Last reviewed: 2025
Real Estate Follow-Up Scripts and Cadences: How to Stay in Touch Without Being Pushy
Most deals don't die because you said the wrong thing. They die because you went quiet.
The agent who listed that house you lost? They probably followed up three more times after you stopped. That's not luck. It's a system. And the good news is that a basic follow-up cadence -- with real scripts -- is one of the easiest things to build in this business.
This article covers why consistent follow-up matters, what cadence makes sense for different lead types, and actual words you can use on calls, in texts, and over email. We'll also touch on CASL, because electronic follow-up in Canada has legal guardrails that every agent needs to know.
Why Follow-Up Is Where Deals Actually Live
Most leads don't convert on first contact. A prospect who inquired about a listing in March might sign with you in August -- if you stayed present. If you disappeared after the first call, they'll sign with whoever did stay present.
The challenge isn't motivation. It's that following up after a lead goes cold feels awkward. You don't want to pester people. You don't want to seem desperate. So you wait for a "better time" to reach out, and eventually you just don't.
Here's the reframe that actually works: follow-up isn't about you. It's a service to someone navigating one of the biggest financial decisions of their life. A well-timed check-in that says "I'm still here and I know the market" is useful. Silence is not.
The goal is to build a system where you're consistently touching your pipeline without needing to muster fresh motivation every time. Scripts aren't about being robotic -- they're about removing the blank-page problem so you can focus on the actual conversation.
A Note on CASL Before You Start Sending
If you're doing any follow-up by email or text in Canada, CASL applies. The rules aren't complicated, but skipping them is a real liability.
The short version:
- Express consent is required before you send commercial electronic messages (email, text) to someone you don't have a prior business relationship with. A cold inquiry form submission alone is generally not express consent for ongoing email campaigns.
- Implied consent applies if there's an existing business relationship -- for example, within two years of closing a transaction with a client. During that window, you can email or text without obtaining separate express consent, but implied consent has limits.
- Implied consent also applies for 6 months from the date of an inquiry or application -- a new lead who filled out a form, called you, or emailed you asking about a property has given you a 6-month implied consent window for follow-up messages (identification and unsubscribe mechanism still required).
- Every commercial message must include: your name and contact information, and a working unsubscribe mechanism. If you're using a drip campaign or mass email tool, this must be built in.
- Once someone unsubscribes, you must stop sending within 10 business days. No exceptions.
For one-on-one follow-up calls and manual check-in texts or emails with clients you have a relationship with, day-to-day compliance is usually straightforward. Where things get complicated is when you move to automated sequences or email campaigns to cold leads. Get advice from your brokerage's compliance resources if you're unsure.
For the CRM and automation tools that handle consent tracking and unsubscribes, see The Real Estate Agent Technology Stack: What Tools Actually Matter.
Cadence by Lead Type
Different leads are in different places. A new inquiry who just clicked your listing needs something different than a past client you haven't spoken to in 18 months. Here are four lead types with cadences that respect the context.
1. New Inquiry (Online or Referral)
The first touch is the most important. Speed matters here -- not because there's a rule, but because a prospect who inquired 20 minutes ago is in a different mental state than one who inquired three days ago.
Suggested cadence:
- Day 1 (same day, within a few hours): Phone call + voicemail if no answer, followed by a text
- Day 2: Email -- the inquiry itself typically provides 6 months of implied CASL consent for follow-up (identification and unsubscribe mechanism required)
- Day 4: Second call attempt
- Day 8: Third touch -- value-add message or market update
- Day 14: Check-in call or message
- Month 2: Monthly light touch until they engage or ask to stop
Day 1 call script:
"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] -- I'm a realtor here in [City]. I noticed you had some questions about [property/area] and I wanted to reach out personally. I've got a bit of experience with that neighbourhood and I'd love to help you figure out if it's the right fit. Is this a decent time to chat, or would tomorrow work better for you?"
Day 1 text (after no answer):
"Hey [Name], [Your Name] here -- realtor in [City]. Just tried calling re: your inquiry. No rush, but happy to answer any questions about [area/property] when you've got a minute. Feel free to reply here or call me back at [number]."
Day 8 value-add email (with consent):
Subject: A few things happening in [Neighbourhood] this month
Hi [Name],
Just wanted to stay in touch. [One or two sentences about something genuinely relevant -- a market shift, a new listing, a recent sale that affects pricing in the area.] Happy to put together a more detailed picture for you if you'd find that useful.
[Your name, contact info, and unsubscribe link]
2. Open House Visitor
Open house leads are warm but often vague. They showed up, which means they have some level of real intent, but the timeline and readiness can vary a lot.
Suggested cadence:
- Day 1 (same day or next morning): Personal text or call
- Day 3: Email follow-up if they didn't engage (with consent)
- Week 2: Check-in -- did they see anything else they liked?
- Month 2: Monthly touch until they engage or ask off your list
Same-day text:
"Hi [Name], great meeting you today at [address]! It's [Your Name]. If you have any questions or want to see any similar listings, let me know -- I'm happy to pull some together for you."
Week 2 check-in call script:
"Hi [Name], [Your Name] here -- we met at the open house on [Street] a couple weeks ago. I wanted to check in. Did anything else catch your eye since then, or are you still figuring out the direction you want to go? No pressure either way -- I just want to make sure you're not missing anything useful."
3. Past Client (Within 2 Years)
This is your warmest category and often the most neglected. A client you closed with in the last two years has implied CASL consent, a real relationship, and the highest likelihood of referral.
Suggested cadence:
- 60 days post-close: Check-in call (how's the move, any issues?)
- 6 months post-close: Touchpoint -- market update, anniversary note, or value-add
- 12 months post-close: Annual check-in call or note (birthday, home purchase anniversary)
- Ongoing: Quarterly light touch -- market update, neighbourhood news, personal note
60-day check-in call script:
"Hey [Name], [Your Name] here. I was thinking about you -- it's been a couple of months since you moved in. How's everything going with the place? Anything come up that I can help with? And if you've had any friends mention they're thinking about buying or selling, I'd love to be introduced."
Annual check-in email:
Subject: One year in [their neighbourhood/city] -- time flies
Hi [Name],
Hard to believe it's been a year since you moved into [street or neighbourhood]! Hope you're settled in and loving it.
If you ever want a quick sense of what similar homes are selling for -- or if anything changes with your plans -- I'm always happy to chat.
Congratulations again on a great decision.
[Your name, contact info, unsubscribe link]
4. Cold Lead (No Recent Activity)
A cold lead is someone you spoke with, showed homes to, or emailed at some point but haven't had meaningful contact with in several months. The touch needs to feel low-pressure and personally relevant -- not like a mass blast.
Suggested cadence:
- Initial re-engagement: One-off call or personal text -- keep it simple
- If they respond: Move them into an active cadence
- If no response: One follow-up in 2 to 4 weeks, then quarterly
Re-engagement call script:
"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] -- we spoke [vaguely -- "a while back" or "earlier this year"] about [buying/selling in X area]. I know things don't always line up on the first try. I wanted to reach out because [brief, genuine hook -- market has shifted, new listings just came up in their target area, etc.]. Is that something that's still on your radar at all?"
Re-engagement text:
"Hey [Name], [Your Name] here -- we talked about [area/situation] a while back. Thinking of you -- some interesting things happening in [neighbourhood]. Worth a quick catch-up when you have a minute?"
What to Say After 6+ Months of Silence
This is the one most agents overthink. The worry is that reaching out after a long gap will seem strange or presumptuous. In practice, most people are fine with it as long as you're not pretending the gap didn't happen and you have something real to say.
The honest re-entry:
"Hi [Name], [Your Name] here. It's been a while -- I think we last connected back in [rough timeframe]. I've been thinking about reaching out because [one specific, genuine reason -- market conditions changed, new listings in their target area, something relevant]. Is now a decent time to catch up for five minutes?"
The key ingredients are:
- Acknowledge the gap naturally (don't make a big deal of it, just don't pretend it hasn't been months)
- Have a real reason for calling, even a thin one -- something market-related is usually enough
- Make it easy to say no or postpone ("Is now decent, or should I try another time?")
If they don't pick up, the voicemail should be short:
"Hey [Name], it's [Your Name] -- realtor in [City]. We connected back in [rough timeframe]. I had something specific I wanted to run by you about [area or topic]. Give me a call back at [number] when you've got a few minutes. No urgency."
Keeping It Human
Scripts are a starting point, not a script to read verbatim. The goal is to absorb the structure -- the reason for calling, the offer of value, the easy exit -- and then actually talk like a person.
A few things worth keeping front of mind:
- Listen more than you talk. A check-in call where you spend 80% of the time pitching is not a check-in -- it's a sales call. Ask a question and actually hear the answer.
- Make notes after every touch. What did they say? What's their timeline? What's their hesitation? This makes the next call feel personal rather than scripted.
- Respect their pace. If someone says they're not ready for six months, put them in your calendar for month five and hold off unless something genuinely relevant comes up in their target market. Showing up earlier just to show up proves you weren't listening.
- Short is better. Most re-engagement calls should be under five minutes if the lead isn't ready to move. Plant the flag, stay warm, and get off the phone. You're not closing them on this call -- you're staying present.
For a deeper look at building your broader sphere of influence strategy around consistent outreach, see Sphere of Influence Marketing for Realtors: How to Build a Referral-First Business. And if you want to automate parts of this cadence with a CRM, The Real Estate Agent Technology Stack: What Tools Actually Matter covers the tools worth looking at.
A Simple System Beats a Perfect One
You don't need a 12-step drip campaign to follow up well. You need a short list of leads, a cadence that makes sense for each type, and the discipline to actually execute it.
Most agents have the skills to do this. What they're missing is the structure. Pick one lead type from this article -- new inquiries, past clients, cold leads -- and build that cadence this week. Once it's habit, layer in the next one.
Consistent follow-up, done with some genuine care for where the person actually is in their journey, is one of the most straightforward ways to convert more of the business you're already touching.
This article is part of the Real Estate Scripts and Dialogues: A Canadian Agent's Peer-Tested Playbook series.