35 Examples of Effective & Creative Real Estate Ads
Gina is a licensed real estate salesperson, experienced trainer, and former high school educator of 1,000+ learners. She writes for Fit Small Business with a focus on real estate content.
Jealie is a staff writer at Fit Small Business, specializing in real estate education.
This article is part of a larger series on Real Estate Lead Generation and Marketing.
Real estate ads are a dime a dozen—making yours stand out from the competition is imperative to capture leads, convert clients, and build your business. For your real estate advertisement to be effective and engaging, use stunning images, catchy headlines, and appealing designs that target your intended audience and evoke a response. We found dozens of examples of creative real estate ads from agents in all different mediums to inspire your advertising strategy.
Social Media Real Estate Ads
Cost to advertise: Depends on the social media network; requires a minimum ad budget of $1 to $40 per day
Time investment: Ad creation can be time-consuming, especially in addition to consistent posting on your feeds at least three times per week
Lead quality: Medium to high
Return on investment: High
It can be challenging to reach your target audience on social media because social media platforms are very saturated. On the other hand, they also have a massive outreach and can be a budget-conscious option for generating leads.
Although it is a saturated environment, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 52% of realtors note that social media results in the highest-quality leads versus other sources like multiple listing sites (MLS) and customer relationship management (CRM). These social media sources include Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Also, since ads can cost as little as $1 per day, you can potentially have a high return on investment (ROI) if you generate even one ad lead.
To capitalize on social media advertising, agents should use visually stunning images so people will not scroll past your post as well as clever copy to capture your targeted audience. Many people visit social media sites in their free time for entertainment and to catch up with the latest world news. Keep these strategies in mind when designing your post.
With Sprout Social, you can save time and get results by simultaneously optimizing and publishing content across multiple networks. Sprout Social integrates with various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. It provides simple access to a centralized library of multimedia assets for creating engaging content and previewing posts before they go live. Sprout Social also enables you to strategize, plan, execute, and measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and strategic projects with Sprout Campaigns.
Social Media Real Estate Ad Examples
Videos take time and can be expensive, but Facebook and Instagram’s algorithms favor them. That is why having a game plan is so important. We’ve compiled five social media post ideas that will work on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any other platform to help you get ideas for your next viral post and understand why those posts effectively generate leads.
Example of a seasonal ad for Halloween (Source: Rose Cervantes)
Why this ad works: It’s attractive to the eye and targets sellers to reach out about the sales process. Also, it’s seasonal and could be used during Halloween for further engagement.
Open house ad example (Source: Design Trends)
Why this ad works: This real estate ad displays stunning images of the home’s best features to attract buyers. It provides some information but leaves enough mystery about the house to encourage potential buyers to reach out.
(Source: Tat Londono Real Estate Coach)
Why this ad works: This realtor ad is a creative way to provide essential knowledge to investor clients, like how to become a successful real estate agent and which states have the strongest and weakest housing markets. Plus, it demonstrates you can showcase your skills as a real estate agent and introduce yourself to potential leads through video.
Funny real estate post to highlight brand (Source: Nikki Chavez)
Why this ad works: It is a fun way to showcase your listing, personality, and brand that will capture an audience’s attention.
If you’re stuck on ideas, here are the Top 21 Real Estate Memes and 32 Best Real Estate Jokes to create laughter, generate leads, and grow your real estate business and social media followers.
Example of real estate quote (Source: Jo-Ann McFearin)
Why this ad works: The tagline is geared toward buyers looking for a home using a simple but appealing image. It evokes emotion but uses humor to bring the point home, followed by a call to action (CTA).
If you want a complete brand presence across Google Ads and social media platforms, consider using Constant Contact. Known for its email marketing, it has every product you need to be found online, grow your audience, and engage with valuable traffic. Plans and pricing start at $9.99 per month and offer a 60-day free trial.
Internet Platform Real Estate Ads
Cost to advertise: Dependent on the platform and scope of work; the price ranges from free to hundreds of dollars per month
Time investment: Ads for realtors are frequently templated, making them easier to create, but still require you to spend time keeping listings up to date
Lead quality: Low to medium
Return on investment: Medium
As a real estate professional, you can advertise on high-traffic listing websites, such as your local MLS, Zillow, Realtor.com, Trulia, and Craigslist, to generate real estate leads. You can also advertise on Google, Microsoft Ads, Yelp, and your website to showcase yourself and your expertise in real estate to entice potential buyers and sellers. Nearly all of these sites, especially Yelp, can also be a great way to display reviews and testimonials from satisfied clients to secure your brand and value.
The benefit of advertising on real estate listing platforms is that you directly connect with active buyers and sellers ready to move forward in the sales process. On the other hand, these leads are often contacting multiple agents, so competition to convert them is more complicated. That’s why, in addition to advertising on listing websites, you should advertise your services using your real estate agent website and advertising platforms like Microsoft, Google, and Yelp.
Internet Platform Real Estate Ad Examples
Homebuyers and renters begin their search on the internet, whether for a real estate professional to guide them through the process or for a house with a specific property layout, price range, and location. Creative real estate advertisements are an excellent way to attract prospects and show them your listings virtually. To attract your target audience, ensure your ads stand out in a sea of visuals. Here are some examples of internet platform real estate ads and an explanation of why they stand out.
Property listing on Zillow example (Source: Zillow)
Why this ad works: Nest Seekers uses a visually stunning image to draw you in and then speaks about the benefits and details of working with their firm.
Read our The Ultimate Guide to Advertising on Zillow article to learn how to capture those leads by creating a Zillow Premier Agent (ZPA) account and utilizing the ZPA advertising feature wisely.
Screenshot of a real estate agent profile header (Source: Realtor.com)
Why this ad works: The real estate agent depicted uses a professional headshot, click-to-call contact information, and a link to their website and the listing. This can prompt buyers to reach out about this listing in particular and speak with her for additional context.
Check out our 12 Realtor Headshot Tips, Ideas & Examples to learn more about how to get a proper realtor headshot that will be usable on marketing materials and help you build a recognizable brand.
Real estate agent short description and review (Source: Yelp)
Why this ad works: This real estate agent uses Yelp advertisements to showcase his value and success, emphasizing 5-star client reviews.
Google ad sample (Source: Easy Agent Pro)
Why this ad works: Although this Google ad doesn’t display any images, it is still a highly effective internet ad for lead generation. It leverages keywords and (in the top example) the brokerage’s 5-star Google My Business profile ratings to generate real estate leads in a specific area.
If you want to generate leads and find real estate clients online using Google Ads for real estate agents, follow our steps for how to advertise on Google.
Sample real estate website (Source: Placester)
Why this ad works: You can advertise listings on non-real-estate-specific platforms, but you can also focus more on advertising yourself and your real estate services. The example above shows an agent’s website with a professional picture, realtor biography, featured listings, client testimonials, and guides to entice clients to reach out about the team’s services.
To optimize your real estate website, choose a company that can help you customize your site to your specifications. Placester is a 100% codeless website creator that allows you to connect directly with experts or start your website yourself using premade templates. Create logo designs, import testimonials, and integrate with IDX feeds and social media. Try it for free today.
Print Real Estate Ads
Cost to advertise: Varies from local to national reach; can be anywhere from $50 per ad to thousands.
Time investment: Ad design can be time-consuming but will not require consistent posting as with online platforms
Lead quality: Leads are likely to be high quality
Return on investment: Medium due to the higher cost of print
Print ads aren’t used as often as they used to be because of the abundance and low cost of online advertising. But as they say, don’t knock it until you try it. According to a survey by eMarketer.com, 82% of Americans said they trusted newspapers and magazine ads more than digital advertising, which gained the trust of only 61% of consumers. Print ads appear most commonly in magazines and newspapers and shouldn’t be any less interactive, engaging, or compelling than their digital counterparts.
For example, many print ads include a Quick Response code (QR code) that directs clients to other media like your website or social media sites so you can continue to tell and share your real estate “story” to interested and potential clients. Print ads also reinforce your brand by giving clients a tangible item to hold on to and remember.
Print Real Estate Ad Examples
The death of real estate print advertising has been greatly exaggerated. Some agents still believe in the persuasive power of ink and paper. Here are a few examples and explanations of excellent print ads that you must consider for a high return on investment (ROI)—or at the very least, to help your brand grow.
Example of a real estate flyer
(Source: Zillow Premier Agent)
Why this ad works: This free real estate flyer template from Zillow Premier Agent, similar to example #13, can be printed for use as a direct mail real estate ad but most often is given to clients at an initial meeting or open house. Flyers can advertise a specific listing or highlight your real estate business.
Zillow is an excellent source for flyer templates and ideas for your real estate advertisements. You can access an extensive library of marketing templates as a Zillow Premier Agent. Utilizing Zillow’s templates and a high volume of ready-to-convert leads could help your real estate business grow.
Screenshot of an ideal print real estate ad (Source: Mr. Grey Design)
Why this ad works: Although Douglas Elliman is a well-known real estate brand, they still have to demonstrate its marketing expertise, which this ad does well through color choice and compelling images.
Sample of an engaging real estate brochure (Source: Graphics Family)
Why this ad works: Developing a brochure is a savvy real estate advertising tactic because it can be used to promote your services in multiple situations. Although real estate brochures can be sent as direct mail, they are often distributed during open houses, networking events, in-office visits, and initial client meetings to emphasize your real estate brand.
Use our 20 Engaging Brochure Examples for Design Inspiration and Top 23 Real Estate Brochure Templates to Impress Your Clients for inspiration and ideas to attract and nurture clients to grow your real estate business.
Local real estate newspaper sample (Source: issuu)
Why this ad works: Publishing a local real estate newspaper with helpful knowledge and expertise is a successful way to generate leads in your community.
Screenshot of a full-page real estate newsletter
(Source: India Documents)
Why this ad works: The New York Times has a real estate section, a prevalent read in New York City. Although it is expensive to have a full-page or multipage ad, it is a fantastic way to feature your services to thousands of people and position your business as a large, well-funded brand.
To guarantee your print ad jumps off the page, enlist the help of the freelancers at Fiverr for a one-of-a-kind advertisement. Fiverr lets you preview work from multiple freelancers to decide who will fit your style and assist with ad creation for your real estate business. Prices vary based on expertise and experience but start as low as $5, so you can determine which freelancer to work with based on your ad ideas and budget.
Out-of-home Real Estate Ads
Cost to advertise: Depends on factors like size, duration, medium, and location; for example, out-of-home ad bulletin billboards can cost anywhere from $750 to $1,500 monthly in rural areas and up to $30,000 in large cities
Time investment: Low time commitment after an ad is created
Lead quality: Medium to high
Return on investment: High, especially for brand recognition
Out-of-home (OOH) advertising can appear to be one of the more expensive options for real estate advertising. But in actuality, the large number of impressions generated compared to the cost has a good return on investment and can yield high results for lead generation. OOH ads can be seen on buses, lawn signs, billboards, subways, park benches, bus and transit stops, vehicles, and so on, reaching a vast audience of potential buyers and sellers.
In contrast to the noise people experience online, OOH advertising can be a great alternative. OOH ads are harder to ignore, and you can’t click out of them like digital ads. They can also funnel leads toward your digital resources. For example, one study found that consumers were 48% more likely to interact with a digital ad after being exposed to an out-of-home ad first.
One reason they are highly effective is that you are advertising to a captive audience stuck in traffic or commuters taking the same transportation or route daily. Seeing your ads repeatedly builds brand awareness and reputation vs one-time forms of advertising.
OOH Real Estate Ad Examples
OOH advertising has changed dramatically in recent years as technology has advanced, and consumer awareness has grown. It is gaining traction daily as more companies invest in this sector. We’ve provided some examples and reasons below why OOH advertising is a great and practical way to generate leads in real estate.
Eye-catching real estate OOH ad (Source: Commarts)
Why this ad works: This StreetEasy real estate ad works because it is eye-catching and funny, especially for those living in metropolitan areas. It is relatable and makes a viewer think about their housing options.
Example of an excellent real estate billboard (Source: Ultim Marketing)
Why this ad works: This billboard has a clear headline that targets buyers but also places the agent front and center.
VistaCreate is a new graphic design platform that allows you to create billboards and other real estate marketing materials. There are over 75,000 templates and a million images in the free version, and over 70 million when you upgrade to the paid plan that only costs $10 per month. You can personalize a preformatted design for free or create your own. Sign up for its 14-day free trial to get started.
Sample ad on a bench (Source: IGN Boards)
Why this ad works: While this out-of-home ad is simple, it is noticeable to anyone who drives, walks by, or sits on this bench.
Automobile realtor ads (Source: Pinterest)
Why this ad works: These catchy realtor ads are very visual to anyone it passes by. Unlike stationary ads like billboards or benches, it has the advantage of mobility, exposing it to a broader audience. However, the essential qualifying factor making it an effective real estate ad is that it directs the viewer back to the “back pocket” mobile app for further engagement.
Ad on the back of a car (Source: The Alfano Group)
Why this ad works: This car wrap attracts attention with the color and slogan by invoking humor with a play on words.
If you want to begin OOH advertising using billboards as your medium, check out Blip Billboards. Blip Billboards advertises with digital billboards all over the country, so you can control the location, times, and frequency that viewers will see your advertisement. Your real estate ad can appear from 7.5 to 10 seconds at different times throughout the day to target more traffic for further outreach and lead generation potential.
Direct Mail Marketing Real Estate Ads
Cost to advertise: It depends on your design, mailing lists, marketing copy, printing, volume, and distribution; ranges between 30 cents to $10 per piece of mail
Time investment: Time to design and execute mailing strategy, but can be fast-tracked with online tools
Lead quality: Medium to high
Return on investment: Medium
Direct mail marketing is a pervasive real estate advertising strategy, commonly as postcards, flyers, catalogs, calendars, and similar printed content. Although this realtor advertising method is standard, it does not mean generating leads is less effective.
Here are some critical statistics to note from Murphy Research and PebblePost:
- 88% of crucial purchase decisions across retail, financial, and auto categories are made or discussed at home
- 82% of those purchases involve home purchases
- While email has a lifespan of just a few seconds, direct mail’s average lifespan is 17 days
Direct print marketing ads will make you stand out from the competition, hold attention for longer, and have a more influential emotional impact on clients than digital formats. Although it can be more expensive than direct digital marketing ads like email and text messages, it is still a budget-friendly option for real estate agents.
Another bonus of direct print marketing ads is that you can target a specific audience based on, for example, demographics, location, and niche clientele like buyers, sellers, investors, renters, and so forth. This enables you to farm real estate leads in a specific area to generate leads where you can capitalize on your real estate expertise.
Direct Mail Marketing Real Estate Ad Examples
Studying other people’s successful direct mail strategies before creating your direct mail campaign to attract and convert leads is essential. If you are searching for ideas and inspiration for your direct mail campaign, explore our curated successful direct mail examples and explanations below to guide and boost your marketing strategy, direct mail design, and copywriting.
Example of a mailable real estate flyer (Source: Granger Group)
Why this ad works: This mailable real estate flyer displays a home in the area with stunning photos to entice buyers to the listing and sellers who can see a sample of your marketing materials.
Real estate postcard sample (Source: Card Design Templates)
Why this ad works: This real estate ad targets sellers and gives them social proof of successful sales in the area.
Here are 13 Just Sold Real Estate Postcard Examples & Templates that you can use to attract and generate seller leads and build your brand presence after successfully selling a client’s home.
Perfect mailable real estate postcard to capture leads
(Source: ReaMark)
Why this ad works: This postcard generates buyer leads by targeting renters. It is a pain point for most renters that their money is not going toward home equity, encouraging them to think about buying.
Get started with VistaPrint for postcards, starting at $22.25, depending on size, quantity, and style. It has hundreds of premade designs to choose from that you can customize to fit the style and message of your brand. VistaPrint even has graphic design experts on staff to help you with your design needs.
Use Promo Code: FSB15 to take $15 off a purchase of $50 or more
Sample of a real estate personalized calendar (Source: Real Estate Calendars)
Why this ad works: A calendar is a valuable household item, so by sending out branded calendars that display your information, clients will be able to recall your brand.
Creative direct mail postcard with the recipe (Source: Pinterest)
Why this ad works: This clever direct mail real estate agent ads postcard targets potential sellers, but the added feature of a recipe causes clients to keep the card primarily to use the recipe while keeping your contact information.
For assistance in creating engaging direct print marketing ads, seek the help of professionals. ProspectsPLUS! will work with you to design and distribute ads via direct mail to prospective clients. You can launch full campaigns that rotate various branded designs to your target audience and schedule them to be sent periodically throughout the year for maximum exposure.
To get more ideas and inspiration for your postcard realtor advertisement, here are our Top 27 Real Estate Postcard Templates & Examples and what makes them effective in attracting, nurturing, and converting real estate leads into clients.
Direct Digital Marketing Real Estate Ads
Cost to advertise: Free for one-to-one or free email and text marketing plans, or from a few dollars per month on up when using paid online platforms
Time investment: Using an online platform can save time with templates; individual email can be more time-consuming
Lead quality: Low to medium
Return on investment: Medium
Another direct marketing strategy is communicating with your target audience and general contacts through digital means, mainly through email and text message advertising. While direct print ads have a higher effectiveness rate, email and text messaging can be a convenient and effective way to reach potential clients, keep your brand top of mind with your sphere of influence, and nurture leads over time.
Sixty-one percent of consumers trust email as their preferred method of communication with online brands, which helps increase brand recognition and conversion rates. Emails can be sent as follow-ups to past clients or potential leads during holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, or other occasions where text messaging may be inappropriate.
However, text messaging may be better for your real estate advertising campaign if you send shorter, personalized messages. Text messaging does have a higher open rate of 98%, with real estate email only being 13.42%, so texting can be a creative advertising opportunity to remind clients about upcoming events and open houses, services you provide, or a simple check-in.
Email and text messaging let you target a specific audience at a significantly lower cost than many other advertising methods. They also both allow engagement and interaction by including links to your website, landing page, or listings that will advertise your real estate business.
Direct Digital Marketing Real Estate Ad Examples
Many businesses have nailed their real estate direct digital campaigns by using creative thinking and execution. This includes providing clear headlines for direct emails, sending a monthly newsletter, and sending holiday emails with recipes or tips. Let’s look at some eye-catching examples of real estate direct digital marketing campaigns and why they are an effective marketing strategy for generating and converting leads.
Sample real estate direct email (Source: LYFE Marketing)
Why this ad works: This simple email has a clear headline that poses a question for buyers and, in the copy, gives a solution that showcases their real estate expertise and featured listings.
Lyfe Marketing’s a la carte email marketing services start at $500 per month. It includes two monthly email newsletters/blasts, email design and copy creation, list maintenance, and monthly reporting. A drip email campaign series (one sequence, four emails) can also be added for $500.
Example of a real estate text ad (Source: Ascend Lead Sites)
Why this ad works: This real estate text advertisement targets buyers ready to convert through advertising an open house.
Explore Ascend Lead Sites for its ideal real estate text message marketing feature that allows you to quickly send and receive text (video, SMS, MMS) on the Ascend Leads System, send and view your entire texting history on your CRM, and create a list of leads to text based on your filtered campaigns. Pricing starts at $99 plus a $149 setup fee.
Real estate monthly newsletter example (Source: Yeugenia Kazantseva)
Why this ad works: Sending a monthly newsletter is a great way to keep clients interested in your product and provide them with knowledge about the real estate market.
Read our Top 13 Real Estate Newsletter Templates & Tools and 9 Real Estate Newsletter Ideas to Stand Out From the Competition articles to generate new ideas and see the benefits of newsletters for your real estate advertising.
Real estate holiday email sample (Source: Pinterest)
Why this ad works: Holiday emails are a helpful excuse to reach out and connect with your clients to reinforce your brand and humanize your relationship.
Holiday greeting with Christmas recipe (Source: Pinterest)
Why this ad works: In addition to simple holiday greetings like in example #29, sending an email with tips such as recipes, neighborhood events, or holiday hosting tips will invite viewers to read and appreciate your value.
Emailing and texting contacts individually from your accounts is time-consuming and challenging to organize. Employ the services of a customer relationship management (CRM) tool, like Market Leader, instead. Market Leader combines effective, easy-to-use communication, marketing, advertising, and website creation tools in one robust platform. The platform enables you to streamline communication with email, text alerts, and automated drip campaigns for lead generation.
Branded Promotional Item Advertising
Cost to advertise: Depending on the items purchased, the cost can range from 10 cents to $1,000 each, and less costly when purchased in bulk
Time investment: Once the item is designed and complete, no additional time is involved; plus, successful items can be re-ordered with no extra design time
Lead quality: Medium to high
Return on investment: High
Branded promotional items are a popular marketing tool for real estate agents for prospects and former clients. According to LiquidScreenDesign, 83% of people like to get promotional products with an advertising message. So if you haven’t invested in promotional items for real estate advertising, it’s time to try it. Promotional items include shirts, hats, totes, cups, tumblers, writing instruments, key chains, small food items, or any other token that you can customize.
A key benefit to advertising with branded promotional items is that other people, including former clients, are doing your advertising for you by using the item in front of their friends, family, or colleagues. These objects act as a walking billboard for your services and, in effect, comprise an endorsement from the person wearing or using the item. Plus, people will often curiously ask about the item, creating brand buzz and formal referrals for your business.
According to the Global Ad Impressions Study, 40% of consumers keep some promotional items for more than 10 years, which is a longer shelf life than any other advertisement. Therefore, it can potentially have a higher return on investment (ROI). For instance, the price of a T-shirt may be $10, but the impressions for one to four years may amount to thousands.
Branded Promotional Item Advertising Examples
At job fairs and events, you’ve probably seen real estate branded promotional products like T-shirts, water bottles, and pens. Here are some examples of amazingly creative promotional marketing using branded items.
Real estate branded promotional pen ad (Source: BestPrintBuy)
Why this ad works: There’s a reason why the bank always ties their pens to the table—people are prone to pick them up and take them home inadvertently. You are getting your services and brand to a large audience by putting your contact information and logo on a pen.
Check out BestPrintBuy for its home-smart real estate pens. BestPrintBuy offers three grip pens with an imprint area greater than three inches, a Colorama pen with a more extended imprint area, and robust home-smart real estate branding. Choose from blue or black EverSmooth ink on any of its pens, as well as personalization with your contact info and a photo option.
Real estate phone wallet and business card (Source: iPromo)
Why this ad works: On average, Americans check their phones 344 times daily, once every four minutes. That is 262 times that they can see your logo on a cell phone wallet or business card sleeve and remember your real estate business.
Real estate economy can coolers (Source: BestPrintBuy)
Why this ad works: Not only are promotional items like these beverage koozies useful, they’re often used when people share beverages with others, so this can be an effective conversation starter between friends, family, and colleagues.
When it comes to promo gifts, Evabot is a creative option and one that will impress your clients. Evabot’s team will create and send your gift with a customized gift box and handwritten card branded with the logo and message of your choice. With an extensive catalog and automated system for collecting your client’s preferences, you can send a special thank-you or pop-by gift that will generate leads and referrals.
Real estate tote bag promotional item (Source: BestPrintBuy)
Why this ad works: Branded reusable bags and totes are very popular with many environmentally friendly people. By putting a humorous slogan and logo on a bag, your clients can become walking advertisements for you.
Real estate T-shirt ad (Source: Amazon)
Why this ad works: You can buy branded T-shirts as a gift for your clients after closing on their homes. When worn, they are not only functional ads but de facto endorsements for capturing referrals and attention from other potential buyers.
Check out AnyPromo.com for more promotional item ideas. With a catalog of over 200,000 items, it is a one-stop shop for creating custom promotional items for your events. They even have a section for Halloween deals and Memorial Day events. Buy in bulk to save money and benefit from free shipping.
Bottom Line
Best real estate advertisement examples consistently use memorable taglines, attention-getting and emotion-evoking images, and creative content. It’s important not to put all your eggs in one basket, so plan to place real estate ads on multiple channels to expose your brand and services to as many potential clients as possible. Although you’ll have to spend money to make some money, advertising for real estate is a quintessential part of building a successful real estate business.
