Real Estate Marketing Automation: The Complete Guide to Platforms That Work While You Sleep

Last Updated on November 12, 2025 by Elizabeth Nolan

If you’re a real estate agent who would rather show homes than design Instagram posts, this guide is for you. Marketing automation isn’t about replacing your personal touch—it’s about amplifying it so you can focus on what you do best: building relationships and closing deals.

The reality? According to research, agents using automation software can increase leads by 77% while dramatically reducing time spent on repetitive marketing tasks. Whether your brokerage provides branded templates or you’re building your system from scratch, the right automation platform can transform how you market listings and nurture client relationships.

Why Real Estate Marketing Automation Matters Now

The National Association of Realtors reports that 40% of all buyers find their agents through referrals, and 81% of sellers contact only one agent. That means your marketing must keep you top-of-mind consistently—and automation makes that possible without burning out.

Modern real estate marketing automation goes far beyond scheduled social posts. We’re talking about systems that automatically create listing materials, nurture leads through behavioral triggers, send personalized market reports, and maintain your sphere of influence—all while maintaining your authentic voice and brand consistency.

Brokerage-Integrated Marketing Automation Platforms

If your brokerage offers branded materials, these platforms seamlessly integrate with those assets while adding powerful automation capabilities.

Xara Cloud: Template-Based Content Creation

Xara Cloud has become a favorite among major brokerages because it connects directly to MLS data and automatically populates your brokerage’s branded templates.

Known Users: Westgate Realty and numerous independent brokerages across North America. Xara integrates with major MLS systems including Bright MLS, Stellar MLS, FMLS, ITSO, and hundreds more.

What Makes It Special:

• One-click MLS integration that pulls listing photos and details automatically
• Drag-and-drop editor that maintains brokerage brand guidelines
• Creates everything from social posts to print materials in minutes
• Direct integration with Xpressdocs for automated direct mail campaigns

Setup Process: Start by uploading your brokerage’s brand guidelines (colors, logos, fonts). The platform automatically applies these to all templates. Connect your MLS access, and listings flow directly into the system. Agents at Westgate Realty reported saving 80 hours monthly after implementation.

Best Practice: Create a library of your five most-used templates (just listed, open house, just sold, market update, and holiday greeting). Schedule your market updates quarterly so they’re truly “set and forget.”

MoxiWorks: All-in-One Brokerage Solution

MoxiWorks excels for teams that want behavioral automation—where marketing responds to prospect actions automatically.

Known Users: Co-owned by Windermere Real Estate, Howard Hanna, and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Long & Foster. Also used by The Group Inc., Keller Williams, Century 21, Coldwell Banker, and other major brokerages.

Key Features:

• Smart campaigns pre-built for every scenario (new leads, open house follow-up, past clients)
• Behavioral triggers that send follow-ups based on client actions
• Branded market reports that auto-generate with local data
• Integration with BombBomb for video messaging

Setup Approach: Configure your behavioral triggers first. For example: when a lead views properties in a specific price range, automatically enroll them in a buyer nurture sequence. Set anniversary and birthday campaigns to run perpetually—they’ll engage your sphere without manual effort.

Best Practice: According to MoxiWorks research, behavioral automation drives 5-10x higher engagement than standard drip campaigns. Focus on action-based triggers rather than time-based schedules.

BoldTrail: Marketing on True Autopilot

BoldTrail stands out for its sophisticated behavioral automation and included BombBomb video integration.

Known Users: Fathom Realty (uses BoldTrail alongside their proprietary intelliAgent platform) and numerous independent brokerages across the U.S. and Canada.

Core Automation:

• Multi-channel campaigns combining email, text, and voicemail drops
• Automated listing alerts sent when properties match client criteria
• Market reports with home valuation estimates for past clients
• Pre-built nurture sequences you can deploy immediately

Setup Strategy: Import your contact database and tag contacts by category (past clients, current leads, sphere of influence). Activate pre-built campaigns for each segment. The system handles the rest—sending relevant content based on each contact’s behavior and stage in the buying/selling journey.

MAXA x Real Brokerage: AI-Powered Automation

The recent partnership between Real Brokerage and MAXA represents the next evolution in automated marketing. MAXA integrates with Real’s AI concierge Leo CoPilot to deliver listing campaigns automatically.

Known Users: Real Brokerage (exclusive partnership serving their 30,000+ agents nationwide). The platform was custom-built for Real’s agent ecosystem.

Automation Capabilities:

• 400+ real estate-specific templates
• Automatic campaign generation for print, social, and email
• MLS data auto-import with AI-powered design optimization
• Integrated delivery through the brokerage’s AI assistant

A Critical Note: Master Your Broker’s Tools First

Before exploring independent platforms, take the time to fully understand and implement what your brokerage already provides. Many agents pay for outside tools without realizing their broker offers similar functionality at no additional cost.

Start Here:

• Schedule training sessions with your broker’s marketing coordinator
• Review all available templates, campaigns, and automation features
• Test the system for 60-90 days with consistent use
• Identify genuine gaps rather than assuming you need something different

If your brokerage uses MoxiWorks, BoldTrail, Xara, or similar platforms, you likely have everything you need. The problem is rarely the tools—it’s consistent implementation. Only after mastering your broker’s system should you consider supplementing (not replacing) with independent solutions.

Independent Marketing Automation Platforms

If your brokerage doesn’t provide marketing infrastructure—or you’ve mastered their tools and need additional capabilities—these platforms work beautifully as standalone or supplemental solutions.

Mailchimp + Zapier: The Flexible Foundation

For agents who want customization without enterprise costs, pairing Mailchimp with Zapier creates a powerful automation engine.

Why This Combination Works:

• Mailchimp handles email marketing, audience segmentation, and campaign automation
• Zapier connects Mailchimp to your CRM, website forms, and lead sources
• Cost-effective for solo agents and small teams
• Highly customizable workflows

Setup Blueprint:

1. Create audience segments in Mailchimp (buyers, sellers, past clients, sphere)
2. Build welcome sequences for each segment
3. Use Zapier to automatically add leads from your website or social media to appropriate Mailchimp lists
4. Set up behavioral triggers (e.g., if someone clicks on a listing, send them similar properties)

Best Practice: According to Inman research, 68% of marketers saw increased engagement through content automation. Create a monthly content calendar and batch-create your emails at the start of each month.

FollowUp Boss: CRM-Driven Automation

FollowUp Boss combines CRM functionality with powerful automation specifically designed for real estate workflows.

Automation Features:

• Custom tags and filters for sophisticated lead organization
• Automated follow-up sequences based on lead source
• Text message automation alongside email
• Integration with major real estate platforms

Setup Approach: Define your lead sources first (Zillow, website, open house, referrals). Create custom action plans for each source—Zillow leads might need faster, more aggressive follow-up while referrals need relationship nurturing. Set up daily digest emails so you know exactly which leads need attention.

Best Practice: Create designated tags for buying timeline (0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months, 1+ year) and automate different nurture cadences for each. This prevents you from over-contacting long-term prospects while staying aggressive with hot leads.

Related article: Zillow’s All-In-One Tech Stack: What Independent Agents Need to Know

BoomTown: Enterprise-Grade Lead Generation and Nurture

BoomTown is ideal for high-producing agents and growing teams who need both front-end marketing and back-end sales enablement.

What Sets It Apart:

• Sophisticated lead scoring and routing
• Behavioral tracking across all touchpoints
• AI-powered lead engagement tools
• Comprehensive reporting and analytics

Implementation Strategy: BoomTown requires significant setup but delivers exceptional ROI. Start by establishing your lead scoring criteria (website visits, email opens, property views). Configure automated follow-up sequences for each lead score level. The platform’s AI will help identify which leads are ready for calls versus which need more nurturing.

Social Media Automation Tools

Maintaining consistent social media presence is critical—38% of leads come from social media marketing channels alone.

Recommended Platforms:

• Hootsuite: Comprehensive scheduling and analytics across multiple platforms
• PropertySimple: Real estate-specific content creation and scheduling
• Buffer: Simple interface for planning and scheduling posts

Setup for Success: Use NAR’s recommendation to plan content in batches. Dedicate one day per month to creating and scheduling all your social posts. Create a content mix: 40% helpful market information, 30% listings and open houses, 20% personal brand content, 10% community engagement.

Critical Best Practice: Don’t automate responses or comments. Schedule posts, but engage in real-time. As NAR notes, you want to “automate your marketing without turning into a robot.”

Setting Up Your Marketing Automation System: A Step-by-Step Framework

Regardless of which platform you choose, follow this proven setup process:

Foundation

• Audit your current marketing activities and identify repetitive tasks
• Choose your primary automation platform based on your needs and budget
• Import and clean your contact database
• Create audience segments (buyers, sellers, past clients, sphere)

Content Creation

• Write email templates for common scenarios (welcome, new listing, open house invitation, thank you, market update)
• Design or customize branded templates for your most frequent marketing materials
• Batch-create one month of social media content
• Record video introductions if using video automation

Workflow Configuration

• Set up automated welcome sequences for new leads
• Create behavioral triggers (property viewing, email clicks, website visits)
• Configure past client nurture campaigns (birthdays, home anniversaries, quarterly check-ins)
• Test all workflows with test email addresses

Launch and Optimize

• Activate your automation systems
• Monitor performance metrics daily for the first two weeks
• Adjust timing, content, and triggers based on engagement data
• Document what’s working in a playbook for future reference

Best Practices for Real Estate Marketing Automation That Actually Converts

Maintain Your Human Touch According to the 2025 NAR Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report, 96-98% of clients say honesty and integrity are very important. Automation should enhance your personal touch, not replace it. Use automation for consistency, but never for authenticity.

Segment Relentlessly Inman research confirms that segmentation increases open and conversion rates. Don’t send listing clients buyer information. Create granular segments and tailor messaging accordingly.

Start With Email, Then Expand Email remains one of the most effective channels for nurturing leads. Master email automation before adding social media, text messaging, and print campaigns. Build on success rather than trying to automate everything at once.

Review and Refine Monthly Set a recurring calendar appointment to review your automation performance. Look at open rates, click rates, and most importantly—appointments scheduled and deals closed. Double down on what works and eliminate what doesn’t.

Respect Frequency Limits More automation doesn’t mean more messages. For sphere of influence contacts, aim for twice monthly maximum. Active leads should get 2-3 touches per week is appropriate. For past clients, monthly check-ins work well. Overwhelming people destroys relationships.

Related article: Building Your Sphere of Influence: The Real Estate Agent’s Blueprint for Sustainable Growth

Making Your Choice: Which Platform Is Right for You?

Choose brokerage-integrated platforms (Xara, MoxiWorks, BoldTrail, MAXA) if:

• Your brokerage provides branded materials you’re required or want to use
• You value brand consistency and compliance
• You want MLS integration built-in
• You prefer comprehensive solutions over à la carte tools

Choose independent platforms (Mailchimp+Zapier, FollowUp Boss, BoomTown) if:

• Your brokerage doesn’t provide marketing infrastructure
• You want maximum customization and control
• You’re building a personal brand distinct from your brokerage
• You prefer starting simple and adding capabilities as you grow

Your Marketing Automation Journey Starts Here

The best marketing automation system is the one you’ll actually use consistently. Start with one platform, master its core features, then expand. Even implementing just automated birthday emails and quarterly market updates will keep you connected with past clients—who remain your best source of future business.

Remember: automation isn’t about doing less work. It’s about doing the right work at the right time, consistently, so you can focus your energy where it matters most—on the human connections that make real estate careers thrive.

The tools exist. The templates are ready. The only question is: are you ready to put your marketing on autopilot so you can get back to what you love about this business?

---

Looking for more strategies to build a complete marketing system? Check out The Complete Marketing System for Real Estate Agents Who Hate Marketing for additional frameworks and tactics that work.