The short answer
At ACE, we help realtors get known before the homeowner is ready to sell. We find homeowners in your area who show signs of moving, and reach them by mail, text and email. Each one gets a personal offer from you and can unlock a real gift card, like a coffee on you, for watching a short video or requesting a home value update. The reward is for engagement only, never tied to listing, buying, selling, closing or referrals. You get a list of the people who raised their hand.
1. Pick your area and own it
Listings come from being known in one place, not spread thin across a whole city.
- Pick a farm of a few hundred to a few thousand homes with steady turnover.
- Reach every home, including gated and no-soliciting neighborhoods you can't door knock.
- Show up often with local market updates, not just "just listed" cards.
Go deeper: how realtors win more listings in a farm area.
2. Find the homeowners most likely to sell
Most sellers start researching months before they call an agent. They check home values, browse listings and look up moving costs.
- Use data, like ACE Data, to find homeowners showing those early signs.
- Reach them first with something useful, like a home value update.
- Target by area and behavior only, never by a protected group.
Go deeper: how to find homeowners who are thinking about selling.
3. Follow up after every open house
Most open house visitors never hear back. Many are neighbors who will sell in the next year or two.
- Text the same day with something useful, like comparable sales.
- Follow up for weeks, not once.
- Treat neighbors as future sellers, not just curious visitors.
Go deeper: open house follow-up that gets replies.
4. Stay in touch with your sphere
Most past clients say they'd use their agent again, but many can't remember the name when it's time.
- Clean your database and scrub phones against Do Not Call lists.
- Lead with something useful instead of "just checking in."
- Keep a steady rhythm: monthly updates, a personal message every quarter, a yearly home value update.
Go deeper: how to reconnect with your sphere and past clients.
5. Earn more referrals
Referrals come from people who remember you and find it easy to send someone your way.
- Ask clearly at good moments, like closing and home anniversaries.
- Make it easy to share with a link they can forward.
- Don't pay for referrals where your state bans it.
Go deeper: how to get more referrals, and what the rules allow.
6. Know the rules on rewards
Small rewards can help, but what they're for matters.
- RESPA: no payments or gifts between you and lenders, title companies or other providers for referrals.
- State law: some states ban any gift to an unlicensed person for a referral; others allow a small gift with limits.
- Fair Housing: target by area and behavior only.
- Reward engagement, like watching a video, not outcomes like listing or closing.
Go deeper: realtor gifts and rewards, what's allowed by state and under RESPA. This is general information, not legal advice. Check with your broker and attorney.
7. Track what works
Know which homeowners engaged, which ones you called and which became appointments. With ACE, you see exactly who watched your video and claimed a reward, so you call people who already know your name.
What we've seen
Across ACE campaigns, engagement has ranged from about 5% to 28% across direct mail and digital. Campaigns usually take 2–3 weeks to launch. These are past results, not a promise for your market.
When this isn't the right fit
- You won't follow up. A list of interested homeowners only helps if you call them.
- Your broker doesn't allow any consumer rewards. Use the farming, follow-up and sphere steps without them.
- You need a listing tomorrow. This builds a steady pipeline over months.
Learn more about ACE for realtors.
Frequently asked questions
How do realtors get more listings?
Pick a clear area, find homeowners showing early signs of selling, follow up fast after open houses, stay in touch with your sphere and earn referrals.
What is the best way for a new agent to get listings?
Start with a small farm area and your personal sphere. Show up often with useful market updates, and follow up with every open house visitor.
How do I find homeowners who want to sell?
Look for early signs, like checking home values or browsing listings, and reach those homeowners with something useful before another agent does.
Can realtors use gift cards in marketing?
Usually, when the reward is small, open to everyone and tied to engagement, not to listing, closing or referrals. Rules vary by state, so check with your broker.
How long does it take to see results from farming?
Most agents need months of steady contact before a farm turns into regular listings. Engagement campaigns can surface interested homeowners sooner.
How long does an ACE campaign take to launch?
Usually 2–3 weeks.
About the author
Jake Nicks is the founder of ACE (Actual Consumer Engagement), a customer acquisition firm in Frisco, Texas. He has 10 years in paid media and has directed more than $2 billion in ad spend. ACE's verified-action gift card technology is protected by U.S. Patent No. 11,847,634 B2.
Find your next listing. On a free 15-minute call, we'll pull 50 people in market for what you sell in your area, live while you watch, scrubbed against Do Not Call lists. You keep the list. Claim your free 50