Most agents treat social media for real estate agents like a billboard. They post a listing, wait, and hear nothing. Here's how I do it instead. I post things that help people make a house decision: what the market did this month, what a home inspection really finds, which homes just came up near them. People hire the agent they see most and trust most. A steady feed of useful posts gets you both, and it costs nothing but time.
The short answer
Post three to five times a week. Mix four kinds of posts: local, market, listings and helpful answers. Put your brokerage name on every post, because in Colorado a real estate post is an ad. Keep fair housing rules in every caption. Skip the emojis. Answer every comment and message the same day, because each one is a person raising a hand.
Step by step
- Pick your main channels. Two or three you will really use beats six you ignore. For most agents that's Facebook, Instagram and one of LinkedIn, YouTube or TikTok.
- Use a weekly mix. One market post, one local post, one helpful answer, and listings or open houses when you have them. A short video counts as any of these.
- Lead with the hook. The first line is the number or the news. A made-up example: "Homes in our area sat 12 more days this fall than last fall." Then two to four short lines on what it means for a buyer or seller.
- Use real numbers only. Name the area and the month the number covers. Never round up a stat or make one up. If you can't source it, don't post it.
- Give one call to action. "Comment PLAN and I'll send you the numbers for your street." Or "Call or text me." One ask, not three.
- Add the brokerage line. Your brokerage's name has to be clear and readable on the post. Colorado's advertising rules apply to social posts, flyers, signs, websites and video. Check the current rules at the Colorado Division of Real Estate and with your managing broker.
- Run the fair housing check. Read the caption, the hashtags and the image one more time before you post. Describe homes, prices and the market. Never the people.
- Answer the same day. A comment or a direct message is a lead. Put them in your CRM with the source "Social," and call or message them back.
What to post: four buckets
| Bucket | What it looks like | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Local | A new trail that opened, a road project that changes a commute, a farmers market season | Shows you live and work here |
| Market | This month's prices, days on market, price cuts, rates trend with its date | Makes you the person who knows the numbers |
| Listings | Coming soon, new on market, open house, price change, under contract | Shows you're active and gets the seller seen |
| Helpful answers | "What does a sewer scope find?" "Should I fix the roof before I sell?" | Answers the questions people type into search |
Helpful answers are my favorite bucket. A good one gets saved and shared long after a listing post is gone. I like house-knowledge posts best: how a furnace works, what a crack in a foundation means, what to look at on a walk-through. An app can't stand in a basement and show someone that.
House style: plain words, no emojis
In my group, social posts carry no emojis or icons. No sirens, no check marks, no pointing fingers. Use plain words and line breaks. Write "Price change:" instead of a siren icon. Emoji-heavy captions look machine-written, and they make a serious business look cheap. Your post should sound like a person who knows houses.
The rules you can't skip
- Brokerage name on every post. Clear and readable, not hidden in tiny type.
- Only advertise a listing you have the right to advertise. That means a signed listing agreement and the seller's OK. Never post another brokerage's listing as your own. Ask permission first.
- Facts match the MLS. Price, beds, baths and square feet must match.
- No client photos or names without written permission.
- No "top agent" claims or sales counts you can't prove. Stick to facts you can show.
- No rate quotes. Send rate and payment questions to a licensed loan officer. See how to handle the rate objection.
Fair housing in ads
The Fair Housing Act covers ads, and a social post is an ad. HUD explains the federal rules at HUD's fair housing page. Colorado adds more protected classes, so the bar is higher here.
- Don't say who an area is "great for." No "perfect for young families" or "ideal for retirees."
- Don't call an area "safe" or "bad." Point people to the police department's public crime data.
- Don't rate schools. Give the school name from the MLS and the district website.
- Don't use places of worship or ethnic landmarks as selling points.
- Watch paid ads too. Housing ads on major platforms run under special targeting limits. Don't try to work around them.
How to explain it to your client
When a seller asks what you'll do on social media for their home, keep it simple.
"Your home gets posted on my pages and my brokerage's pages the day it goes live, and again for the open house and any big news. I also post market updates every week, so the people who follow me are the people thinking about moving. Every post follows the advertising and fair housing rules, so it describes your home, not who should live in it. Anyone who comments or messages gets a call back from me the same day."
Watch-outs
- Posting only listings. If every post is "Just listed," people tune you out. Mix in help.
- Calling it "just listed" when it isn't. Only use it for homes that are really new.
- Stale numbers. A market stat from last spring is wrong today. Date every number.
- Personal cell numbers in posts. Use the business number that logs to your CRM, so leads don't get lost.
- Ignoring messages. An unanswered comment is a lead you paid for with your time and then threw away.
- Hashtag piles. Three to six local hashtags is plenty.
Further reading
- Marketing Your Colorado Home to Sell on kennarealestate.com
- Realtor Yard Signs: Colorado Real Estate on kennarealestate.com
This is training for real estate agents. It isn't legal, tax or lending advice. Check with your managing broker.
Questions
How often should a real estate agent post?
Three to five times a week is a good target. Steady beats a burst followed by silence.
Do I need my brokerage name on Instagram and TikTok posts?
Yes. A real estate post is advertising. Put the brokerage name on it, and check the current rules at dre.colorado.gov.
Can I post a listing from another brokerage?
Only with that listing broker's permission, and never as if it were yours.
Are emojis against the rules?
No law bans them. It's my house style. Plain words look more professional and less machine-made.
What do I do with a comment that asks a question?
Answer it in public if it's general, then message them and offer to help. Log them in your CRM as a lead.
Can I say a neighborhood is great for families?
No. Describe the home and the area's features, like parks by name and commute times, not who should live there.
Brian Lee Burke is the founder of PadLeaders, a Colorado real estate broker licensed since 2003, team leader of The Kenna Group at Keller Williams DTC (formerly Kenna Real Estate Group) and the author of Mastering Real Estate and The Real Estate Playbook. More about Brian.