7 Real Estate Follow Up Letter Mistakes That Are Costing You Listings

A real estate follow-up letter reassures this happy seller after listing their home — proactive agent communication builds trust and drives referrals.

The real estate follow up letter is one of your sharpest tools—but too many agents are using it like a dull butter knife. Whether you're following up after a listing appointment, an open house, or a cold FSBO call, the goal is the same: stay top of mind, build trust, and drive the next action. But that won’t happen if your letter blends in with the junk mail.

Here are seven costly mistakes agents make with their follow up letters—and how to fix them before your next lead slips away.

1. Waiting Too Long to Send It

The biggest follow-up sin? Delay. Real estate is emotional and time-sensitive. When you wait three, five, or even ten days to follow up, the spark is gone. Your lead has likely spoken to another agent, forgotten your name, or moved on.

Fix it: Send your real estate follow up letter within 24 hours of the interaction. Even better, have a set of prewritten templates ready to go so all you need to do is personalize and hit send—or drop it in the mail.

2. Writing Like a Corporate Robot

"Thank you for attending our recent open house..." Yawn. If your letter sounds like it was written by a marketing intern at a bank, you're losing people fast. Buyers and sellers want to work with real humans—especially ones who can connect, listen, and care.

Fix it: Write like you talk. Use conversational language that sounds like you’re speaking to a real person. “It was great meeting you at the Maple Street open house. That kitchen got a lot of buzz!” is miles better than a generic form letter.

3. Skipping the Personal Touch

If your follow-up doesn’t reference something specific from your interaction, it’s a missed opportunity. People remember how you made them feel—and that starts with remembering them.

Fix it: Add at least one personal detail: a comment they made, a home feature they loved, or a concern they raised. This shows you listened and are genuinely interested in helping—not just checking a follow-up box.

4. Forgetting the Call to Action

What do you want the reader to do next? If your letter doesn’t clearly say it, don’t expect them to guess. Too many follow up letters end with vague phrases like “Let me know if you have any questions.”

Fix it: Include one strong call to action:

• “Let’s schedule a time to talk about selling before the weekend.”
• “Want to see similar homes with more outdoor space?”
• “Reply to this email and I’ll send over my updated market report.”

Make it clear, simple, and easy to respond to.

5. Using the Same Letter for Every Situation

One-size-fits-all is great for baseball caps—not follow up letters. A FSBO contact needs a different message than a past client. An expired listing isn’t the same as a buyer lead. Sending the same letter to everyone is a quick way to sound irrelevant.

Fix it: Build a short library of follow up letters tailored for different situations:

• After a listing presentation
• Following an open house
• FSBO outreach
• Expired listing contact
• Past client check-in

Customize as needed, but always start with the right base.

6. Sounding Desperate or Salesy

There’s a difference between confident and clingy. “Please call me!” or “I’d really love to earn your business!” sounds like begging. You want to show value, not insecurity.

Fix it: Lead with how you can help, not what you want. “If you’re still thinking about selling, I’d love to show you how I helped another seller in your neighborhood get 102% of asking” is far more powerful than “I’m just checking in to see if you’re ready.”

7. Why a Real Estate Follow Up Letter Is Your Secret Weapon for Building Trust and Getting Referrals

One letter isn't enough. People get busy, distracted, overwhelmed. If you send one follow up letter and never reach out again, you’re leaving money on the table. The real power is in the sequence.

Fix it: Plan a follow-up schedule:

• Day 1: Real estate follow up letter
• Day 4: Short text or email
• Day 7: Quick call or market update
• Day 14: Case study or testimonial letter

Persistence shows you’re serious—and keeps you in the running when they are ready.

Final Word: Fix Your Follow-Up Game Before the Next Lead Ghosts You

Every agent wants more listings, but few are willing to sharpen their follow-up. Now you know where most fall short. Avoid these mistakes, and your real estate follow up letter can become your quiet closer—the one that builds trust behind the scenes and keeps your pipeline full.

📬 Need Help Crafting the Perfect Follow-Up?

We’ve got you covered. Explore our library of prewritten real estate letters and templates—ready to personalize, send, and start winning business fast.

Whether you're working FSBOs, expireds, buyers, or open house leads, there's a letter designed to do the heavy lifting for you.

👉 Browse Letters & Templates for Instant Download »

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