Trying to expand your real estate business? Buying leads online often goes nowhere. One agent trusts Google completely. Another insists Facebook delivers every time. You just sit there, unsure what really brings results.
Here’s the real deal: either method fills your office with buyers. Yet their paths diverge sharply. One pulls in those actively searching listings. Meanwhile, another stirs interest among people unaware they want to move. Overlook this gap, funds vanish quicker than a morning frost.
Let’s break down what each platform does, where they shine, and where they fall flat.
Google Leads: Catching People Who Are Ready Now
Here’s how Google works well—it reaches people actively looking. A person searches for “houses available nearby” or “top property expert in Chicago,” then suddenly, your listing appears exactly when needed. Marketers label this moment the “bottom of the funnel.” Visitors here are past browsing. They want answers now.
The Good Stuff About Google
Higher Intent, Faster Sales
A person who clicks your Google ad often means business. At 8.43%, the typical click-through rate for property searches beats nearly every other field. Why? Because people searching for homes aren’t messing around. They come with clear needs, deadlines, and sometimes documents like loan approvals already in hand.
These leads close faster, too. One to three months is typical for Google, while Facebook can drag on six to eighteen. When time matters, results show up quicker through Google.
Local Services Ads Give You Trust Badges
A fresh change appeared—back in October 2025, Google dropped both the older labels, “Google Screened” and “Google Guaranteed.” What replaced them? Only a single mark now stands: the “Google Verified” tag, shown through a blue tick symbol.
A small icon, yet it means something real. Passing strict licensing rules comes first—state by state, no shortcuts. Then there is the paperwork: solid proof of insurance must land on their desk. Background reviews follow, thorough, leaving little to chance. It takes time, yes, maybe even frustration. Still, once it’s live, people notice. That mark? It quietly tells clients you are who you say. Trust builds slowly in property work. A single symbol can speed it up.
Better Long-Term ROI
Google leads cost more upfront, sure. But they stick around. Google leads typically have higher Customer Lifetime Value because they’re more likely to be repeat buyers or refer friends. One sale isn’t the end—it’s how long those connections last that adds up. Years later, some are still choosing your offer.
The Not-So-Good Stuff About Google
The Price Tag Hurts
Let’s talk money. The average cost per click in real estate is around $2.53, but that’s just the click. Getting an actual lead? That averages $100.48 globally. In competitive markets like New York City, you’re looking at $200 to $400 per lead. For a solo agent with a tight budget, that’s brutal.
You Need Volume to Make AI Work
Imagine stacking up results just by switching on a tool. Google’s latest AI features—Performance Max or AI Max for Search – pull in roughly 14% extra conversions for those who adopt them. Yet there’s a hidden gatekeeper. These models demand 30-50 successful conversions each month before they start making sense of data. If you’re not spending enough to hit that threshold, the AI can’t optimize. You’re flying blind.
Competition’s Getting Nasty
It’s obvious that Google delivers results, which means endless competition for keyword spots. Prices keep climbing—up 12% in California compared to last year, while Florida surged by 15%. When your area is overheated, lesser-known agents lose ground quickly.
Facebook Leads: Building Volume Through Interruption
Scrolling takes over where searching ends. Facebook drops property images into feeds before anyone asks. A backyard under string lights appears mid-swipe. Video walks through empty rooms like someone just left. Street views glow in golden hour light. Attention arrives first, interest follows later. These aren’t active buyers—they’re possibilities caught off guard. The goal isn’t response. It’s recognition.
The Good Stuff About Facebook
Way Cheaper, Way More Leads
Here’s where Facebook pulls ahead. Most leads on Facebook sit between $5 to $25 dollars, while Google often charges over one hundred. In high-cost areas such as New York, Facebook costs $30 to $60—way below what Google demands. That gap makes a real difference when budgets are tight.
Finding people online? Facebook offers way more reach than most platforms. When funds are tight, one dollar here pulls in many contacts—Google might only bring a few.
Visual Storytelling Wins Hearts
Pictures shape how homes are seen. Facebook knows it well. With carousel ads, different rooms move into view as users swipe through. Videos of tours pull more attention than still shots. This isn’t only about walls or floors; it’s framing moments someone might feel at home.
Easy Lead Capture
A tap is all it takes. Auto-fills pull details straight from a person’s Facebook, skipping the need to type anything. People stay right inside the app after clicking. Submissions climb between 8.78% and 9.70%. Ease makes the difference here. Nothing slows them down.
The Not-So-Good Stuff About Facebook
Leads Are Colder Than Ice
Fair warning – many people who reach out on Facebook have zero plans to purchase right away. A photo of a home catches their eye, curiosity kicks in, and they submit information. End of story. Most will wait anywhere from half a year to well over a year before making any move; some never do.
A single missed message can disappear before you blink. Automated texts, emails, or calls keep them tied. Wait too long? They vanish without sound.
Targeting Got Neutered
What Facebook calls its “Housing” Special Ad Category was built to reduce bias. The idea sounds fair at first glance. Yet accuracy takes a hit when strict rules limit who you see. You can’t target by age, gender, or specific ZIP codes anymore. Reach now depends on broad zones—fifteen miles wide, at least, across the United States. Precision fades into general reach.
Traditional Lookalike Audiences? Gone. They’ve been replaced by “Special Ad Audiences” that are more restrictive. You’re basically trusting Facebook’s algorithm to find the right people, which works sometimes but feels like guessing.
You’ll Waste Time on Junk Leads
Fake leads pop up now and then. Accidental form fills happen more than you think. Curious folks who aren’t buyers sometimes reach out, too. Time slips away on calls with silence at the other end. Emails vanish into dead inboxes without a trace. This comes with low-cost traffic—high count, shaky reliability.
The Smart Play: Use Both, But Differently
Smart agents learned something critical—choosing isn’t the point. Each platform works better at certain tasks, so they let each handle what it does well.
The Google-to-Facebook Bridge
Google helps you reach people who are already searching. So, start with that. Once they land on your page but leave without booking, use Meta Pixel and Conversions API to follow their path. Later, show them tailored images or clips—perhaps a walkthrough of that specific home they checked out—on Facebook and Instagram feeds.
What makes this effective? Visitors who see ads again are 41% more likely to come back. It uses Google’s search reach along with Facebook’s strong visuals. First visits rarely lead to purchases. Staying visible means they remember you when deciding.
Budget Allocation Based on Your Situation
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If you’re a solo agent with limited cash: Stick to Facebook—it brings numbers. Still, get serious about tools such as Follow Up Boss. Robert Slack Find Homes reported 400% ROI on paid leads by using a 45-day text and email campaign. Without automated follow-up, you’re wasting money.
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If you’re an established team or brokerage: Grab that Google Verified badge right away. Above regular paid search spots, Local Services Ads show up first, charging only when leads come in. Running on a pay-per-lead model means every dollar goes toward real interest. Once set, roll out Performance Max to spread visibility across Search, YouTube, Maps, and Gmail seamlessly. Coverage widens without needing separate campaigns everywhere.
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If you’re in a high-cost market: Relying only on Google Ads eats budgets quickly. Try grabbing first contacts through Facebook. After that, shift attention to the top candidates using Google.Â
What Actually Matters: Follow-Up Systems
Speed decides it. Whether the lead comes through Google, Facebook, or some odd method like a bird—without quick contact, nothing happens. The source makes no difference. What counts is how soon you reach out. Delay kills value every time.
Top agents use automated SMS acknowledgements that fire within two seconds. Following that, a phone call arrives before the five-minute window closes. After connecting, they log the prospect in their system, which delivers helpful emails every few days for six weeks straight.
Final Take: Know Your Goal, Pick Your Tool
Not quite rivals, Google and Facebook serve separate purposes. One pulls in folks who want to act today. The other plants seeds for later conversations. What one delivers immediately, the other grows slowly.
When deals must close by quarter-end, turn to Google even if pricey. Building lasting relationships where leads grow over time? Then Facebook’s reach works well instead. Smartest path forward – pair them wisely. Link campaigns through retargeting. Set up follow-ups so none fall out of sight.
Winning agents in 2026? Not about flashy promotions. What matters is how they run their operations. Every detail gets recorded, replies happen fast, and follow-ups never stop before signing. This setup draws a clear line—some make money consistently, others waste cash on clicks that lead to nothing.
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