PPC for Real Estate: An Honest Review

By David Hannah Marketing

If you're a real estate agent or agency considering pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to grow your business, you're not alone. PPC—particularly through Google Ads and Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram)—is one of the most popular digital marketing tools in the real estate world. It promises instant visibility, a steady stream of leads, and scalable results.

But does it actually work?

The short answer: yes—but only if it’s done properly. The long answer? PPC for real estate is a high-risk, high-reward game that requires strategy, patience, and a good understanding of how real people make big decisions about property.

In this honest review, we’ll break down what works, what doesn’t, and whether PPC is right for your real estate business.

Want to learn more? Book a strategy session here 

What PPC Can Do for Real Estate

When PPC is executed well, it can do several important things for your agency:

• Generate consistent buyer and seller leads from suburb-specific searches
• Put you in front of high-intent users who are actively looking to sell or buy
• Help you dominate local areas and get ahead of other agents in your patch
• Drive traffic to appraisals, open homes, listings and landing pages
• Build your personal brand visibility over time with remarketing and retargeting

If you're in a hot suburb and you’re not running ads, chances are your competitor is.

But Here’s the Catch: Real Estate PPC is Brutally Competitive

Especially in Australia and New Zealand, PPC for real estate is expensive. Search terms like “real estate agent Grey Lynn,” “sell my house fast Auckland,” or “free property appraisal Brisbane” can cost $8–$30 per click—and that’s just to get someone on your website.

If your landing page isn’t optimised, or your follow-up process is weak, you’ll burn through thousands of dollars with no return.

Here’s what we see happen often:

• Agents spend $1,000 on Google Ads but send traffic to their homepage, which converts poorly
• Leads come through but aren’t ready to sell yet—no nurture system in place, so they go cold
• Ads run without suburb-specific targeting or negative keywords, bringing in low-quality clicks
• Campaigns are managed like generic ecommerce—not tailored for high-trust, high-value real estate decisions

PPC can absolutely work, but it requires tight campaign structure, great landing pages, and strong backend systems to get real ROI.

Google Ads vs Meta Ads: Which is Better?

It depends on your goal.

Google Ads are best for capturing high-intent leads. Someone searching “real estate agent near me” is likely thinking about selling or engaging soon. Great for appraisal leads and urgent opportunities—but expensive.

Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram) are better for lead magnets, brand awareness, and long-term engagement. You can run a “Free Suburb Report” or “Top 5 Tips to Maximise Your Sale Price” to build your email list, then nurture those contacts over weeks or months.

In a perfect world, you’d use Google for intent and Meta for warming and retargeting. Relying on just one leaves a gap in your funnel.

The #1 Mistake Real Estate Agencies Make with PPC

They treat it like a one-off campaign, not a system.

PPC is not magic. It’s a tool that feeds into a bigger process. Without:

• A dedicated landing page
• A CRM or email marketing system
• Weekly campaign optimisation
• Follow-up sequences and retargeting

You’re just paying to get a name and phone number—and hoping for the best.

The agents we see win with PPC are the ones who treat it like a funnel:

• Attract → Google or Meta Ads
• Convert → High-converting appraisal or listing landing page
• Nurture → Email follow-up, retargeting, suburb content
• Close → Admin or agent team follows up warm leads manually

This system takes effort, but once it’s built, it generates leads 24/7—consistently and predictably.

Is PPC Worth It for Your Agency?

Here’s our honest take.

Yes, if:

• You’re in a competitive suburb and need visibility
• You have the budget to test and optimise for at least 2–3 months
• You have a clear offer (like a free appraisal or suburb report)
• You’re willing to invest in your follow-up systems
• You want long-term, scalable results—not just referrals

No, if:

• You want instant listings with minimal effort
• You’re not tracking or following up on leads
• You’re not ready to spend at least $1,500/month to test properly
• You’re not willing to invest in content, landing pages or CRM workflows

PPC isn’t a silver bullet. But for real estate agencies who are ready to treat marketing as an investment—not an expense—it can become a growth engine that pays for itself many times over.

Final Verdict

PPC for real estate can work incredibly well—but only when it’s built on a smart, long-term foundation. If you’re just throwing up ads and hoping for the best, you’re probably wasting money.

If you treat it like a system—where ads attract, pages convert, and emails nurture—then PPC becomes one of the most powerful tools in your real estate business.

Want to see what PPC could do for your agency? Book a free strategy session with David Hannah Marketing and we’ll review your current setup, show you what’s possible, and help you avoid the common traps most agencies fall into.

Want to learn more? Book a strategy session here