What is the best real estate lead follow-up script?
The best real estate lead follow-up script is short, goes out within minutes, names the exact home or reason the lead reached out, and ends with one easy question. Clever wording matters far less than speed and persistence. Below are copy-ready first texts for six kinds of leads, a call script with answers to the common objections, three emails, and a 30-day plan for the leads who do not reply the first time.
The short version
- Reply in minutes, not hours. The Lead Response Management study found the odds of contacting a web lead fall about tenfold after the first hour.
- Text first, then call. A text in the first minute, a call a few minutes later if there is no reply.
- One question per message. "Are you hoping to move this year, or just starting to look?" gets answers. A paragraph of questions gets ignored.
- Most leads need more than one touch. Plan a month of follow-up before you call a lead dead, then move them to a monthly check-in.
- Never text price opinions or neighborhood judgments. Keep messages to the property, the process and the next step.
How fast should you follow up with a real estate lead?
As fast as you can, and ideally before the buyer closes the listing tab. The Lead Response Management study analyzed more than 15,000 web-generated leads and over 100,000 call attempts. It found that the odds of reaching a lead drop about tenfold after the first hour, and the odds of qualifying them fall by more than six times over the same hour. Between a 5-minute and a 30-minute reply, the odds of qualifying fell 21 times.
The study covered web leads across six companies, not real estate specifically. But a buyer who taps "contact agent" on a Saturday evening behaves the same way. They are still looking at the house, and often at other agents' listings too. The first reply that sounds like a person and asks a sensible question usually gets the conversation.
About the "80% of sales need five follow-ups" statistic. You will see it in almost every sales blog. We could not trace it to a published study, so we do not use it. The honest version is simpler: many leads do not answer the first message, and the agents who keep following up politely get the ones who were only busy.
What should you text a new real estate lead?
Every first text needs the same four parts: who you are, why you are texting, one easy question, and a way to opt out. Replace the parts in brackets. Keep the opt-out line on the first message to anyone new.
1. Portal buyer lead asking about a listing
Hi [First name], this is [Agent] with [Brokerage]. Thanks for asking about [Address]. It is still available. Are you hoping to see it this week, or just starting to look around? Reply STOP to opt out.
2. Home value request from a possible seller
Hi [First name], it is [Agent] with [Brokerage]. I saw you checked the value of [Address]. Online estimates are a starting point, not a price. Would a quick comparison of recent sales on your street be useful? Reply STOP to opt out.
3. Open house sign-in
Hi [First name], [Agent] here from the open house at [Address] today. Thanks for stopping by. Did it feel like a fit, or did it help you figure out what you do not want? Reply STOP to opt out.
4. IDX or website search registration
Hi [First name], this is [Agent] with [Brokerage]. You just set up a home search for [Area] on our site. Want me to flag new listings before they hit your inbox, or keep it to the automatic alerts for now? Reply STOP to opt out.
5. Missed call from a sign or listing ad
Hi, this is [Agent] with [Brokerage]. Sorry I missed your call, I am with a client. Were you calling about [Address]? I can answer by text now or call you back in about 30 minutes. Reply STOP to opt out.
6. Old lead you have not talked to in months
Hi [First name], it is [Agent] with [Brokerage]. You were looking at homes in [Area] a while back. Did you end up finding a place, or is the search still on?
That last one works because it is easy to answer either way. "We bought already" is useful to know, and it often turns into a referral later. "Still looking" restarts the conversation with a lead you already paid for. If you are sitting on a database of old leads, this single text is often the fastest win you have.
What a good first exchange looks like
Here is how the seller script plays out when the lead answers. Names and the address are placeholders.
Notice what the reply did not do: it did not guess a value by text. It learned the timeline, offered something useful, and booked a short meeting where a pricing conversation belongs.
What do you say when you call a new lead?
If the text gets no reply within a few minutes, call. Keep the call short and aim for one outcome: a booked showing or consult. This script covers a buyer lead. Adapt the questions for sellers.
Hi [First name], this is [Agent] with [Brokerage]. You asked about [Address] a few minutes ago, so I wanted to catch you while it is fresh. Is now an OK time for two minutes?
1. Are you looking to buy soon, or just starting to look?
2. What area and price range are you focused on?
3. Do you have a home to sell first?
4. Have you talked to a lender about pre-approval yet?
5. Are you already working with an agent?
I can show you [Address] on [Day] at [Time] or [Time]. Before we tour, I will take ten minutes to walk you through how I work and what it costs, and we will sign a short buyer agreement. That is standard now for agents who use the MLS. Which time works?
That last line is not a formality. Under the practice changes from NAR's settlement, effective August 17, 2024, agents who work through a Multiple Listing Service must have a written agreement with a buyer before touring a home. Saying so on the first call sets expectations and keeps the showing from turning awkward. For first-time buyers, lean into explaining the process: in NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 76% of first-time buyers credited their agent with helping them understand it.
How do you handle the common objections?
| They say | You say |
|---|---|
| "I'm just looking." | "Perfect, that is how most people start. Want me to send new listings that match what you liked about [Address], so you are not checking every day?" |
| "I already have an agent." | "Great, then you are in good hands. I will let you get back to them. If anything changes, you have my number." Then stop following up. |
| "Just text me." | "Of course." Then continue by text with the same questions, one at a time. |
| "What will the seller take?" | "I would not want to guess over the phone. After the showing I can pull recent sales and we can decide what makes sense together." |
| "We're not ready to talk to a lender." | "No problem. When you are, I can introduce you to a couple I trust. Many sellers want to see a pre-approval letter with an offer." |
| "Is this a good neighborhood for families?" | "I can tell you everything about the home itself, and I can share where to find school and area information so you can decide what fits you." |
That last row matters. Section 3604(c) of the Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to make any "statement" about the sale of a dwelling that "indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination" based on protected characteristics, including familial status. Point people to facts and let them decide. We cover the Fair Housing side of AI and texting in will AI replace real estate agents?
Timing helps too. In the same Lead Response Management study, Wednesday and Thursday were the best days to reach leads, and calls between 4 and 6 pm were the most effective for making contact. That was not a real estate dataset, so treat it as a tiebreaker, not a rule: the first call still goes out as soon as the lead comes in.
What is a good real estate lead follow-up email?
Email is the slow lane. Use it for leads who gave an email but no reply by text, and for longer content like listings and market updates. Three templates cover most of it.
Subject: [Address], your question
Hi [First name],
Thanks for asking about [Address]. It is still available, and I can set up a showing any day this week. I also texted and tried you by phone, so pick whichever is easiest.
One question so I send you the right things: are you hoping to move in the next few months, or just starting to look?
[Agent]
[Brokerage] · [Phone]
Subject: A few homes like [Address]
Hi [First name],
Here are three homes in [Area] with a similar feel to [Address]: [Link 1], [Link 2], [Link 3].
If any of them look interesting, reply with the one you like and I will set up a time to see it.
[Agent]
Subject: Should I keep sending homes?
Hi [First name],
I have not heard back, which usually means the timing is not right, and that is completely fine. Should I keep sending homes in [Area], check in again in a few months, or close your file for now?
Any of the three is a good answer.
[Agent]
The third email gets replies because it gives the lead an easy, polite way to answer. "Check back in the spring" is a real lead with a date on it.
How many times should you follow up with a lead?
Plan for a month of steady follow-up before you slow down, then move to a monthly check-in until they buy, opt out, or tell you they are working with someone else. This is our recommended plan, not a rule from a study. Stop as soon as the lead replies, and switch to a real conversation.
| When | Channel | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Minute 1 | Text | First text for the lead type, with one question |
| Minute 5 | Call | The call script, if the text got no reply |
| Same day | Email 1, if you have an address | |
| Day 1 | Call, then text | A second call; if no answer, "Did you get a chance to look at more homes?" |
| Day 3 | Text | A useful nudge: a new listing, an open house, a price change |
| Day 7 | Email 2 with three similar homes | |
| Day 14 | Text | "Still looking in [Area], or did your plans change?" |
| Day 30 | Email 3: keep sending, check back later, or close the file | |
| Monthly after that | Text or email | A short check-in with something useful |
The hard part is not writing this plan. It is running it on every lead, every week, while you are showing homes. Most agents send the first text, maybe the second, and then the lead quietly drops off the list. That is where the money leaks.
Want this running on every lead without you sending a single text? That is what our AI lead follow-up does for agents and teams: the first text within 60 seconds, the qualifying questions, the booking, and the follow-up after, written with you and your broker. Book a free 30-minute Where AI Fits call and we will map it to your lead sources.
Book a Where AI Fits callWhat should you never put in a follow-up text?
- A price opinion. "They'll take 20 under" in writing can come back to hurt you and your client. Save it for a real conversation.
- Who a home or area is "for." "Perfect for a young family" or "great for people like you" can signal a preference under Fair Housing law.
- Pressure you cannot back up. "Three offers coming in tonight" had better be true.
- A wall of questions. One question per text. The lead answers the easy one.
- No name. Always say who you are and where you work. An unknown number with no name reads as spam.
What are the rules for texting real estate leads?
Keep it simple. Text people who gave you their number and asked to hear about homes. Register your texting number with the carriers, known as A2P registration, so your messages are delivered. Include a way to opt out, and honor STOP right away. Stick to reasonable hours. If you use software or AI to send texts for you, the same rules apply, and your broker should review the scripts before they go live.
Can AI send these follow-ups for you?
Yes. Everything above is what a well-built AI lead follow-up system does: it sends the first text within a minute, asks the qualifying questions one at a time, answers approved listing facts, books the showing, and keeps following up for weeks. The difference from a basic drip is that it reads the reply and answers it, so "we want to move by spring" gets a sensible response instead of the next canned message.
For other industries, the lead follow-up call script has templates for insurance, mortgage, solar, home services and med spas. If calls are part of your lead flow too, our comparison of AI answering services for real estate agents covers the phone side. For software you would run yourself, see the best AI tools for real estate agents. To see what slow follow-up costs you today, try the lead leak calculator. And if you would rather not run any of it yourself, the real estate agents page shows how we set it up and run it.
Questions agents ask about follow-up scripts
What should I text a new real estate lead?+
How fast should I follow up with a real estate lead?+
How many times should I follow up with a lead?+
What do I say when a lead says they are just looking?+
What is a good real estate follow-up email?+
Can AI send real estate follow-up texts for me?+
- Lead Response Management Study (InsideSales.com with Dr. James Oldroyd). More than 15,000 leads and over 100,000 call attempts; contact odds fall tenfold and qualification odds more than sixfold after the first hour; 21-fold decrease in qualification odds from 5 to 30 minutes; best days and hours for contact. leadresponsemanagement.org
- National Association of Realtors. "What the NAR Settlement Means for Home Buyers and Sellers," on practice changes effective August 17, 2024. nar.realtor
- National Association of Realtors. "NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers Reveals Market Extremes," November 4, 2025. nar.realtor
- 42 U.S. Code § 3604(c), Fair Housing Act, via Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute. law.cornell.edu
Published September 13, 2026. Every figure was read on its source and checked again before publishing; see how we research and write. The scripts are ours; copy and adapt them freely. Found an error? Email hello@leadsixty.com.
The script is the easy part. Sending it every time is the job.
Book a free 30-minute Where AI Fits call. We look at where your leads come from, how fast they get a reply today, and what it would take to run this follow-up on every one, and we tell you honestly if it is not worth it.
Book a Where AI Fits callOr see how we run it on the real estate agents page.