Google Ads Account for Real Estate: The Complete PPC + LSA Playbook to Turn Clicks into Closings

If you’re serious about building a predictable pipeline of buyers, sellers, and listings, a well-structured Google Ads account for real estate is one of the fastest ways to get there. In this guide, we’ll show exactly how we set up, launch, and optimize real estate PPC campaigns—covering Search, Local Services Ads (LSA), Maps, Performance Max, and dynamic remarketing—so you appear for high-intent searches like “real estate agent near me,” “homes for sale in [city],” and “what’s my home worth.” Consider this your practical “google ads account real estate” blueprint.

Google Ads vs. Local Services Ads (LSA): Which Should We Use?

Both systems can work brilliantly for agents, teams, brokerages, builders, and investors—each shines in different moments of the customer journey. Here’s how they compare:

Our recommendation: pair LSA for top-of-page local calls with high-intent Search campaigns for keyword control and scale. Then retarget warm traffic via Display/Performance Max to lift conversion rates.

Step-by-Step: Set Up Your Real Estate Google Ads Account Correctly

1. Create your account and add billing. Keep business name, domain, and time zone accurate from day one.
2. Link your Google Business Profile (GBP). This unlocks Location assets and Google Maps ads (local search ads). Keep NAP (name, address, phone) consistent.
3. Implement conversion tracking.
   • Lead forms (valuation, consultation, showing requests)
   • Calls from ads and calls from your site
   • Appointment bookings and home valuation tool submissions
   • Enable Enhanced Conversions for Leads and set up offline conversion imports from your CRM so Google optimizes to signed clients—not just form fills.
4. Enable call reporting and recording (where available) for quality control and lead scoring.
5. Prep fast, relevant landing pages. IDX search pages, valuation pages, listing details, and neighborhood pages aligned to each ad group’s intent.
6. Load a starter negative keyword list to filter out renters, jobs, courses, and irrelevant traffic (see the list below).
7. Review housing compliance (HEC policy). Avoid prohibited demographic targeting or language; keep copy Fair Housing–compliant.

The Real Estate Campaign Mix That Works Now

A) High-Intent Search Campaigns (PPC)

• Campaigns to launch
  • Buyer: “homes for sale in [city/neighborhood],” “[city] condos,” “new construction [city]”
  • Seller: “what’s my home worth,” “sell my house [city],” “list my home [city]”
  • Brand defense: “[Your name/team] realtor,” “[Your brokerage] [city]”
  • Investor/Cash buyer (if relevant): “sell my house fast [city],” “we buy houses [city]”
• Keyword approach: Start with phrase and exact match around high-intent terms; build tightly themed ad groups.
• Location strategy: Target your true service area and use Presence (people in or regularly in your locations).
• Ad assets: Sitelinks (New Listings, Luxury Homes, Valuation, Testimonials), call assets, Location assets (GBP-linked), structured snippets (Neighborhoods Served), lead form assets for sellers, and price assets where appropriate.
• Bidding: Begin with Maximize Conversions; move to Target CPA once you have reliable conversion volume.

B) Local Services Ads for Agents (Pay per Lead)

• Setup: Complete screening and verification. Choose services (buyer’s agent, seller’s agent), set service areas and hours accurately, and add a professional headshot.
• Trust signals: “Google Screened” badge plus reviews and star rating—ask every client for a Google review and respond to all leads quickly.
• Operations: Responsiveness impacts ranking. Dispute invalid leads within the allowed window to protect budget.
• When to choose: You want call-heavy, local leads and “near me” coverage at the very top of the page.

C) Google Maps/Local Search Ads

• How: Link GBP, enable Location assets, and opt into local search inventory. Your ad can show in Maps with an “Ad” label, ratings, distance, hours, and quick actions (Call, Directions, Website).
• Why: Captures nearby intent and drives call volume—especially effective for teams and brokerages with storefront visibility.

D) Remarketing and Dynamic Remarketing

• Standard remarketing: Re-engage site visitors who viewed listings or services but didn’t convert. Promote “New listings added” and “Schedule a showing.”
• Dynamic remarketing for real estate:
  • Choose “Real estate” as your business type during setup.
  • Build a listing feed (IDs, names, images, price, location).
  • Implement a remarketing tag that passes listing-level parameters on property pages.
  • Let Google assemble listing cards that match users’ browsing history.

E) Performance Max (Including Gmail)

• Use cases: New construction communities, luxury segments, and scaled remarketing.
• Build asset groups by intent (buyers, sellers, luxury, new construction) with strong images, video if possible, and listing feeds for dynamic formats.
• Gmail placements: Use compelling subject lines like “Exclusive Waterfront Homes Just Listed in [City].”

F) Listing Display Blasts

• Short-run campaigns to amplify marquee listings beyond MLS/social with hero imagery, price, specs, neighborhood highlights, and “View Property” CTAs.

Proven Real Estate Ad Templates You Can Adapt

• Buyer-focused Search
  • Headlines: Homes for Sale in [Neighborhood] | Browse Properties Today | Virtual Tours & Same-Day Showings
  • Description: Discover [3–5]-bedroom homes from $[price]. [School district], minutes to downtown. See new listings now.
  • CTA: Browse Homes Now
  • Sitelinks: New Listings | Open Houses | Waterfront | Under $X
• Seller-focused Search
  • Headlines: What’s Your [City] Home Worth? | Free Valuation Today | No-Obligation Market Report
  • Description: Get a personalized property report in 24 hours. Local experts. Accurate, fast, confidential.
  • CTA: Get My Home Value
  • Lead Form Asset: Name, email, address, phone
• Branding (Agent/Team)
  • Headlines: [Agent Name], [City]’s Trusted Realtor | 5-Star Client Reviews | 15+ Years Local Expertise
  • Description: 200+ transactions closed. Neighborhood specialist. Let’s talk strategy today.
  • CTA: Book a Consultation
• Cash Buyer/Investor (if applicable)
  • Headlines: Sell Your [City] Home Fast for Cash | Close in 7 Days | No Repairs Needed
  • Description: Get a cash offer in 24 hours. Any condition. No showings, no fees.
  • CTA: Get My Cash Offer
• Remarketing Display
  • Headline: Still Interested in Homes in [Area]?
  • Copy: You viewed [X] properties last week. New listings just added.
  • Offer: Schedule a showing this week and get our [Neighborhood Guide] free.
  • CTA: See New Listings
• New Construction
  • Headlines: [Community Name] by [Builder] | New Luxury Homes in [City] | Move-In Ready from $[price]
  • Copy: 3–5 BR with designer finishes. Pool, tennis, trails. Models open daily.
  • CTA: View Available Homes

Targeting, Keywords, and Compliance (HEC/Fair Housing)

• Geotargeting: Focus on your true service area; layer neighborhood names into keywords and ad copy.
• Audience targeting: Use in-market/life-event segments where permitted; adhere to regional housing ad policies.
• Negative keywords (starter list): rentals, apartment(s), for rent, lease, section 8, zillow, craigslist, jobs, careers, license, course, school, training, property management (if not offered), mortgage/loan (if not offered), cheap, free.
• Ad-to-page alignment: Buyer keywords land on filtered property search pages; seller queries land on a fast valuation page with social proof.
• Quality Score drivers: Tight themes, relevant ad copy, and fast, mobile-first pages lower cost and improve position.
• Compliance: Review Google’s Housing, Employment, and Credit (HEC) policies for your region. Avoid discriminatory language and targeting.

Budgets, Bidding, and Scheduling

• Starting budgets
  • Search (buyer/seller): Fund for ~20–30 clicks/day in your market to learn quickly.
  • LSA: Set a weekly budget tied to the number of leads you can handle; reassess after 2–3 weeks.
  • Remarketing/PMax: Smaller budgets can be effective due to warmer audiences.
• Bidding strategies
  • New accounts: Maximize Conversions to gather data quickly.
  • With volume: Move to Target CPA (or Target ROAS for builders/inventory) based on down-funnel performance.
  • LSA: No bids—optimize via responsiveness, reviews, and lead dispute discipline.
• Ad schedules: Run when you can answer fast. If after-hours leads are low quality, restrict hours.

Lead Handling, Call Tracking, and CRM Integration

• Speed-to-lead: Aim to respond within minutes—especially for LSA calls/messages.
• Track the full funnel:
  • Lead submitted
  • Qualified lead
  • Appointment set
  • Signed agreement
  • Closed transaction
• Offline conversion imports: Pass final outcomes from your CRM back into Google Ads so Smart Bidding optimizes to clients who sign, not just clicks that convert.
• Call tracking: Use unique numbers by channel and enable Website Call Conversion tracking to attribute phone leads correctly.
• Lead quality scoring: Tag and score leads (buyer vs. seller, timeframe, price point) to improve targeting and budget allocation.

Optimization Cadence: Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly

• Weekly:
  • Review search terms; add negatives; pause low-quality queries.
  • Refresh top ad assets (headlines/descriptions) based on performance.
  • Shift budget toward better-performing campaigns/locations.
  • In LSA: review lead recordings, request more reviews, dispute invalid leads quickly.
  • Check the Recommendations tab for hygiene wins (without blindly applying everything).
• Monthly:
  • Assess conversion rates and CPL by campaign and keyword theme.
  • Update remarketing creative; refresh listing feeds.
  • Adjust Target CPA/ROAS based on pipeline data and seasonality.
• Quarterly:
  • Test new landing pages and valuation tools.
  • Expand into adjacent neighborhoods or “new construction” segments.
  • Evaluate scaling with Performance Max + high-quality assets.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Overly broad keywords like “real estate” without qualifiers.
• Sending all traffic to your homepage instead of intent-matched pages.
• Ignoring housing ad policies or using prohibited demographic targeting.
• No negative keyword list—leading to rental/job traffic.
• Missing conversion tracking or offline imports—optimizing on the wrong signals.
• Slow follow-up—kills ROI more than any bid strategy.

Metrics That Matter: Measure Down-Funnel, Not Just Clicks

• CPL and Cost per Qualified Lead (CPQL)
• Appointment rate and Cost per Appointment
• Signed agreement rate and Cost per Signed Client
• Cost per Closed Transaction and Time to Close
• Channel mix: LSA vs. Search vs. Remarketing vs. PMax
• Impression share and Top-of-page rate on critical keywords

Sample 90-Day Real Estate Ads Plan

• LSA: Primary driver for local, high-intent calls. Weekly budget aimed at steady lead flow. Grow reviews and answer fast.
• Search—Buyer: Phrase/exact “homes for sale [neighborhood/city]” → filtered IDX pages. Weekly negatives and ad testing.
• Search—Seller: “What’s my home worth [city]” → valuation page with testimonials. Lead form + call assets active.
• Brand defense: Protect your name/team/brokerage terms with low-cost coverage and sitelinks to Testimonials/Recent Sales.
• Remarketing: Responsive Display/Dynamic Remarketing promoting “New listings added” and showing requests.
• Performance Max: Asset groups for New Construction and Luxury; include strong creative and listing feeds; leverage Gmail placements.
• Maps/Local Search Ads: GBP linked; Location assets enabled to capture nearby intent.

Real-World FAQs

• Is LSA or Search better for real estate? Use both. LSA delivers top-of-page calls with a “Google Screened” badge; Search gives keyword and landing-page control. Together, they maximize volume and quality.
• How much should we budget? Fund Search for ~20–30 clicks/day to learn; set an LSA weekly budget aligned to the leads your team can handle. Scale based on CPQL and signed-client cost.
• How do we improve lead quality? Tighten match types, add negatives weekly, align ads to intent-specific landing pages, enable call recording, and import offline conversions so bidding trains on signed clients.
• Do we need Performance Max? It’s powerful for new construction, luxury, and scaled remarketing. Start with Search + LSA; add PMax once your creative and feeds are strong.
• How do we get more reviews for LSA? Ask every client post-closing, include review requests in your email sequence, and reply to all reviews promptly—ratings and responsiveness affect LSA visibility.
• Any compliance watchouts? Yes—follow Google’s HEC policies and Fair Housing rules. Avoid prohibited demographic targeting and discriminatory copy.

Final Takeaway

Start with intent (Search and LSA), protect your brand terms, and retarget warm visitors. Keep targeting compliant, pages fast and relevant, negative keywords tight, and follow-up immediate. Track down-funnel outcomes via offline conversion imports so Smart Bidding optimizes to signed clients. With the right google ads account real estate structure and steady optimization, Google can be a reliable source of buyers, sellers, and closings in your market.