Open houses are one of the best ways to gain leads in real estate outside of working your sphere of influence. However, in order to nurture those leads, you need to establish a flow of communication. We have prepared several email templates you can use today to keep potential buyers engaged in the process.
You can download all of these templates (PDF, Word, GDoc), or read on to learn more about their specific use cases.
1. The Initial Open House Follow-up Template
Intended audience: Potential buyer
When hosting an open house, it is a good idea to schedule time either immediately following the event or within the next 48 hours to follow up with guests as part of your open house checklist. Your open house may have been one of many homes visited over a short period of time, so it is important to use this letter to remind them of your listing so that it is at the top of their mind.
Subject: Thank you for stopping by and visiting (open house address)
Dear (Prospective Buyer),
Hoping that this note finds you in good health. It was lovely visiting with you and your family (if applicable) over the weekend at our open house at (open house address). I wanted to briefly touch base with you to answer any additional questions and/or expedite any requests you may have.
I would welcome the opportunity to assist you with your new home purchase. Please feel free to contact me directly at (cell phone number) or email me at (email address).
Thanks a bunch.
(Sincerely,)
(Signature Printed – Legible Font)
(Name and Designations, if applicable)
(Phone Number – Preferable Cell Phone Number)
(Email Address and Website Address)
(Brokerage)
(Address)
(Social Media Handles)
(Tagline – People remember these and will quote them back to you)
2. The Buyer’s Agent Open House Follow-up Template
Intended audience: Potential buyer
While the initial follow-up template is intended for seller’s agents, a similar template can also be used by buyer’s agents after attending a number of open houses with their clients. In this case, the template can be used as a form of customer service by reminding clients of the properties that best matched their idea of a dream home or list other reasons they might want to make a purchase.
Subject: With low interest rates, your time to buy is now
Dear (Prospective Buyer),
I just wanted to touch base with you after our tour of homes over the weekend. I was very excited that you found a few homes that you liked and that met your wish list. As you know, interest rates are historically low and I don’t want you to miss this window of opportunity. If there is a home that you would like to explore submitting an offer on, please let me know at your earliest convenience.
I would welcome the opportunity to assist you with your new home purchase and, of course, answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to contact me directly at (cell phone number) or email me at (email address).
Thanks a bunch.
(Sincerely,)
(Signature Printed – Legible Font)
(Name and Designations, if applicable)
(Phone Number – Preferable Cell Phone Number)
(Email Address and Website Address)
(Brokerage)
(Address)
(Social Media Handles)
(Tagline – People remember these and will quote them back to you)
3. The Warm Listing Presentation Follow-up Template
Intended audience: Potential seller
Listing presentations are a form of marketing designed to showcase how you might be able to market a home. It is worth keeping in mind that though they may have opened their home to your review and are interested in learning more about their property’s potential, they still may need convincing that you are the best agent for their needs. For this reason, it is important to remind the client in the follow-up message what they can potentially gain by working with you.
Subject: Checking in after our visit at (property address)
Dear (Prospective Seller),
Hoping that this note finds you in good health. I wanted to thank you for the kind opportunity to visit your lovely home. I also wanted to check in and see if there are any questions that I may answer. This is such an exciting time for your family as you explore moving to (place they are moving to).
I know that time is of the essence and am standing by, ready to expedite any request. Please reach out to me directly at (cell phone number) or email me at (email address).
Looking forward to visiting again in the very near future.
Thanks a bunch.
(Sincerely,)
(Signature Printed – Legible Font)
(Name and Designations, if applicable)
(Phone Number – Preferable Cell Phone Number)
(Email Address and Website Address)
(Brokerage)
(Address)
(Social Media Handles)
(Tagline – People remember these and will quote them back to you)
Pro tip: Please know that this seller wants to sell their home and is excited. You can use words like “lovely, beautiful” to describe the home.
4. The Hot Listing Presentation Follow-up Template
Intended audience: Potential seller
This template is designed to follow a listing presentation when it is clear that a client has to sell rather than simply wants to sell, whether it is for a job relocation, health, divorce, or for financial reasons. It is very important for you to remain sensitive through this time while using this letter to emphasize how you can eliminate stress.
Subject: Checking in after our visit at (property address)
Dear (Prospective Seller),
Hoping that his note finds you in good health. I wanted to thank you for the kind opportunity to visit your home. I also wanted to check in and see if there are any questions that I may answer. I know that this is a challenging time for you and your family (if applicable). Please know that I will do my very best to keep the process flowing and the stress minimal.
I know that time is of the essence and am standing by, ready to expedite any request. Please reach out to me directly at (cell phone number) or email me at (email address).
Thanks a bunch.
(Sincerely,)
(Signature Printed – Legible Font)
(Name and Designations, if applicable)
(Phone Number – Preferable Cell Phone Number)
(Email Address and Website Address)
(Brokerage)
(Address)
(Social Media Handles)
(Tagline – People remember these and will quote them back to you)
5. Change in Listing Status Follow-up Template
Intended audience: Potential buyer
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for an offer to be rejected by a seller. That said, there are many reasons that can cause a real estate deal to fall through prior to closing. This is why it is important for an agent to continue to watch for status changes in their client’s favorite listings long after they attended the initial open house.
Subject: So exciting (address) is back on the market
Dear (Prospective Buyer),
Hoping that this note finds you in good health. I am so excited to share with you that the home you really liked at (address) is back on the market. I have reached out to the listing agent and they are requesting that we submit a current offer as soon as possible.
I know that time is of the essence and am standing by, ready to expedite any request. Please reach out to me directly at (cell phone number) or email me at (email address).
Thanks a bunch.
(Sincerely,)
(Signature Printed – Legible Font)
(Name and Designations, if applicable)
(Phone Number – Preferable Cell Phone Number)
(Email Address and Website Address)
(Brokerage)
(Address)
(Social Media Handles)
(Tagline – People remember these and will quote them back to you)
Pro tip: I would suggest strongly that you pick up the phone in this scenario and call your buyer if their dream home came back on the market. You also may want to send them a text. Don’t take a chance that they don’t see an email.
Tips to Crafting Your Own Follow-up Emails
While the templates above are a great starting point, they should be modified so that they sound like they are coming from you and reflect the nuances of your personality. In other words, the recipient of the email should hear you talking as they are reading.
Other tips include:
- Be succinct. Make your intent known in the subject line and keep your email short and to the point.
- Add a personal element. This may include referring the buyer to a lender or getting more specific information on the home that they wanted. This is a great way to demonstrate your attention to detail. These small nuances also build a faster relationship. Buyers want to know that you are listening.
- Keep it upbeat. Whether you are having a good day or a bad day, the language you use in your message should be pleasant. This is a key component of good customer service.
- Don’t use lingo that you wouldn’t say to someone in person. For example, being 56, I use certain terminology that is age appropriate. People can always spot a fake.
- Include an action item and request a response. You want to continue the flow of communication. Ask the reader to follow up with you in a specific period of time by giving them a task to call, text, or email you.
Tools to Manage Follow-up Emails
Whether you use one of our templates or create your own, you will need a system in place to follow up with your clients. Customer relationship management (CRM) tools such as LionDesk, Top Producer, and Propertybase offer a number of helpful features for tracking email sends and task reminders. You can learn more about these solutions by visiting our guide on the best CRM for real estate professionals.
That said, agents looking for a way to easily collect accurate contact information specifically from open house visitors should consider using Spacio, as this app includes a digital sign-in form and offers automatic and editable email follow-ups for as little as $25 per month. Even better, it also integrates with social media and includes tools to boost your listings.
Bottom Line
Your ability to follow up will either be the success or the failure of your business. As a successful real estate agent, you must take a proactive role at all times. No matter what the scenario is, you must take the lead. You may not be able to control the outcome, but you can influence the outcome. Don’t run your business on luck and the occasional gift from the real estate gods. Run your business like a well-oiled machine with systems in place where you control your destiny.
