Direct mailers, such as real estate postcards, are an extremely effective means of marketing and lead generation. Postcards can make a meaningful introduction, turn cold leads warm, advertise properties, invite residents of your farming area to open houses, and build rapport with your sphere of influence.
Not sure exactly what to send? We’ve compiled 19 of our favorite real estate postcard examples, explained why they work, when to send them, and where to find the best templates. And once you’re ready to deploy that big mailing campaign, you’ll want to check out our top eight real estate postcard providers for 2023.
19 Postcards Templates That Actually Work
Let’s take a look at 19 different kinds of postcards to better understand how they create conversations, generate leads, and ultimately, get you to the closing table more often.
- Handwritten Note
- Just Listed
- Just Sold
- Open House
- Expired Listing
- FSBO
- Meet Your Agent
- Home Evaluation
- For Renters
- Stalled Funnel
- Fence-sitting Buyers
- Sphere of Influence
- Referral Generation
- Home Purchase Anniversary
- Farming
- Holiday
- Special Event
- Homeowner Tips
- Recipes
The Close Recommends
Every real estate postcard provider in this article offers serious value, but if you want to know our pick, it’s ProspectsPLUS!. This company has one goal: to create high-quality, converting postcards for real estate agents. They’ve got a solid selection of one-off and drip-campaign postcards, and they even print and mail them for you.
1. Handwritten Note
Best for: Generating seller leads
When to send: Every time you sell a property
There is nothing as meaningful as a handwritten note, which is why they’re so effective at getting prospects’ attention. While we do recommend agents take the time to write personalized notes to clients after closing and during other high-touch opportunities, using this approach for direct mail campaigns would be incredibly time-consuming.
Addressable solves this problem with technology that mimics a person’s handwriting, using an actual ballpoint pen. A complete end-to-end solution, Addressable crafts the messages, targets prime leads, and tracks the results. We recommend sending these notes to every neighbor as soon as you sell a property and see the impact it has. Check out Addressable and see how an elegant, traditional “handwritten” note can help you build your business.
2. Just Listed Real Estate Postcard
This just-listed postcard template can be found at LCA Marketing Center
Best for: Generating buyer leads for your subject property and additional seller leads from the surrounding neighborhood
When to send: Every time you send a new listing live
The just-listed postcard is a favorite for two reasons: It alerts buyers that there is a new property on the market and it alerts neighbors that you, the local area real estate rock star, just listed a great home. This postcard is a key component of any seller’s agent’s print strategy.
Pro tip: Circle prospecting (marketing to homes surrounding your existing listings and past sales) is a great place to use the just-listed postcard. This technique gets more efficient over time, but only if you are consistent. The more neighbors hear about your success, the higher your return rate will be on each communication.
How Circle Prospecting Got One Tampa Realtor 200 Leads in ONE DAY
3. Just Sold Real Estate Postcard
This just-sold postcard template can be found at Canva
Best for: Generating new seller leads from the surrounding area
When to send: Every time you close on a property
The just-sold postcard shares your impressive track record of success with the whole neighborhood. Every time you sell a property, get the word out. Everyone’s already seen your sign in the yard—let them know you’ve hit it out of the park and can do the same for them. Again, consistency is key, and the more you advertise your accomplishments, the better your return on your postcard investment.
How to Get Listings: 21 Luxury Listing Agents Spill Their Secrets
4. Open House Real Estate Postcard
This open-house postcard template can be found at VistaPrint
Best for: Inviting the neighbors and prospective buyers to your events
When to send: A week before every open house
Open houses work for a reason. Your sellers see your commitment to exposing their property to as many people as possible. You collect a treasure trove of buyer leads from the attendees, and you get to show the neighborhood and your sphere of influence that you’re actively working in the market. Sending an invitation to attend via postcard is a great way to broadcast your professionalism and boost your attendance numbers.
27 Open House Ideas That Will Actually Get You Leads
5. Expired Listing Real Estate Postcard
Best for: Generating new seller leads from expired listings
When to send: Immediately, every time a property in your farming area expires
Expired listings are valuable leads if you know how to convert them. It’s crucial to have both the right message and timing. Take a cue from this postcard, where the message identifies the seller’s pain points with empathy and gently offers professional assistance. Get those cards out as soon as a listing expires, and you’ll be top of mind when the sellers are deciding next steps.
24 Best Expired Listing Scripts & Objection Handlers 2022
6. FSBO Real Estate Postcard
This FSBO postcard template can be found at PostcardMania
Best for: Generating new seller leads
When to send: Whenever you see a listing that’s being sold by the owner
A homeowner in your target area has announced to the world that they want to sell their house without the assistance of an agent. It’s up to you to show them why you’re the perfect person to help sell it, and a postcard is an ideal way to communicate that message.
Your postcard should focus on what you can do to eliminate the challenging aspects of selling a home. Identify the problems, but don’t dwell on them. Instead, focus on your solutions, and then follow your postcard up with a solid phone conversation or drop-by to close the deal.
The 9 Best FSBO Scripts of 2022 (+ Why They Work)
7. Meet Your Agent Real Estate Postcard
This new-agent postcard template can be found at Corefact
Best for: Generating new buyer and seller leads
When to send: Within your first year at a new office
For agents who are new to an area or company, getting the word out about their business is critical, and postcards can help. Be cheerful and optimistic in the copy. Make sure to mention what sets you apart from the competition and why that’s important to your community.
It may be tempting to pepper the entire city with new-agent postcards, but for this type of campaign, a bigger mailing list isn’t always better. The most receptive audience will be people who already know who you are. This is a great first point of contact in your new neighborhood farm campaign.
Pro tip: Bonus points for using a QR code that feeds directly to a lead-capturing property valuation page. QR codes make it easy for your audience to learn more about you and provide their contact information.
8. Free Home Valuation Real Estate Postcard
Best for: Generating new seller leads
When to send: Once before the start of the busy selling season, and then again as the busy season is wrapping up
Sometimes all property owners need to know is exactly how much their home is worth. As an expert real estate professional, you can tell them. Creating a postcard that details your offer of a free, no-obligation market analysis is a strategy that’s almost guaranteed to get responses, particularly in a rapidly changing market.
Pro tip: Try this postcard when dipping your toe into new potential farm areas. Find a neighborhood that has been hot in recent months, and customize the message just for them.
How to Do a Comparative Market Analysis: A Step-by-Step Guide
9. Real Estate Postcard for Rental Communities
This rental community postcard template can be found at Postcard Mania
Best for: Generating new buyer leads
When to send: Up to once a quarter
Many agents overlook renters in their farm areas, but they shouldn’t. Rental communities are full of potential first-time homebuyers, so targeted marketing can offer a serious return on investment.
Pro tip: You’ll get a much better response rate when you tailor your message to the community. Say you want to farm an apartment complex where the average rent is $1,200 per month. A mortgage calculator can determine the purchase price range that correlates to their monthly rent payment. Renters in luxury complexes or artsy communities might be more drawn to a message about the freedom to customize their living spaces.
Looking for more info on how to crush rental community prospecting? Check out our video below on how to effectively convert these leads.
10. Stalled Funnel Real Estate Postcards
This stalled-funnel postcard template can be found at ProspectsPLUS!
Best for: Generating new seller leads
When to send: Up to once a quarter
We’ve all had prospects who hover in our lead funnel for months—people who just can’t seem to pull the trigger. Delivering a postcard message of encouragement to soon-to-be sellers or buyers can be very effective. If you want to maximize your return on investment, be sure your message reflects your market and lead category. Make your postcard recipients feel like the market isn’t just good—it’s good for them.
11. Fence-sitting Buyer Real Estate Postcard
Find this fence-sitter postcard template at VistaPrint
Best for: Generating new buyer leads
When to send: Up to once a quarter
When a homebuyer doesn’t feel any urgency in their decision-making process, it’s easy for them to fall out of the lead funnel. Obviously, you never want your clients to feel rushed into a decision they aren’t ready for, but sometimes a message of urgency gets them thinking again.
How do you know if you’ve got a fence-sitting list? This postcard is perfect for any prospect who is getting slower at returning calls and texts, who decided not to stop by that open house, or who is considering signing another year-long lease.
Get More Real Estate Buyer Leads Using These 11 Proven Strategies
12. Personal Sphere Real Estate Postcard
This personal-sphere postcard template can be found at ProspectsPLUS!
Best for: Generating buyer and seller leads
When to send: Twice a year
When you’re an active agent, your sphere knows that they’re going to hear from you. Whether it’s text messages, phone calls, email, or lively conversation at the local watering hole, the longer you do this job, the more your social circle comes to expect it from you.
Do the unexpected and include them in your postcard mailing. Your messaging can be a little lighter and more familiar, but make sure it’s designed to keep you top of mind for referrals.
7 Tips for Building Your Sphere of Influence in Real Estate (+ Script)
13. Referral Generation Real Estate Postcard
Best for: Generating new leads
When to send: Once or twice a year
The buyers and sellers you’ve worked with can be your greatest marketing asset. Leverage those relationships with a postcard that actively solicits referrals. Then follow up with a phone call 24 hours after the postcard has been received. Keep your messaging gracious and thoughtful, and your past clients are sure to step up and refer others to you when it counts.
Pro tip: Don’t forget to follow up with a thank-you message or gift when you do get those referrals. We like the above mailer that says, “Coffee is on me today!”
7 Savvy Ways to Generate More Real Estate Referrals
14. Home Purchase Anniversary Real Estate Postcard
Find this purchase-anniversary postcard at ProspectsPLUS!
Best for: Reminding your former clients how great you were to work with!
When to send: Once a year, on the closing day anniversary
Keeping in touch with satisfied clients is the best way to stay top of mind when they, or people they know, are in need of a real estate professional. Create a calendar that tracks every closing you’ve participated in so you can use the anniversaries as a chance to send a postcard with a short, handwritten note.
15. Farming Real Estate Postcard
Best for: Establishing yourself as the go-to agent for a particular area
When to send: Every 45 to 60 days
Part of working a real estate farm area is showing that you’re active in the community and care about its long-term growth. You should limit this type of mailing to a small area, because the point is to remind your neighbors that you’re, well, their neighbor.
Farming postcards can also provide a service by giving a snapshot of the local market. Market statistics are a great way to prompt potential clients to consider what their home is worth—a sure-fire way to generate conversations with potential sellers.
Real Estate Farming: How to Become the Go-to Agent in Your Neighborhood in 2022
16. Holiday Real Estate Postcard
This holiday postcard template can be found on PostcardMania
Best for: Generating new buyer and seller leads
When to send: Special occasions, up to once a quarter
Special occasions are excellent opportunities to connect with your entire sphere. Major holidays are ideal, but don’t forget important but overlooked milestones like back-to-school week, Independence Day, and birthdays.
Do your best to time the delivery of mail for maximum effectiveness. A daylight savings reminder won’t do much good if it arrives two weeks early and certainly won’t work if it arrives late. Make your message positive and concise, and maybe even include an invitation to connect over coffee.
17. Special Event Real Estate Postcard
Special event real estate postcard template from ProspectsPLUS!
Best for: Snagging a spot on prospects’ bulletin boards
When to send: Once or twice a year
Take advantage of major local events and create a calendar of can’t-miss happenings. Sports team schedules, concerts, local festivals, and even school calendars can become permanent fridge additions. Just be sure your name, contact information, and a call to action are prominently displayed.
Special event postcards are effective because consistency breeds effectiveness. If someone gets the football schedule from you every year, they’ll look forward to it and make it a fixture in their kitchen. Just make sure you pick a theme that is timely, reflects your personal brand, and appeals to your local audience.
18. Homeowner Tip Postcard
Best for: Generating new seller leads
When to send: Once a quarter or monthly
You helped them buy the house; why not help them get the most out of owning it? There are plenty of first-time homeowners (and even seasoned homeowners) who will appreciate the advice and seasonal maintenance reminders. This format also underscores your specialized knowledge of the local housing stock. Just be sure you keep your tone light and professional, rather than preachy.
19. Recipe Postcard
Best for: Generating new buyer and seller leads
When to send: Once a quarter or monthly
Sending out favorite recipes is a tried-and-true way of staying top of mind and providing a thoughtful service. Select a recipe that’s personal to you and appropriate for the season, and we bet this will be a mailer that your audience looks forward to receiving. We can picture your grandmother’s favorite pancake recipe on the fridge of every potential buyer, seller, and former client in your farm area.
Top 8 Providers of Real Estate Postcard Templates & Services for 2023
Now that you’ve seen some examples of effective and creative real estate postcard marketing, take a look at our eight favorite providers for 2023. Note that some offer customizable templates and others are full service—everything from the design to the actual mailing.
| Real Estate Postcards Provider | Best For |
|---|---|
| ProspectsPLUS! | Agents seeking a full-service, real estate-specific company with options for just about every postcard type and those looking to create direct mail drip campaigns |
| Addressable | Campaigns that require a personalized, handwritten touch |
| LCA Marketing Center | Agents looking to create a comprehensive marketing campaign that includes postcards |
| PostcardMania | Agents who want to try before they buy with free samples delivered straight to their mailboxes |
| VistaPrint | Those looking to purchase cross-over merchandise (like mugs or key chains) to supplement postcard efforts |
| Canva | Agents who crave absolute creative control to customize postcards |
| Etsy | Those seeking trendy designs in ready-made, customizable templates (often in Canva) created by independent sellers |
| Corefact | Agents who want a real estate-specific company that provides integrated social media campaigns to complement their postcard marketing |
Real Estate Postcard Marketing FAQs
Now that you have your real estate postcard inspiration and our favorite providers, we want to answer all of your postcard marketing questions.
Who do I send my postcards to?
This is really the first step in any postcard marketing strategy. Your recipient list is everything. The more specialized and engaged your audience is, the better conversion, interaction, and, ultimately, success you’ll have with them.
The best lists are cultivated organically, so don’t feel like you have to send a postcard to everyone you’ve ever met or even everyone within a certain ZIP code. Designing, printing, and mailing postcards isn’t cheap, so build your list strategically over time.
What information do I put on my real estate postcard?
The top priority is your contact information: at a minimum, your name and phone number. Many states have specific requirements for what must appear on postcards, such as a return address for unsolicited mail pieces, and in the case of real estate-related marketing, brokerage information, location, and license numbers.
What is a CTA on a real estate postcard?
A call to action (CTA) describes what you want the audience of your mailer to do after they have read your message. Encourage the recipient to take an action, whether it’s to give you a call to discuss home prices, put the football game schedule on the fridge, or remember you’d appreciate their referrals.
What design elements are important on a real estate postcard?
First and foremost: big, bold imagery. Postcards are a visual medium, and even if your message is delivered in the text, you need to catch your recipient’s eye as they open the mailbox. You only have seconds, so make your design count!
Should I include a headshot on my postcards?
Yes, we recommend including a recent headshot. That way you leave no doubt who is behind the message that your audience is enjoying.
How much does it cost to send postcards?
If you use a design program like Canva or you’ve purchased a template from Etsy, you can print your postcards with a vendor like VistaPrint, where pricing (depending on paper quality, thickness, and quantity) can be as low as 8 cents per postcard. Then you’ll need to calculate postage; postcard stamps are currently 44 cents a pop.
If you use a full-service provider, like ProspectsPLUS!, the pricing is higher, but they do all of the printing and mailing for you, and even send out multiple mailers for a marketing drip campaign. With ProspectsPLUS!, standard postcards mailed first class cost between 71 cents and 93 cents per card.
What about the NAR disclaimer?
The National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Code of Ethics prohibits the solicitation of business from buyers or sellers already exclusively represented by a Realtor. You may inadvertently mail postcards to addresses that are currently on the market or to buyers already represented by an agent. To avoid the headaches of potential ethics complaints, include the following somewhere on your postcard (we suggest in very fine print):
“If your property is currently listed with a Realtor and/or you are currently represented exclusively as a buyer by a Realtor, please disregard this notice. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other brokers.”
Bringing It All Together
Real estate postcards are powerful tools for marketing, brand development, and lead generation. While you won’t rely solely on postcards, they remain an impactful strategy—especially if you’re purposeful in building your recipient list.
Did we miss any postcard examples that have been successful for you? Any providers that you love? Leave us a comment below!
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