Most real estate business comes from people who already know you: past clients, friends and their referrals. Email is the cheapest way to stay in their mind until they’re ready to move. Here’s a simple system you can run in an hour or two a month.
Build the list first
Your list is worth more than your follower count because you own it. Add:
- Past clients and everyone in your phone contacts.
- Open house sign-ins.
- Website leads (home valuation, IDX sign-ups, guide downloads).
- People you meet at events.
Only email people who’ve given permission or have a real relationship with you, and always include an unsubscribe link. Rules differ by country (CAN-SPAM in the US, GDPR and PECR in the UK and EU, CASL in Canada), so check what applies to you.
Split your list into a few groups
- Past clients
- Sphere (friends, family, contacts)
- Active buyers
- Potential sellers
Even simple groups let you send the right message. A seller doesn’t need your new listing alert; they need to know what homes like theirs are selling for.
The four emails every agent needs
1. The monthly newsletter
Keep it short and local:
- One line on what’s happening in your market.
- Two or three recent listings or sales.
- One useful tip or local event.
- One call to action, like “Reply if you’d like a free home value”.
2. The new lead welcome sequence
When someone signs up on your website, send three to five emails over two weeks: who you are, how you help, a useful guide, proof from past clients, and an invitation to book a call.
3. The home anniversary email
Once a year, email each past client on the anniversary of their purchase with a quick estimate of their home’s value. It’s personal, useful and a natural reason for them to think of you.
4. The “just listed / just sold” email
Send it to the neighbors and the relevant buyer group. It shows you’re active in the area.
Automate the follow-up
The best email systems run in the background. Connect your website forms to your CRM so each new lead automatically gets the right sequence, and you get an alert to call them. This is where automation saves the most time.
Design and writing tips
- Write like you talk. Short sentences, one idea per email.
- Make it readable on a phone: single column, big buttons.
- Use a clean branded template so every email looks like you. See our real estate branding service.
- Subject lines that are specific work better than clever ones: “What sold on Maple Street this month”.
What to measure
- Replies and calls (the real goal).
- Click rate on listings and valuation links.
- Unsubscribes. If they jump, you’re sending too often or off-topic.
Need email and CRM set up for you?
Dosaic sets up CRMs and automation, email sequences, branded templates and the website forms that feed them. See our real estate agent marketing plan for where email fits, or book a free strategy call.
Want this done for you?
Dosaic builds the websites, brands, ads and lead systems behind guides like this one. Book a free 30-minute call and we will tell you what we would fix first.
