your CRM, such as “New Buyer Leads.” This ensures your message targets current, active contacts.
2. Write your message: Keep it short and specific. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, just listed a 3-bedroom in [Neighborhood]. Would you like me to text the photos or schedule a quick tour? Reply TOUR or INFO.”
3. Attach media: Add a PDF brochure, image gallery, or open house flyer. Visuals help buyers and sellers engage faster.
4. Set up an A/B test: Test two openers or calls to action to see which drives more replies. Use results to guide tone and timing.
5. Schedule your campaign: Send mid-morning or early evening when engagement is highest. Schedule recurring sends for weekly property updates or open house reminders.
6. Create a keyword: Add a keyword like TOUR, INFO, or SELL and reference it in your message. When someone replies with it, TextUs identifies and processes it automatically.
7. Link to a sequence: Connect the keyword to a two-step sequence. For example, “Step 1: Send the requested property link. Step 2: Follow up 24 hours later to confirm interest.”
8. Send and monitor: Launch your campaign, track replies, and respond quickly in the Shared Inbox to lock in appointments.

Example sequence messages:

• Step 1 (auto-reply): “Thanks for your interest! Here’s the property link: [short URL]. Would you like to schedule a tour?”
• Step 2 (reminder): “Just checking in. Would you like to see this property in person or receive similar listings?”

Segmentation and Personalization Strategy

Segment contacts based on their buying or selling stage. Common segments include new leads, active buyers, sellers under contract, and past clients for referral touches. Keep your lists updated weekly to remove inactive contacts or those already in closing.

Personalize with name and location details to make texts feel one-to-one. Example: “Hi Mark, two new listings in Lakeview just hit the market.”

Keep messages conversational and avoid overusing variables. Focus on one clear action per message: schedule, confirm, or request details.

Review segment performance monthly. Track which lists generate the most replies or show-up rates for appointments. If response slows, refresh content or change send time to match your audience’s habits.

Template Library for Real Estate Scenarios

Use Templates for the high-volume outreach moments that repeat across deals. Keep tone friendly, professional, and clear.

• “Hi {{first_name}}, a new [Property Type] just listed in [Neighborhood]. Want me to text the details?”
  
  
• “Thanks for touring [Address]. Would you like similar listings this week? Reply YES and I’ll send options.”
  
  
• “Hi {{first_name}}, confirming your appointment at [Address] for [Date] at [Time]. Reply CONFIRM or RESCHEDULE.”
  
  
• “Open house at [Address] this Saturday 11–2. Reply RSVP if you plan to drop by.”
  
  
• “Thinking of selling? I can text a one-page valuation summary for your property. Interested?”
  
  

Rotate Templates quarterly and track reply rates to see which tone performs best. A library of 5–10 well-tested messages is enough for consistent outreach.

Reporting and Attribution Workflow

Export deliveries, replies, and clicks from TextUs weekly. Join that data with CRM activity to measure how SMS influences tours booked and listings closed. Track message type, segment, and keyword for each campaign to identify patterns.

Add campaign and variant labels like “Q1_Buyer_Tour_A” to your reports. Use them to trace engagement back to actual sales events. Include attachment tracking to see how PDFs or images affect click-throughs.

Run a one-page summary every week showing delivery rate, reply rate, and appointments from replies. Share insights with your team so messaging stays consistent and data-driven.

Lead Follow-Up and Nurture Workflow

Real estate leads can go cold fast. Use TextUs Sequences to automate early-stage follow-up so no contact is forgotten. Start with a welcome message, a resource link, and a gentle reminder over several days.

For example, when a new lead enters your CRM, enroll them in a “New Inquiry” sequence: Day 0 - welcome text, Day 1 - feature sheet link, Day 3 - tour offer. Each step can be personalized and paused when someone replies.

Monitor sequence performance weekly and update content when reply or click rates drop. A short, consistent follow-up flow keeps your pipeline moving without adding manual work.

Managing Replies in the Shared Inbox

All messages arrive in the Shared Inbox, giving your team full visibility. The first agent to respond assigns ownership, so communication stays consistent. Templates keep answers fast while still sounding personal.

If a conversation turns into an appointment, add a note for assistants to schedule it in the CRM. Use tags like “Buyer,” “Seller,” or “Renter” for quick filtering later. If a contact goes silent, move them to a follow-up sequence that checks in next week.

Turn on alerts during business hours so responses are never delayed. Fast replies build trust and help you win more listings and buyers before competitors do.

Tracking Results and Improving Performance

Check campaign metrics daily for active sends. Delivery below 95% usually means list quality or compliance issues. Compare A/B test results weekly and keep the message with the stronger reply rate.

Monitor click activity on property links or brochures to gauge interest. Export data to join with CRM deal stages so you can track conversion from text to showing to contract. For example, conversational openers often drive a 15% higher reply rate than formal introductions.

Keep optimizing message timing and structure. Early morning sends often perform best for sellers, while late afternoon works for buyers reviewing new listings.

Compliance and Deliverability for Real Estate

Always use registered 10DLC numbers for real estate messaging to maintain deliverability. Keep opt-out handling active so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE messages are processed automatically. Add a short opt-out line like “Reply STOP to opt out” to stay transparent.

Avoid spammy elements like excessive punctuation, long links, or all caps. Send during appropriate local hours, morning to early evening, to keep engagement high. If you include attachments, use small PDFs or images that load quickly on mobile.

Stay compliant by keeping all message content professional and business-related. Avoid discussing offer terms, pricing, or private details by text. Reserve SMS for scheduling, availability, and general property communication.

FAQs About Texting Guide for Real Estate

Can I attach property photos or brochures to my texts?

Yes. TextUs supports PDFs, images, and GIFs for both campaigns and one-to-one messages. Real estate teams often attach property flyers, floor plans, or open house invites to help clients decide quickly.

Can I schedule recurring property update campaigns?

Yes. You can schedule and repeat campaigns weekly or monthly. Many real estate teams send recurring “new listings” or “price reduction” updates automatically.

How do Keywords and Sequences work for real estate?

When leads reply with a keyword like TOUR or INFO, TextUs automatically enrolls them in a Sequence. The Sequence can send a link to the listing and follow up later if no reply. It reduces manual follow-up and speeds up scheduling.

How does the Shared Inbox help real estate teams?

The Shared Inbox centralizes all replies so agents and assistants can collaborate. You can assign conversations, use Templates for consistency, and track who owns each thread. This keeps handoffs clean and prevents duplicate follow-ups.

What metrics should I track for real estate campaigns?

Focus on delivery, reply, and click rates to measure engagement. Export TextUs data and connect it to CRM events like showings or closed deals. Weekly reporting shows which message types and times drive the most conversions.