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Holiday Messages Real Estate Agents Can Send Past Clients
The best holiday message to a past real estate client names their home or move and thanks them. Wish them a good holiday, with no ask. 'Hope your first holiday on Maple Street is a warm one' beats any market update. Send a card or email in early December. Text clients you still message. Save referral requests for another time.
Past clients bring most of an agent's referrals and repeat business. The holidays are the easiest time to reach them without a reason. A note about their home, their kids or their move shows you saw them as people. That is just what they repeat when a friend asks for an agent.
What makes it land is that it reads like it came from you, not a mailing service. Skip the headshot postcard and the market stats. Name the street, the first-time-buyer jitters or the new puppy. Keep it to three sentences, and sign it yourself.
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Free, no signup. The example is filled in: press the button, then replace it with your own situation. In Capstone, a message like it is written for each person you know when their check-in is due.
11 examples to copy
One message is easy. Hundreds of people, all year, is the hard part. Capstone Outreach puts everyone you know on a rhythm you pick, from weekly to every three months. When someone is due, a message like these is already written in your voice from your history with them. You approve it, and it goes from your own email or phone. See the CRM for real estate agents.
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Everyone on a rhythm. Who is due, and when. Recorded in the app on a demo account.
1. First holiday in a home they bought this year (email)
Subject: Your first holiday on [street name]
Why it works: Remembering the street and the house's quirks shows the client they were more than a closing. That is what makes them recommend you.
2. Short card message for past buyers (card)
Why it works: A few handwritten lines with the street name feel personal in a way a printed card never does.
3. Light, funny text for a client with a sense of humor (text)
Why it works: Humor about a shared experience, like a first holiday dinner in a new house, feels friendly without being forced.
4. Thank you to clients who closed with you this year (email)
Subject: Thank you for trusting me this year
Why it works: Naming the stress of the deal tells the client you understood what it took on their side, not just yours.
5. Past seller who moved out of the area (email)
Subject: Happy holidays from [your town]
Why it works: A seller who left town can still refer friends back home. A small update about the old house links them to a place they loved.
6. Client from several years ago, no ask (email)
Subject: Holiday wishes, [Name]
Why it works: Saying there's no reason for the note lets an old client enjoy it. The memory proves you never forgot them.
7. Client who referred someone to you this year (email)
Subject: A special thank you this holiday
Why it works: Telling the client how their referral turned out shows their trust was well placed. That is what earns the next one.
8. New year message with a useful homeowner reminder (email)
Subject: Happy New Year, and one homeowner tip
Why it works: A practical tip that saves the client money or hassle makes your note worth opening. It keeps you their go-to for anything about the home.
9. Compliments of the season, formal card for luxury or older clients (card)
Why it works: A formal tone suits clients who expect it, and the property reference keeps it from reading as a stock greeting.
10. Invitation to your client appreciation event (email)
Subject: You're invited: [event name] on [date]
Why it works: An event gives past clients a reason to see you face to face. 'No business talk' makes it feel like a thank you, not a sales pitch.
11. Buyer still searching over the holidays (text)
Why it works: Giving a tired buyer permission to rest shows you care about them, not just the commission. That keeps them loyal through a slow market.
Sending these to more than a few people? See how people keep track of who to follow up with, and when: what a personal CRM does and the best personal CRMs, compared.
When to send it
- Mail cards between December 1 and December 10. They arrive before the last-minute rush and get displayed, not buried.
- Send holiday emails between December 10 and December 20, on a weekday morning.
- For clients who closed this year, send a separate note about their first holiday in the home. It's the one they remember.
- Use the first week of January for new year messages. This works well for clients who don't celebrate Christmas.
- Keep your holiday note at least two weeks apart from any market report, newsletter or 'thinking of selling?' mailing.
Subject lines
- Your first holiday on [street name]
- Happy holidays, [Name]
- Thank you for trusting me this year
- Holiday wishes from your agent
- A special thank you this holiday
- Happy holidays from [your town]
- Happy New Year, and one homeowner tip
- Warm wishes for your new home
- Thinking of you and [street name]
- You're invited: [event name] on [date]
- Season's greetings, [Name]
- Happy New Year from [Your name]
- Wishing you a cozy holiday at home
- Holiday wishes for the [Name] family
What to avoid
- Don't include a market update, home value estimate or 'thinking of selling?' line in a holiday message.
- Don't send a printed postcard with only your headshot and logo. Add a handwritten line or don't send it.
- Don't ask for referrals in your holiday card. Thank people for past referrals instead.
- Don't send Christmas wording to your whole list when you know some clients celebrate other holidays.
- Don't get names wrong after a divorce, a death or a move. Check your notes before addressing the card.
- Don't mass-text past clients from a number they won't know. Text only people you already message.
After you send it
Reply personally to every response. Write down anything new, like a baby, a remodel or a job move. If someone doesn't reply, don't follow up on the holiday note. In January or February, reach out to past clients with something useful, like a homeowner tip or an invite. Reach this year's buyers on their one-year home anniversary. After that, a real touchpoint every two to three months keeps you the agent they name when a friend asks.
Building the habit: how to keep in touch with contacts and what a personal CRM does.
Past buyers and sellers need more than a holiday note Put your past clients on a check-in every three months by text or email. When one is due, Capstone writes it in your voice from your notes on their home.
Start 14 days free, then $25/mo
A study of 20 million LinkedIn members found that acquaintances, more than close friends, led to new jobs (Science, 2022). Capstone keeps those people warm. You approve every message, and it goes from your own email or phone.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good holiday message to send to clients?
A good holiday message thanks the client, mentions something specific to them and wishes them a happy season. Keep it to three or four sentences. For a real estate client, it might say: 'Hope your first holiday on Maple Street is a warm one. It was a joy helping you find it.' Sign it yourself and leave out any sales pitch.
Should real estate agents send holiday cards to past clients?
Yes, a handwritten card is one of the best ways to stay in touch with past clients. Keep it personal. Mention their home or move, add a line in your own hand and skip the market stats. For clients you've lost touch with, a short email works too. It costs nothing to send.
Should I send a gift with my holiday message to past clients?
A small gift is a nice touch for clients who closed this year or sent you referrals, but it isn't required. Choose something for the home, like a local treat or an ornament with their street name. A thoughtful note with no gift is far better than a costly gift with a generic card.
Is it okay to ask for referrals in a holiday message?
No, keep referral requests out of holiday messages. A holiday note works because it asks for nothing. Instead, thank clients who already referred you. Stay in regular touch the rest of the year. Clients refer agents they remember fondly, and a pitch in a holiday card undercuts that.
What should I write in a real estate Christmas card?
Write a greeting, one line about their home or move, and your signature. For example: 'Merry Christmas from one of your biggest fans. Hope the new house is full of cookies and family this year.' Two or three handwritten lines are enough. Leave your business card out of the envelope.