Real Estate Farming With Postcards: A 12-Month Mailing Plan
A strong real estate farm plan mails the same homes every month with useful, local content, so homeowners know your name before they decide to sell. For a farm of about 800 homes, four quarterly print runs of 2,500 6″ × 11″ postcards ($399 each, pay for 1,000) cover a full year of monthly mailings for about $1,600 in printing.
How big should your farm be?
Pick an area you can afford to mail every month for at least a year. For many agents that is one to three EDDM carrier routes, often 500 to 1,500 homes. Choose neighborhoods where homes sell regularly and where you already have a listing, a sale or a personal connection.
What should you mail each month?
| Month | Postcard idea |
|---|---|
| January | Last year's neighborhood market recap: homes sold, typical time on market |
| February | "Thinking of selling this spring?" with a free home value offer |
| March | Just listed in the neighborhood |
| April | Spring curb-appeal checklist |
| May | Just sold, with the result you achieved |
| June | Mid-year market update |
| July | Local events and summer calendar |
| August | Just sold or just listed |
| September | Fall maintenance checklist |
| October | Market update with buyer demand in the area |
| November | Thank-you card to the neighborhood |
| December | Holiday greeting and next-year planning offer |
Use real numbers from your MLS for the market updates. Accurate local data is what makes these cards worth keeping.
What does a year of printing cost?
Each print run is one design. Grouping three months per design keeps the budget down:
- 800 homes × 3 months = 2,400 postcards per quarter
- 2,500 6″ × 11″ postcards = $399 (pay for 1,000, get 1,500 free)
- Four quarterly runs = $1,596 in printing, plus shipping and USPS postage
Keep a design that works quarter-to-quarter, and swap in a fresh "just sold" card whenever you close a deal in the farm. The 6″ × 11″ qualifies for EDDM and gives room for a photo, your headline and a clear call to action. See it on our 6″ × 11″ postcard page.
What else helps a farm campaign?
- Yard signs at every listing in the farm reinforce the postcards: see yard signs.
- Business cards to leave at open houses and neighbor doors: 2,500 for $69 on our business cards page.
- Consistency. The same look, headshot and phone number every month.
More ideas are on our page for real estate agents.
Want help picking the routes for your farm and pricing the year? Call 512-573-1977, 7am–7pm Eastern, 7 days a week.