Google Ads for real estate agents

The facts here come from Google's own help pages: the Advertising Policies Help pages Restricted targeting in Personalized advertising and Housing in personalized advertising, Local Services Ads Help Getting started with Local Services Ads, and Google Ads Help About lead form assets and Target ads to geographic locations. Where we give an opinion, we say so. Google does not publish a standard cost per lead for real estate, and we do not quote one.

The short answer

• Real estate services and housing listings fall under Google's housing category. In the US and Canada you cannot target by gender, age, parental status, marital status or ZIP code.
• Search campaigns are the usual starting point: people type the area, the type of home or "agent near me", and your ad answers that search.
• Local Services Ads list "Real estate services" as a category, so an agent can check eligibility for their area.
• Lead form assets let people send their details from the ad itself, on Search and Performance Max.
• Target cities or a radius, not ZIP codes, and track every call and form as a conversion.

Google's housing rules (US and Canada)

Google groups housing with employment and consumer finance as "Access to opportunities" categories. Its housing page says the restrictions cover the United States and Canada, "including homes for sale or rental, where a home is defined as a place a person would reside as well as products or services enabling the sale or rental of homes." Its examples include "Housing listing sites", "Real estate services" and individual houses for sale or rental of any type, from apartments to mobile homes and retirement communities.

For those ads, the housing page says that in the US and Canada you can't target using:

• Gender
• Age
• Parental status
• Marital status
• ZIP codes

What stays available: you can still use predefined Google audiences, minus those demographics. Location targeting by radius, city and country is allowed, and "Radius targeting requires setting at least 1 km around any given location." In Canada, "the first 3 letters of postal code (FSA), is acceptable for ad targeting."

If an ad is flagged, Google gives three options: edit the targeting, edit the content, or appeal. For targeting, it says to "Set all demographics (gender, age, parental status, marital status) to “Enable”" and "Remove any ZIP code targeting." Outside the US and Canada these housing rules do not apply, though Google's other personalized advertising rules still do.

Meta has its own version of these rules for Facebook and Instagram; see Meta special ad categories.

Search campaigns for area and listing searches

Search ads show when someone types a query that matches your keywords, so they suit buyers and sellers who already know what they want. For an agent, the useful searches usually fall into a few groups (our grouping, not Google's):

• Area searches: the town or neighbourhood plus "homes for sale", "condos" or "real estate".
• Agent searches: "real estate agent" or "realtor" plus the area, or "near me".
• Seller searches: "sell my house", "home valuation" or "listing agent" plus the area.
• Listing searches: a street, development or building name you have a listing in.

Put each group in its own ad group with its own ads and landing page: an area search should land on listings in that area, and a seller search on a valuation or contact page. Keyword Planner shows search volume for the phrases, match types control how closely a search must match, and the search terms report shows what people really typed, so you can add negatives such as "jobs" or "license" when people look for a career rather than a home. Responsive search ads and location assets or call options complete the ad.

Keep the ad text and landing pages about homes and services, not about who the buyer is. The targeting rules above limit settings, and fair housing law in your country applies to the words as well; check with your broker or association if you are unsure.

Local Services Ads for real estate

Local Services Ads appear in their own unit, shown prominently in Google Search results, and leads "come in as phone calls and messages sent through your Local Services ad." Google says that "At this time, Local Services Ads are available only for certain service categories." Its category list (the US version we fetched) includes "Real estate services" as well as "Real estate lawyer". Availability also depends on the area, so use Google's eligibility check before planning around it.

You pay for leads rather than clicks, and you go through Google's screening before ads run fully. Our Local Services Ads guide covers the checks, the Google Verified badge, lead charges and disputes, so we do not repeat them here.

Lead form assets

A lead form lets someone send their name, email or phone number from the ad, without loading your website. Google says "You can add lead forms to Search and Performance Max campaigns." You need a good policy history, an account in an eligible vertical, and a privacy policy link, which appears at the end of the form. Google notes that "Sensitive verticals or sub-verticals (for example, sexual content) aren't eligible for lead forms", so check that the option appears in your account before you build a plan around it.

Leads can arrive by email, CSV download, the Google Ads API, a webhook to your CRM, or Zapier. Download often: Google says "You can only download leads from the last 30 days" and "Google Ads stores leads for 60 days". For a buyer who asks about a home, a fast call back matters more than the form itself. Setup, questions and delivery are in our lead form assets guide.

Location targeting

Google lets you target countries, areas within a country, or a radius around a location. Because ZIP codes are off limits for housing in the US and Canada, agents usually pick the cities, counties or neighbourhoods they cover, or a radius of at least 1 km around an office or development. Google warns that "If you target a small radius or very small location, your ads might only show intermittently or not at all."

The "Presence or Interest" option also reaches people who are interested in your area, not only people in it. That suits real estate, where many buyers search from another city before they move. Choose "Presence" only if you want people physically in the area. Details, exclusions and the difference between the two options are in our location targeting guide.

Tracking leads

Count each form submission, call and booked viewing as a conversion with Google Ads conversion tracking, so the bidding learns which searches bring enquiries. Campaigns that serve lead forms optimise toward a Google lead form conversion goal; website forms and calls need a tag or call tracking. Real estate deals take weeks or months, so also record in your CRM which leads became clients and, if you can, send that back with enhanced conversions. That tells you which keywords bring sales, not only form fills.

Where to start (our view)

This section is our opinion, not a rule from Google.

• Start with Search on seller and agent searches in the areas you cover. Sellers bring listings, and these searches show clear intent.
• Check Local Services Ads for your area. If it is open to you, it adds a second spot on the results page, paid per lead.
• Add lead forms once the campaign gets clicks, and compare the quality of form leads with website leads.
• Keep the budget in the areas you know. A clear area page with current listings converts better than a broad campaign across a whole state.

If you also want to reach people before they search, see Google Ads vs Facebook ads; for listing and lead campaigns on Facebook and Instagram, see Facebook ads for real estate; Meta's housing rules are in Meta special ad categories. We set up and run Google Ads for local businesses through our marketing services.

Frequently asked questions

Do Google Ads work for real estate agents?

They can, because many buyers and sellers start with a Google search for an area or an agent. Results depend on the area, the offer, the landing page and how fast you follow up. Track leads through to signed clients before you judge.

Can I target by ZIP code for real estate ads?

Not in the United States or Canada. Google's housing rules block ZIP code targeting there. You can target cities, other areas, or a radius of at least 1 km. In Canada the first three characters of a postal code (FSA) are allowed.

Can real estate agents use Local Services Ads?

Google lists "Real estate services" among its Local Services Ads categories, but the categories available depend on the country and area. Use Google's eligibility check for your business address.

Can I target real estate ads by age or gender?

Not in the United States or Canada. Housing ads there cannot target gender, age, parental status or marital status. If an ad is flagged, Google asks you to set those demographics to "Enable".

How much do Google Ads cost for real estate?

There is no set price. Search clicks are priced in an auction and you control the budget; Local Services Ads charge per lead. Google does not publish a real estate average, so start with a small test budget and measure cost per lead in your own area.