People searching "sell my house in [town]" or "how much is my home worth" are telling you exactly what they need. Google ads for real estate can put you in front of them at that moment, without waiting for SEO. But real estate pay-per-click has pitfalls: portals bid on the same terms, many searches are informational, and housing ads have special policy restrictions.
This guide covers campaign structure, keywords, targeting rules, landing pages, budgets and measurement for agents and brokerages.
Google housing ads policy
In the United States and Canada, Google restricts how housing ads can be targeted to support fair housing. Housing advertisers cannot target or exclude audiences based on characteristics such as gender, age, parental status, marital status or postcode. Location targeting must use broader geographic options allowed by the policy. Check Google's current advertising policies before launching, because details are updated.
Google Ads for real estate: campaigns that make sense
| Campaign | Example keywords | Landing page |
|---|---|---|
| Seller valuation | home value [city], what is my home worth [area] | Home valuation page |
| Seller agent search | best realtor to sell my house [city], listing agent [area] | Seller services page |
| Buyer agent search | buyer's agent [city], realtor for first-time buyers [area] | Buyer consultation page |
| Area home search | homes for sale in [neighbourhood] | Neighbourhood guide with IDX |
| Brand | your name, team name | Home or about page |
| Specialist niche | new construction agent [city], condo specialist [area] | Niche page |
Seller campaigns usually produce the most valuable leads, because listings drive revenue and portals compete less directly for seller intent.
Home seller keywords
Seller keywords often perform best when they combine intent and location:
- sell my house [city]
- home value [neighbourhood]
- realtor to sell my home [area]
- how much is my house worth [city]
- listing agent near me
Exclude terms that do not fit your business, such as "for sale by owner forms", "rent", "jobs", "license" and "cash offer" if you do not offer that service. Review search terms weekly; see negative keywords.
Buyer keywords: proceed carefully
Generic buyer keywords such as "homes for sale [city]" are dominated by portals and are expensive. They can work when you send traffic to a high-quality neighbourhood or curated search page and follow up fast, but many agents get better returns focusing on buyer agent searches and specific niches. See IDX website.
Account structure
Keep campaigns separated by intent, with tightly themed ad groups. Use phrase and exact match while you learn. Add sitelinks to seller, buyer and valuation pages, call assets during staffed hours and location assets connected to your Google Business Profile; see Google Business Profile for realtors.
Ad copy that converts
- Use the area name: "Selling in [Neighbourhood]? Get a Local Agent's Valuation".
- Show proof: years in the area, homes sold, reviews, within advertising rules.
- Make the offer clear: free market analysis, seller consultation, marketing plan.
- Include required brokerage information if your state or brokerage requires it in ads.
Landing pages
Every campaign needs a matching page. Valuation campaigns go to a home valuation landing page; seller campaigns to a page explaining your marketing plan and results; buyer campaigns to a consultation page. Our real estate landing page guide covers layout and forms.
Real estate PPC budget
Budget depends on market competition, your goals and lead follow-up capacity. Work backwards:
- Decide how many seller appointments you want per month.
- Estimate conversion rates from click to lead and lead to appointment.
- Estimate cost per click from keyword research tools.
- Calculate the budget needed, then test with a portion of it for a few weeks.
| Metric | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Cost per lead | Basic efficiency |
| Lead to conversation rate | Shows follow-up speed and lead quality |
| Cost per appointment | Better measure of value |
| Cost per listing or contract | Strongest measure |
| Cost per closing | True return over time |
Real estate sales cycles can be long. Judge campaigns over months, not days, and keep tracking leads in your CRM until they close or are lost.
Conversion tracking
Track form submissions, calls and valuation requests as conversions. Import qualified outcomes, such as appointments or signed listing agreements, from your CRM as offline conversions so bidding learns which leads matter; see offline conversion tracking.
Local Services Ads
Google Local Services Ads are available for real estate agents in some markets, charging per lead rather than per click and showing a Google screening badge where applicable. Availability and requirements vary by location, so check whether they are offered in your area and compare lead quality with search campaigns.
Speed to lead
Paid leads cool quickly. Connect forms to your CRM with instant alerts and an automatic text, and call within minutes. See real estate speed to lead.
Seasonality and timing
Real estate search demand changes through the year, and seller searches often rise ahead of the busiest listing season in many markets. Review your search terms and conversion data by month, increase budgets slightly before your local peak and reduce spend in quiet periods when cost per appointment rises. Use ad schedules to show call-focused ads only when someone can answer, and run valuation campaigns around moments that prompt homeowners to check values, such as significant local market news.
Common mistakes in real estate Google Ads
- Bidding on broad "homes for sale" terms with a weak landing page.
- Sending seller traffic to a generic home page.
- Ignoring the search terms report.
- Stopping campaigns before leads have time to convert.
- Counting cheap leads as success without tracking appointments.
Get help with real estate Google Ads
Projectify Lab runs paid advertising for agents and brokerages with policy-aware targeting, landing pages and CRM tracking to closings. See our real estate marketing and technology approach or book a demo call.
