👋

Blog

Automating Client Follow-Ups and Open House Reminders

Real estate Client Follow-Ups

Let’s Face It: Real Estate Is Busy.

Between showing properties, managing listings, negotiating offers, updating clients, and keeping up with market trends, follow-ups and open house reminders can easily fall through the cracks.

The truth is, most agents don’t lose clients because of bad service—they lose them because of no follow-up.

That’s where real estate automation comes in.

In 2025, top-performing agents and teams are using SMS and email automation to stay in touch with leads, remind clients about open houses, and follow up after every showing—without having to manually send a single message.

This guide will show you how to use automation to save hours each week, boost engagement, and never let a warm lead go cold again.

Why Follow-Ups Matter More Than Ever in 2025

Let’s look at the numbers:

  • 80% of sales require at least 5 follow-ups, but most agents stop after one
  • 45% of buyers choose the first agent they talk to
  • Leads contacted within 5 minutes are 21x more likely to convert
  • Over 70% of buyers expect digital communication, including reminders

In short, consistent communication is no longer a bonus—it’s expected. And in a market where buyers and sellers are comparing agents online, every touchpoint matters.

If you’re not following up, your competition is.

The Problem: Manual Follow-Up Is Exhausting (and Inconsistent)

Let’s be real—agents have good intentions. But most follow-up strategies look something like this:

  • A sticky note with a name and number
  • A calendar alert that gets snoozed
  • A mental note to “email them later” that never happens
  • Scrambling to remind buyers about tomorrow’s open house at 11pm

Not only is it inconsistent—it’s stressful. You end up reactive instead of proactive, and your client experience suffers.

That’s where SMS/email automation for agents makes all the difference.

What Is Real Estate Automation?

Real estate automation means using software and tools to perform repetitive tasks—like follow-ups, appointment reminders, or email nurturing—without you having to do it manually.

Instead of spending your day copy-pasting messages or chasing no-shows, automation handles it in the background—so you can focus on high-value activities like showings and closings.

And the best part? It’s easier than you think.

1. Automating New Lead Follow-Ups (Strike While It’s Hot)

The first 5 minutes after a lead comes in are critical.

If you don’t respond quickly, that lead is already messaging other agents. But if you do respond immediately—with a professional, personalized message—you stand out.

Automation Ideas:

Instant welcome email or SMS:

“Hey [Name], thanks for reaching out! I’d love to help you find the perfect home. What areas are you most interested in?”

Schedule link included:
Include a link to book a call or tour right away.

Follow-up sequence over 7–10 days:

  • Day 1: Welcome message
  • Day 3: Helpful guide (“First-Time Buyer Checklist”)
  • Day 5: Local market update or featured listings
  • Day 7: “Still looking?” text or call reminder

With SMS/email automation for agents, these messages are triggered automatically—so every lead feels attended to immediately.

2. Open House Reminders That Actually Get People to Show Up

We’ve all hosted an open house that no one showed up to—even though six people RSVP’d.

The solution? Automated open house reminders sent via text and email.

How it works:

  • Buyer signs up for the open house on your site or social post
  • They receive a confirmation message instantly
  • 24 hours before the event: a reminder with date, time, and address
  • 2 hours before: a final “See you soon!” SMS with parking tips or directions
  • After the event: follow-up asking for feedback or next steps

✅ This keeps you top-of-mind and builds trust through professionalism.
✅ Bonus: You can use reminder tools that allow quick replies (“Running late,” “Can’t make it,” etc.).

3. Post-Showing Follow-Ups That Don’t Feel Pushy

Following up after a showing is one of the most overlooked (yet valuable) actions you can take. But when you’re doing multiple showings per day, it’s easy to forget.

Automation can handle this without sounding robotic.

Sample automated flow:

  • 1 hour after showing:

“Hi [Name], it was great touring [Property Address] with you! What did you think? I’d love to hear your feedback.”

  • Next day:

“I’ve pulled a few similar homes you might like—check them out here [link]. Let me know if any stand out.”

  • 3 days later (if no response):

“Still thinking about [Property Address]? It’s getting interest. Want me to check on its status?”

✅ Pro Tip: Use tags in your CRM to track which properties each lead viewed. Your automation tool can personalize messages based on those tags.

4. Nurturing Old Leads Without Starting From Scratch

Not every lead is ready to buy or sell today. Some take months. But if you’re not staying in touch, they’ll forget you exist.

With automation, you can stay top-of-mind without doing a thing.

Example long-term email sequence:

  • Monthly newsletter with new listings, market updates, and tips
  • Quarterly “Are you still in the market?” check-in
  • Birthday or holiday greetings
  • Educational content:

     

    • “How to choose a mortgage in 2025”
    • “Best Toronto neighborhoods for young families”

✅ Each touchpoint builds trust and moves leads closer to working with you when the time is right.

5. SMS vs Email: Which One Should You Use?

SMS = Immediate, attention-grabbing, great for reminders
Email = Better for longer-form content, guides, and newsletters

The real power is using both together.

For example:

  • Email: “Here are 5 new listings in your budget”
  • SMS: “Just sent you an email with today’s best listings. Let me know what you think!”

✅ Stats show SMS has a 98% open rate, while email averages 20–30%. Together, they boost engagement dramatically.

6. Tools You Can Use to Automate It All

You don’t need a full tech team to set this up. These tools make it easy:

🔧 Real estate automation tools:

  • Follow Up Boss – Powerful automations + lead tracking
  • LionDesk – Video texting + drip campaigns
  • kvCORE – Built-in IDX + CRM + SMS/email automation
  • ActiveCampaign – Flexible sequences, great for teams
  • Zapier or Make.com – Connect your website, CRM, and calendar with automation “recipes”
  • Calendly + SMS reminders – Great for booking calls or showings

✅ Want help picking the right stack? Test our engagement tools risk-free—we’ll show you exactly what works.

7. What to Say in Your Automated Messages (Without Sounding Like a Bot)

Tone matters. Your automations should feel natural, helpful, and human.

Here are a few tested message templates:

After lead fills out contact form:

“Hey [Name], thanks for your interest! I’ve helped a few buyers in [Neighborhood] recently—mind if I ask what your timeline looks like?”

Day-before open house:

“Hi [Name]! Just a reminder—our open house for [Property] is tomorrow at 12 PM. Let me know if you have any questions. Looking forward to seeing you!”

After showing:

“Hope you enjoyed the tour of [Address]! If you want to revisit it—or compare it with others—just let me know.”

✅ Always leave room for the client to respond naturally. Avoid too many links or salesy language.

8. Measure Your Results and Improve Over Time

Automation doesn’t mean “set it and forget it.”

You should track:

  • Open rates on emails
  • Response rates on texts
  • No-show rates before and after adding reminders
  • Conversion rate by campaign
  • Which types of content get the most replies or clicks

Most tools have built-in reporting dashboards. Use that data to tweak subject lines, timing, or content style—and keep improving.

Benefits of Real Estate Automation (Let’s Sum It Up)

✅ Saves you hours every week
✅ Boosts response rates and engagement
✅ Builds stronger client relationships
✅ Improves open house attendance
✅ Helps you follow up with every lead—automatically
✅ Makes you look more professional and organized
✅ Frees you up to focus on closings, not chasing

Final Thoughts: Automation = Consistency = More Closings

If you’re serious about growing your real estate business in 2025, automation isn’t optional—it’s essential.

It’s the difference between reacting to leads and proactively building relationships. Between forgetting follow-ups and booking new appointments on autopilot.

And most importantly—it lets you scale without burning out.

Ready to Automate Your Follow-Ups and Open House Reminders?

 Test our engagement tools risk-free
We’ll help you build smart, personalized SMS/email sequences that turn leads into clients—without adding more to your plate.

Automating Client Follow-Ups and Open House Reminders

  • Most leads are lost due to poor follow-up—not poor marketing
  • Automation tools help you follow up instantly and consistently
  • Use SMS for quick engagement, email for value-driven content
  • Schedule open house reminders that drive attendance
  • Personalize your messages without manual effort
  • Use tools like Follow Up Boss, LionDesk, or Zapier to streamline
  • Review data and refine over time for better performance

Share

15 Minutes Free Discovery Call

How Zrafted Can Help Businesses?