Beginner Mindset: Using Google Ads to Reach Off-Market Sellers

So, you want to break into the real estate market, huh? Are you trying to get going as a real estate investor and flipper but feeling intimidated by all of those other companies that are years ahead of you? I know the feeling! The truth is, it is incredibly competitive out there. Depending on which state, province, or city you live in there could any number of competitive companies looking for discounted properties. The good news is that if you are willing to put in the effort, go through the education, and stick with it, then you too can build a steady stream of leads to your inbox each week.

In today's competitive real estate market, finding off-market properties can be a game-changer for investors and agents alike. One of the most effective yet under-utilized tools for reaching these sellers is Google Ads. This is not a new concept by any means, real estate investors have been utilizing this method for the better part of 10 years. It is kind of like purchasing real estate, the best time to do it was 10 years ago. the next best time is now! By leveraging this powerful advertising platform, you can connect with motivated homeowners who are not actively listing their properties but may be willing to sell under the right conditions. Here are some insights into this marketing strategy that I discovered from my first two months of getting started with Google Ads.

Like Anything, Just Get Started

This sounds cliche, but it is true. Put aside the thought that the market is crowded or that you somehow “missed the boat”. One of the beautiful things about building a real estate business is that it is ever changing and evolving. Every single day houses are bought and sold. Every single day someone wakes up with a real estate related problem that you could solve. Every day someone with that exact problem has it solved by one of your competitors - and so, the cycle continues. All you have to focus on is getting involved in this cycle. In order to get my fist campaign off the ground I purchased a product from Carrot called “Google Ad’s Quick Start”. It cost me around $900 USD, but I paid more because I live in Canada. It was worth every penny. They set up a basic search campaign, added in all of the keywords, suggest a starting budget, entered a list of negative keywords, and send you videos of how to maintain the campaign as you go. At first the platform looks intimidating, but after it starts to collect some data and show your ads then the information becomes a lot clearer. You will need 2-3 months for your account to collect enough data to really be effective, but I noticed after month 1 it got my phone ringing more then usual! Later in the article I will share what I have been focusing on in the beginning, because there is a lot of options.

Why Google Ads is a Game-Changer for Off-Market Sellers

Traditional marketing methods like direct mail, cold calling, and door-knocking can be time-consuming and have unpredictable results. You have to knock on a lot of doors to find someone that it a motivated seller. Baseline you are looking at 1,000 conversations, but in a market like mine where home values have risen so much it could be 2-3x that amount. Google Ads, on the other hand, allows you to put your message in front of highly targeted potential sellers at the exact moment they are searching for solutions. This is one of the things I like the most about using Google Ads, it is the perfect addition to a more traditional real estate marketing campaign. There is nothing wrong with the methods above, in fact they are still incredibly effective. The problem is that they take a lot of time. If you are like me and have a full-time job, house to maintain, and young kids then carving out time during the week to go door knocking is a challenge. It’s not impossible, but it will take a lot longer to find a deal because you just can’t get out as much. Google Ad’s works for you. All day every day, and you are showing your message to people who are typing questions into their browser such as “how can I sell my house fast for cash?” There is a much higher chance of converting those types of leads then blanketing a neighbourhood in bandit signs. Since many off-market sellers are facing financial distress, divorce, relocation, or dealing with inherited properties, they often turn to Google to find options. With a well-optimized Google Ads campaign, you can position yourself as the ideal solution before they even consider listing with an agent.

But What Does It Cost?

Like all things in life, you get what you pay for. This highly targeted approach comes at a price, but in my experience it hasn’t been that much. I started with the lowest possible daily budget, which was $20 per day. Within a few weeks I bumped it up to $50 per day. The market is slow right now so there have been several days where I don’t even spend my daily budget. In total the campaign has been operating for 1.5 months and it has generated 95 clicks, 3.46K impressions, at a cost of $1.91K. From the information I have access to (networking in the market and comparing with other investors) the math shows me I will need to spend upwards of $5K in order to close a solid flip deal. In the early days this seemed like a lot of money to put out with no guaranteed return, but once I started to see the traffic going to me website, and the search terms they were using to get there, that doubt faded away. Another important point is that you only pay when someone clicks on your ad, and this is ultimately unpredictable. This varies by market but chances are if you are just starting out the clicks will trickle in. This breaks up the cost of your ad spend making it more manageable. If you don’t have a marketing budget to spend on running ad’s then door knocking is a great place to start. It is free!

You Can Target the Right Audience Using Google Ads

One of the biggest advantages of Google Ads is its precision targeting capabilities. Instead of casting a wide net and hoping for leads, you can target specific search queries that indicate seller intent.

Google ads has very precise targeting capabilities. Instead of casting a wide net and hoping your message gets to the correct person, you can target specific keywords that people type into Google. This indicates seller intent and helps get your service in front of the right people at the right time

Keyword Targeting uses phrases (referred to as keywords) like:

• “Cash home buyer”
• “Sell my house fast”
• “Cash offer on my home”
• “Sell my house for cash”

These are competitive keywords because they are very high intent, but even in the beginning you can get clicks from some of these sought after keywords. It is only a matter of time before someone searching these key words clicks on your ad, inquires about your service, and ends up being a great deal for you both.

You can ensure your ads appear in front of homeowners actively searching for a solution.

• Location Targeting

You can focus on a specific city, neighbourhood, postal code. Google Ads allows you to perfectly refine the area you want to find off-market seller in. This allows you to direct your budget only to potential customers in the area that you serve.

Optimizing Your Landing Page for Maximum Conversions

Once a potential seller clicks on your ad, they should be directed to a dedicated landing page designed for conversions. A great landing page should include:

• A compelling headline that reassures them they’re in the right place

• A short form to capture their contact details

• Testimonials or case studies to build trust

• A clear and visible CTA

Avoid sending traffic to a generic homepage, as this can result in high bounce rates and lost leads. Building a “we buy houses” company is not an easy task, but driving motivated sellers to a high converting website is a great starting point!

Measuring and Improving Your Google Ads Performance

To ensure your Google Ads campaign is delivering the best results, continuous monitoring and optimization are key. Think of it like a garden that you tend to. All it takes is 15-20 minutes per day roughly 3 times per week. I like to focus on the Overview section. They have all of these square panels with different insights. Scroll down to the search panel where you can see the keywords that were typed into google that triggered your ads. You can sort by clicks, impressions, and conversions. Spend some time reviewing the keywords that are effective, and adding them to your campaign if they are not already there. If the keyword is not effective you can add them as a “negative keyword” so they don’t trigger your ad when those terms are searched. This simple practice feeds good information about your campaign to the algorithm and helps you get more familiar with the maintenance of campaign.

Conclusion: Leveraging Google Ads to Find Off-Market Deals

Google Ads is a powerful tool for real estate investors and professionals looking to connect with off-market sellers. By strategically targeting motivated homeowners, crafting compelling ads, and optimizing your landing pages, you can generate high-quality leads and close more deals. If you're not already using Google Ads to find off-market properties, now is the perfect time to start!