Facebook Ads for Real Estate
Facebook Ads (and Instagram Ads, which use the same platform) allow real estate investors to target specific demographics with visual ads. Unlike Google Ads which target search intent, Facebook Ads target people based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and life events — reaching potential sellers who may not yet be actively searching.
Targeting for motivated sellers
Facebook's targeting capabilities include: geographic targeting (specific zip codes, cities, or radius around an address), age range, homeownership status, life events (recently divorced, new job, recently moved), and interests (real estate, home improvement, moving services). Combining these creates audiences of homeowners who may be motivated to sell.
Fair housing compliance
Facebook has a Special Ad Category for housing that restricts targeting options to comply with the Fair Housing Act. You cannot target (or exclude) by race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, family status, disability, or age. The minimum radius for geographic targeting is 15 miles. These restrictions apply to ads about housing, which includes "we buy houses" ads. Violation can result in account suspension and legal liability.
Ad types that work
Video ads: Short testimonials from sellers you have helped, showing the before/after of their situation. Highest engagement.
Lead form ads: Pre-filled forms that capture the seller's information without leaving Facebook. Lower friction, higher conversion.
Carousel ads: Multiple images showing different properties you have purchased. Demonstrates credibility and volume.
Expected costs
Cost per click: $2-$8. Cost per lead: $15-$75. Lead quality is typically lower than Google (people were not actively searching), so expect lower conversion from lead to deal. Budget: $1,000-$3,000/month for consistent lead flow. Facebook Ads work best as part of a multi-channel strategy alongside direct mail, cold calling, and Google Ads.