How to Run Facebook Ads for Real Estate

Over 50% of home buyers found their home online in 2023, and nearly 20% used social media during their search (National Association of Realtors). That trend is only accelerating. With billions of people logging in every day, Facebook offers a massive opportunity for real estate professionals to connect with high-intent buyers and sellers where they already spend their time.

Whether you’re an agent working in Salt Lake City, a broker launching new listings, or a recent grad from Framingham State building your book of business, Facebook Ads can help you stay top of mind, build your brand, and generate high-quality leads.

But real results don’t come from boosting a random post. To drive conversions, you need a strategy that uses smart targeting, eye-catching visuals, and optimized landing pages designed to convert.

Here’s what we’ll walk you through:

• How to pick the right ad format based on your audience's intent

• How to make the most of carousel ads, 360 video, and virtual tours

• How to raise your click-through rate and conversion rate using proven copy and design tactics

• How to use retargeting and social proof to stay memorable

• And how to use AI tools like Averi to launch smarter, faster campaigns that scale with you

These are the key elements to ensure your ad campaigns turn scrolling into showing:

• Every click should drive value
  Leverage Targeting options to make sure your ads are reaching people ready to move, whether it’s first-time buyers, investors, or upsizers.
  
  

• Visuals matter more than ever
  Single-image ads don’t cut it anymore. Invest in rich visuals, Facebook Stories, and video marketing to grab attention and build emotion.
  
  

• Your landing experience should match your ad
  No one wants to click a great ad and land on a clunky site. Match every campaign to an optimized landing page that keeps potential buyers engaged.
  
  

• Trust is your secret weapon
  People don’t buy from strangers. Incorporate social proof, testimonials, and neighborhood expertise ads to establish authority in your local market.
  
  

In this blog, we’ll break down the eight steps to running Facebook Ads that not only get clicks, but help close deals.

Why Real Estate Has a Different Playbook for Facebook Ads

Running Facebook Ads for real estate isn’t the same as promoting a new product or pushing a flash sale. You’re not selling shoes or software; you’re helping people make one of the most significant decisions of their lives.

Whether it’s finding their first home, upgrading their space, or relocating across the country, buyers and sellers are emotionally and financially invested in the process. That means your ad strategy must be personal, precise, and designed to build trust from the very first impression.

You’re not just marketing a property. You’re showcasing a lifestyle, proving your local expertise, and guiding clients through a complex transaction with clarity and care.

Here’s what makes real estate advertising on Facebook unique:

You’re selling more than square footage.
It’s not just about the number of bedrooms or proximity to a park. Buyers want to picture themselves living there. That means your ads need to tap into market trends, highlight community perks, and frame listings as part of a larger story.

Your inventory is always changing.
Unlike e-commerce, you’re not selling the same SKU every week. Each listing is unique, and timing matters. Your ad campaigns must be agile, ready to go live quickly, update on the fly, and retire once the property is sold.

Your leads are at different stages.
Some people are just browsing. Others are pre-approved and ready to buy. Your Target Audience targeting and messaging should reflect this, offering different types of content, from market reports to lead magnet downloads, based on where people are in the funnel.

Trust is the ultimate differentiator.
There are numerous agents out there. To stand out, you need social proof, consistent branding, and ads that feel human. Highlight reviews, recent sales, and your unique value to your neighborhood.

Your best leads may come later.
Home buyers don’t always act right away. That’s where Retargeting Ads, Messenger Ads, and nurturing tools like Constant Contact come into play. Great follow-up separates curious clicks from serious conversations.

Running Facebook Ads for real estate is about striking a balance between immediacy and long-term value. Every ad is an opportunity to showcase your expertise, generate interest, and establish relationships that lead to closings.

Step 1: Set Up Your Facebook Business Page

Your ads are only as strong as the page they come from

Before running a single Facebook Ad, ensure your Facebook business page is set up and fully optimized. This is your home base, where potential buyers, sellers, and leads will land after seeing your ad.

A strong business page builds credibility, boosts your conversion rate, and gives every ad campaign a better chance of success.

Here’s what to include:

• A branded profile and header image that looks good on mobile

• A clear bio that highlights your location, niche, and contact info

• A call-to-action button that links to your landing page

• Regular posts featuring listings, market trends, and updates

• Social proof in the form of reviews, testimonials, and photos
  
  
  

If you haven’t yet, use Meta Business Suite to manage your page, schedule posts, and monitor performance across Facebook and Instagram. It’s also the control center for your Facebook Ads Manager, which you'll need to run and refine paid campaigns.

You can also leverage Facebook Insights to see what content drives the most engagement, and even list properties on Facebook Marketplace to boost local visibility.

Looking to connect your listings automatically? Tools like MLS Connect can sync your MLS feed to your Facebook page, keeping your inventory fresh and accurate.

Pro-Tip: Streamline your workflows with Paperless Pipeline, which helps manage transactions, documents, and client interactions without juggling multiple platforms.

Step 2: Choose the Right Facebook Ad Format

Different listings call for different visuals, and different formats

Not all homes are created equal, and neither are Facebook Ads. The ad format you choose should reflect both the listing itself and the action you want the viewer to take.

Whether you're showing off a luxury home with a pool or advertising an open house in a starter neighborhood, Facebook offers several types of ad formats to help you connect with your target audience in the right way.

Here are the most effective formats for real estate:

• Carousel ads: Great for showing multiple rooms, before-and-after shots, or highlighting several listings in one swipe-friendly format.

• Single-image ads: Simple, effective, and mobile-friendly. Use when you want the photo to speak for itself, especially for standout exterior shots.

• Story Ads: These full-screen, vertical ads are perfect for mobile users and can drive quick clicks to your landing page.

• Video marketing: Ideal for walkthroughs, 360 video, or short reels explaining local market conditions.

• Messenger Ads: Drive direct engagement by inviting leads to message you for more info, showings, or price details.

You can also use Facebook Stories to get more visibility at a lower cost per impression. Quick, engaging Stories with strong CTAs like “Swipe Up for a Tour” are ideal for mobile-first audiences.

Choosing the right format isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about what performs best for your goal, whether it’s lead generation, click-through rate, or brand recognition.

Pro-Tip: Use Canva’s Ad Creator to design ad variations for different formats and placements easily. It includes real estate templates and exports files sized perfectly for Facebook.

Step 3: Define and Refine Your Target Audience

The right audience is the difference between clicks and closings

If you're advertising to everyone, you're wasting money. Successful Facebook Ads for real estate rely on a sharp, specific Target Audience.

Facebook’s Targeting options allow you to build audiences based on location, behavior, demographics, and interests. But the real magic happens when you combine that with local market knowledge.

Start by narrowing your audience by:

• Zip code, city, or neighborhood radius (especially useful for Salt Lake City or hyper-local campaigns)

• Life events like “recently engaged” or “just moved”

• Interests like mortgage calculators, house hunting, or real estate investing

• Age range and income level for better cost per click and lead quality

Want to dig deeper into what your audience actually cares about?

Use tools like:

• Facebook Audience Insights to explore user behavior and ad performance

• SparkToro to understand your audience’s podcasts, websites, and social habits

• AnswerThePublic surfaces questions your audience is asking online

• Similarweb for competitive traffic insights and content gaps
  
  
  

You can also create Retargeting Ads to reach people who already visited your landing page, clicked a prior ad, or messaged you, making your marketing dollars go further with warmer leads.

Pro-Tip: Try AdEspresso’s Audience Builder to test multiple audience segments quickly and optimize based on real-time performance data.

Step 4: Craft a High-Converting Landing Page

Your ad gets the click, your landing page gets the lead

Getting someone to click on your Facebook Ad is only half the battle. The next step is just as important: delivering a seamless, compelling experience on your landing page.

Whether you're promoting a listing, an open house, or a lead magnet like a local market report, your landing pages should be fast, focused, and mobile-friendly. They should guide your Target Audience toward one explicit action: booking a tour, requesting a CMA, or signing up for updates.

Key elements every real estate landing page should include:

• A striking headline tied directly to your ad campaign

• One specific call to action, like “Schedule a Showing” or “Download the Report”

• Clean layout with minimal distractions and no unnecessary navigation

• Visuals like property photos or short videos

• Embedded lead forms or integrations with your CRM
  
  
  

Need help building pages that convert?

Here are some great tools to get you started:

• Unbounce for custom, drag-and-drop real estate landing pages

• Leadpages for quick, mobile-optimized lead capture templates

• Instapage for dynamic text replacement and A/B testing

• HubSpot Free Landing Page Builder for integrated forms and follow-up sequences

And don’t forget to connect your landing page to services like Constant Contact or your CRM to automate follow-ups.

Pro-Tip: Use Hotjar to track how visitors interact with your landing page, see where they click, scroll, or drop off so you can improve your conversion rate over time.

Step 5: Offer a Lead Magnet That Drives Action

Give value first, and the leads will follow

Not everyone is ready to book a showing the first time they see your Facebook Ad. That’s why smart agents use lead magnets, free, valuable resources that capture interest and build trust.

A good lead magnet turns browsers into buyers by providing them with a compelling reason to connect. And once they opt in, you can follow up with targeted retargeting ads, email flows, or even Messenger Ads.

Top-performing real estate lead magnets include:

• Local Market Reports: “What’s My Home Worth in [Your City]?”

• Home Buyer Checklists: Step-by-step guidance for first-timers

• Seller Guides: Tips for prepping a home, choosing an agent, or timing the sale

• Neighborhood Expertise Ads: Free guides on schools, restaurants, and commute times

• Coming-Soon Listings: Early access to inventory before it hits the MLS
  
  
  

To build or distribute your lead magnet, try:

• Beacon - Design polished guides and downloadable PDFs

• ConvertKit - Build simple opt-in forms and automation

• Flodesk - Make your email follow-ups look beautiful and on-brand
  
  
  

Pair your lead generation ads with landing pages that convert, and be sure to test multiple CTAs (“Download Now,” “Get the Guide,” “Unlock Access”) to see what drives your highest conversion rate.

Pro-Tip: Use Meta’s Lead Ads to collect contact info without leaving Facebook. It’s faster for users and lowers your cost per click.

Step 6: Retarget the Right Way

Stay top of mind without being annoying

Most people don’t convert the first time they see your Facebook Ads. That’s not a failure, it’s a feature. With the right retargeting ads, you can bring those viewers back and move them closer to action.

Retargeting helps you reconnect with:

• People who clicked your ad campaign but didn’t fill out a form

• Visitors to your landing page who bounced

• Users who engaged with your Facebook business page, messaged you, or watched a listing video

Using Facebook Ads Manager, you can create custom audiences based on:

• Website visitors (with the Meta Pixel)

• Page engagement (likes, comments, shares, views)

• Lead form interactions

• Past customers (via email upload or CRM sync)
  
  
  

Then, tailor your ad format and message to where they left off. A retargeting ad might say:

• “Still looking in Salt Lake City? This new listing just hit the market.”

• “Download your free guide to selling fast in a high-interest market.”

• “Here’s a second look at that property you loved, now with a video tour.”
  
  
  

This isn’t the time for generic copy. The more relevant your retargeting ads are, the higher your click-through rate and the lower your cost per click.

Pro-Tip: Use AdRoll or RetargetApp to automate your retargeting efforts across Facebook, Instagram, and even Google. These tools sync directly with your store or CRM to help scale retargeting efforts without additional effort.

Step 7: Showcase Your Market Expertise with Smart Ad Content

Be the agent who knows the market better than anyone else

In a competitive real estate market, knowledge is a valuable commodity. Use your Facebook Ads not just to promote listings, but to position yourself as the go-to expert on market trends, pricing shifts, and local insights.

The goal isn’t just to sell homes, it’s to build authority that drives trust and long-term lead flow.

Use Your Ads to Deliver Insight, Not Just Listings
Buyers and sellers want context. Why is now a good time to move? What’s happening in their neighborhood? Real-time data builds urgency and demonstrates your expertise.

Try ad angles like:

• “Salt Lake City Prices Just Hit a 3-Year High, What It Means for Buyers”

• “Inventory Is Tight in [Your Area], Here’s What Sellers Can Expect”

• “Your July 2024 Local Housing Snapshot: New Listings, DOM, and More”

Build a Series of Educational Ads
Not every ad needs to drive a sale. Try weekly or monthly ad campaigns that highlight:

• Local market report recaps

• Buyer FAQs or inspection tips

• “Ask a Realtor” Q&A videos

• Seller prep guides or checklist-style posts

Use video marketing, Story Ads, and Messenger Ads to deliver this content in different formats, and boost reach.

Use Data to Reinforce Trust
People trust agents who back their advice with data. Link to:

• Redfin Data Center

• Realtor.com Research

• Pew Research on Homeownership

Pro-Tip: Try Local Logic to get real-time neighborhood data and visuals to use in ads. You can compare walkability, noise, transit access, and more, perfect for building smart Neighborhood Expertise Ads.

Step 8: Use AI to Scale Your Real Estate Ad Strategy

Get from idea to execution faster with better results

You don’t need a huge team or endless hours to run high-performing Facebook Ads. With AI-powered platforms, you can automate the hard parts: writing ad copy, generating visuals, building landing pages, and analyzing results.

Whether you're promoting carousel ads, pushing a lead magnet, or retargeting warm prospects, AI helps you move faster and test smarter, without sacrificing quality.

Here’s how the top platforms compare:

• Averi: Purpose-built to help you launch, test, and optimize paid social campaigns in days, not months. Averi combines AI tools with real marketing experts to create fully built campaigns tailored to your goals. From Facebook Ads Manager setup to audience targeting and post-launch tweaks, Averi covers it all.
  
  
  

• AdCreative.ai: A tool for generating visual assets and copy, ideal for quick mockups but less personalized.
  
  
  

• Jasper: Strong for long-form marketing copy, though more general-purpose and less integrated with ad platforms.
  
  
  

• Smartly.io: Built for enterprise-scale automation, great for managing large ad budgets across multiple channels, but may be overkill for solo agents or smaller teams.
  
  
  

Why Averi is the #1 pick for real estate pros:
It combines speed, quality, and human expertise, all in one. While other tools help with parts of the process, Averi provides a comprehensive solution, encompassing strategy, execution, optimization, and even real-time reporting. That’s a game-changer when your focus is on closings, not campaign logistics.

Pro-Tip: Start with Averi to build your next campaign. In under a week, you can go from raw listing to live ad, with every piece, copy, audience, ad format, and visuals, ready to go.

Common Facebook Ad Mistakes Real Estate Professionals Make

Even with the right listings, tools, and intent, it’s easy to waste time and ad spend on campaigns that miss the mark. Here are five common mistakes, and how to avoid them.

• Focusing only on impressions
  Getting your ad in front of a lot of people might feel productive, but reach doesn’t equal results. Ensure every ad campaign has a clear goal, whether it’s lead form submissions, showings, or landing page visits, and track its performance accordingly.

• Sending users to a slow or generic landing page
  If your landing page takes too long to load or feels disconnected from the ad, most users will bounce. Optimize for mobile, keep the page focused on one property or offer, and ensure your call to action is crystal clear.

• Tracking the wrong metrics
  Likes are nice, but they don’t close deals. Focus on key performance indicators, such as click-through rate, conversion rate, and cost per click. Use Facebook Insights or connect your CRM to monitor lead quality, not just traffic.

• Recycling the same creative too often
  Running the same single-image ads with identical copy week after week will tank engagement. Refresh your ad format regularly, rotate in carousel ads, video walkthroughs, and seasonal updates to keep your target audience engaged.

• Skipping follow-up and retargeting
  Not everyone will convert on their first click. Retarget visitors who engaged with your Facebook business page, clicked on your lead magnet, or visited your site without taking action. And don’t forget to build lookalike audiences based on past clients or warm leads.

How Averi Helps You Run Smarter Facebook Ads

A great listing is only part of the equation. Turning it into a high-performing Facebook Ad that drives real leads? That’s where Averi comes in.

Averi combines AI-powered tools with expert human support to help real estate professionals launch campaigns that actually convert. From building the right target audience, to generating standout visuals and copy, to optimizing your conversion rate, Averi simplifies every step without cutting corners.

You don’t need a full-time marketing team to run effective ad campaigns. You need a platform that takes care of the heavy lifting:

• Smart automation that targets high-intent buyers and sellers

• Creative recommendations based on listing type, location, and audience behavior

• Real-time insights that boost click-through rate and lower cost per click

It’s like having a digital ads team in your corner, minus the guesswork, delays, or unnecessary costs. With Averi, your listings get seen, your brand grows, and your pipeline stays full.

FAQ: Facebook Ads for Real Estate

Do Facebook Ads really work for real estate?

Yes, when done right. With the right target audience, compelling visuals, and a strong landing page, Facebook Ads can drive serious leads for agents, brokers, and teams. Many buyers start their home search online, and Facebook gives you a chance to meet them there.

How much should I spend on real estate Facebook Ads?

It depends on your market and goals, but many agents start with $5–$20 per day per campaign. The key is to optimize over time using metrics like cost per click, conversion rate, and post-click engagement, not just reach.

What’s the best ad format for real estate listings?

Carousel ads are great for showing multiple rooms or properties. Video marketing and Story Ads are perfect for mobile users. Don’t underestimate single-image ads either, just ensure your photo stands out.

How do I get leads from my ads, not just clicks?

Use a strong call to action and drive users to optimized landing pages. Offering a lead magnet, such as a market report or buyer guide, increases the chance they’ll share their contact information. You can also use lead generation ads to collect info directly on Facebook.

How do I know if my ad is working?

Focus on metrics that matter: click-through rate, conversion rate, cost per lead, and time on site. Utilize tools like Facebook Insights and Facebook Ads Manager, as well as platforms like Averi, to monitor and enhance performance.

Do I need a CRM or email tool to follow up?

Yes, capturing leads is just the start. Connect your ads to platforms like Constant Contact or Paperless Pipeline to automate follow-ups and manage relationships efficiently.

Can I run ads without a website?

Yes. Facebook’s lead generation ads enable you to collect names, emails, and phone numbers directly within the platform. But for long-term success, having a professional site or landing page improves trust and performance.

Ready to Stop Planning and Start Executing?

Most agents don’t struggle with bad listings, they struggle with poor execution.

While others are debating which photo to boost or when to post, you could be launching full-funnel Facebook Ad campaigns, testing messaging, and generating leads, all in days, not months.

Get Started in 3 Steps:
Book a 15-Minute Demo - See how Averi works specifically for your real estate business
Connect with Expert Talent - Get matched with marketers who know how to run high-performing real estate ads
Ship Your First Campaign - Go from concept to execution in under a week

Don’t waste another month hoping your next post gets seen.

Launch faster with Averi →

“Averi helped us go live with a full campaign in under a week. The leads were real, the creative looked amazing, and the whole process just worked.” — Jessica Ray, Marketing Director