Common Real Estate Email Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Why this guide matters

Email is still one of the easiest ways to reach people who want to buy or sell in your area. It is low cost, quick to send, and simple to track. Yet many emails never get opened or clicked. The good news is that small fixes can lift results fast. This guide shows the most common mistakes and how to fix each one with clear steps and simple examples.

Mistake 1. Weak subject lines that do not earn the open

Your subject line is the front door. If it is unclear or dull, people will scroll past.

Why it hurts

• Low open rates

• Fewer enquiries

• Less trust over time

How to fix it

• Promise a clear benefit

• Use the name of the suburb

• Keep it under 45 characters

• Match the subject to the first line

Good examples

• New three bed homes in North Lakes this week

• What your suburb’s buyers are paying in September

• Two ways to lift your sale price before photos

Avoid

• All caps

• Too many emojis

• Clickbait that does not match the content

Mistake 2. Sending one email to everyone with no segments

Different people want different things. First home buyers do not need landlord updates. Owners in appraisal stage need a different message to active buyers.

Why it hurts

• Unsubscribes rise

• Your message feels off target

• Fewer replies

How to fix it

• Create simple tags such as Buyer, Seller, Landlord, Investor, Past Client, Open Home Visitor

• Store suburb of interest and price range

• Send each group content that fits their stage

Quick segment ideas

• Buyers this month

• Owners who asked for an appraisal in the last 90 days

• Landlords with a lease renewal due within 60 days

• Neighbours who visited an open home

Mistake 3. No clear goal or call to action

Many emails share news but never ask for the next step.

Why it hurts

• People read and move on

• No bookings in your calendar

• Hard to track success

How to fix it

• Choose one main goal per email

• Add one clear button or link

• Make the button easy to see and placed more than once

Effective calls to action

• Book your free price update

• Get the full photo gallery

• Ask for the rental guide

• See open home times and save them

Place calls to action

• Near the top after the first paragraph

• At the end as a final prompt

Mistake 4. Walls of text with no structure

Long blocks of text feel heavy on a phone. People give up.

Why it hurts

• Low read time

• Key points are missed

• Lower click through rate

How to fix it

• Use short sentences and short paragraphs

• Add clear subheadings and bullet points

• Use one strong image only where it helps

• Place the most important line first

Easy structure

• Hook line

• One benefit in one short paragraph

• Bullet points with proof or features

• Call to action

Mistake 5. Poor timing and the wrong sending rhythm

Emails sent at random times get random results.

Why it hurts

• You miss peak reading times

• People forget who you are

• Inbox fatigue if you send too often

How to fix it

• Send key campaigns in the morning on weekdays

• For open home follow up, send the same afternoon while interest is high

• For auction reminders, send the day before and the morning of the event

• Choose a simple rhythm such as one weekly market update and one property highlight

Useful timing moments

• Just listed

• Price change

• Under contract

• Sold with key learnings for the street

• End of month suburb report

Mistake 6. No personal touch or the wrong merge fields

Nothing breaks trust faster than Dear FirstName.

Why it hurts

• Emails feel cold

• People think it is spam

• Replies drop

How to fix it

• Test your merge fields before sending

• Use the person’s first name in the greeting only once

• Add a short human line that shows care

Good opening lines

• Hi Sam, thanks for visiting the open home today

• Hi Lee, here is your Park Ridge price update for September

• Hi Taylor, this home matches the wish list you gave me

Mistake 7. Image heavy designs that load slowly

Too many images slow things down, especially on mobile or in areas with poor reception.

Why it hurts

• Slow load times

• Images blocked by some email clients

• Your key message stays hidden

How to fix it

• Use one hero image or a small collage

• Compress images before upload

• Always write clear alt text so the message still makes sense if images do not load

• Keep the total file size small

Smart image use

• Lead with the best photo

• Add a caption that states the key benefit

• Link the image to the listing page

Mistake 8. Not testing for mobile

Most people read email on a phone. If your layout breaks, you lose them.

Why it hurts

• Buttons are hard to tap

• Text is too small

• Layout looks messy

How to fix it

• Use a single column template

• Make buttons large with short labels

• Leave white space so the eye can rest

• Send a test to yourself and view it on your phone before you send to the list

Mobile checklist

• Can I read this without zoom

• Is the main button easy to tap

• Do the links work

• Is the subject line fully visible

Mistake 9. Ignoring consent, privacy and the right to unsubscribe

People need to choose to hear from you. They also need a simple way to stop.

Why it hurts

• Complaints rise

• Deliverability drops

• Trust is lost

How to fix it

• Always get clear permission before adding someone to a list

• Confirm why they are on the list in the welcome email

• Place an easy to see unsubscribe link

• Honour every opt out quickly

• Keep private information safe and use it only for the reason given

Helpful consent lines

• You are getting this because you asked for weekly market updates for Cleveland

• You visited our open home on Saturday and asked for matching listings

Mistake 10. Not measuring results and not checking links

If you do not measure, you cannot improve. If links break, people cannot act.

Why it hurts

• You repeat weak ideas

• You cannot prove value to an owner or landlord

• You lose leads to simple errors

How to fix it

• Track opens, clicks, replies and bookings

• Use link tracking so you can see which parts get the most action

• Click every link in the test email before you send

• Record the numbers in a simple sheet and review them each week

Targets to aim for

• Open rate that improves month to month

• Click rate above your last send

• Replies or bookings from every key campaign

Simple frameworks you can copy today

Use these to speed up your next send and avoid the common traps.

The weekly market update

• Subject: Your suburb snapshot for this week

• First line: One clear insight in plain words

• Body:

  • New listings this week

  • Buyer activity you can feel on the ground

  • One helpful tip to lift sale price or rent return

• Call to action: Book your price update or see all listings

The new listing alert

• Subject: Fresh to market in Buderim

• First line: Who this home suits and why

• Body:

  • Three top features

  • Open home times

  • Link to photos and floor plan

• Call to action: Save your spot at the open home

The post open home follow up

• Subject: Thanks for visiting today

• First line: Thank them by name and mention one detail they raised

• Body:

  • Link to the full info pack

  • Next viewing time

  • Invite questions

• Call to action: Tell me your thoughts or request a private viewing

The sold update for neighbours

• Subject: Sold in your street with details inside

• First line: Share the result and one lesson

• Body:

  • Days on market

  • Number of inspections

  • Buyer feedback that shaped the result

• Call to action: Ask for a price update for their home

Your email quality checklist before every send

• Is the subject line clear, short and useful

• Does the first line match the subject

• Is there one main goal and one clear call to action

• Is the layout clean with short paragraphs and bullet points

• Do all links work

• Does it look great on a phone

• Is the list right for this message

• Is the greeting correct with their name

• Is there an easy unsubscribe link

• Did I send a test to myself and a colleague

A simple sending rhythm you can keep all year

Consistency builds trust. Choose a rhythm you can keep even in busy weeks.

Core rhythm

• One weekly market update for your core suburbs

• One property highlight or case study each week

• Timely campaign emails for new, price changed, under contract and sold

Seasonal extras

• Start of year goals for owners and investors

• Mid year market check

• Spring selling guide

• End of year wrap with key results

How to recover if you made a mistake

Everyone makes mistakes. How you respond can build more trust.

Steps

• Fix the error fast and send a short correction

• Say what changed in one line

• Thank the reader for their patience

• Offer help if the error caused confusion

Example

• Subject: Quick correction on open home time

• Body: Hi Sam, the open home for 12 Beach Road is at 11 am on Saturday. Thanks for your patience. Reply if you want a private tour.

Bringing it all together

Great email is simple. Right person. Right message. Right time. Use clear subject lines. Write for one reader. Ask for one next step. Test on your phone. Track the numbers. When you do this each week, more people open, click, and book. More owners invite you in. More buyers and renters reach out. Your pipeline grows with less effort.

Use this guide as your checklist for every send. Keep it close. With small, steady improvements, your email becomes a quiet engine that supports every listing and every client conversation.

Author – Ken Hobson