Showing up where your clients are searching makes all the difference. And these days, that means having a strong local presence on Google.

At Blok, we’ve worked with hundreds of agents to fine-tune their Google Ads campaigns – and time and again, we’ve seen the biggest results come from one thing: choosing the right local keywords.

Local real estate keywords are how serious buyers and sellers find you. When you get specific – focusing on neighborhoods, property types, and real client needs – you not only boost visibility, but you also bring in better leads for a lot less. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to choose and use high-performing, cost-effective keywords to drive better results from your real estate Google Ads.

Understanding Search Intent in Real Estate

Before diving into specific keywords, it’s crucial to understand the mindset behind different real estate searches. Search intent broadly falls into three categories:

Informational Intent

These searches focus on gathering information, such as “What is the housing market like in [Location]?” or “Best neighborhoods in [City] for families.” While these searchers aren’t necessarily ready to buy or sell immediately, they’re moving through the early stages of the real estate funnel.

Navigational Intent

These searches aim to find specific websites or platforms, like “Zillow [Location]” or “[Specific brokerage] website.” These aren’t typically valuable targets for real estate agents’ Google Ads.

Transactional Intent

These high-value searches indicate readiness to take action—either buying, selling, or engaging with an agent. Examples include “homes for sale in [Location]” or “top real estate agent in [Area].” These should form the core of your keyword strategy.

High-Converting Buyer Intent Keywords

When targeting potential homebuyers, specificity is your friend. Here’s our breakdown of the most effective keyword categories:

Geographic-Specific Home Searches

Geographic specificity transforms generic searches into high-converting opportunities. Consider these examples:

• “[City] homes for sale”
• “[Neighborhood] real estate listings”
• “Houses for sale in [Zip Code]”
• “[City] waterfront properties”
• “[County] acreage for sale”
• “[Neighborhood] new construction”

Pro Tip: Don’t just target broad city names. Break down your campaigns by neighborhood, subdivision, or even street names for areas with distinctive appeal.

Property Type Specifics

Different buyers search for different property types. Capture this intent with keywords like:

• “[Location] single family homes”
• “[Location] condos for sale”
• “[Location] townhouses”
• “[Location] multi-family properties”
• “[Location] historic homes”
• “[Location] luxury estates”
• “[Location] fixer-upper homes”

Pro Tip: Create separate ad groups for each property type to craft tailored ad copy that speaks directly to these distinct buyer segments.

Property Feature Keywords

Feature-specific searches often indicate buyers with clear preferences and higher motivation:

• “Homes with pool in [Location]”
• “[Location] homes with large backyard”
• “[3/4/5] bedroom houses in [Location]”
• “Homes with finished basement in [Location]”
• “[Location] open floor plan homes”
• “Waterfront property in [Location]”
• “[Location] homes with mother-in-law suite”

Pro Tip: Seasonal features can drive high-intent traffic—”[Location] homes with central air” performs exceptionally well during summer months, while “houses with fireplace in [Location]” sees increased searches during fall and winter.

Buyer Situation Keywords

These keywords target specific buyer circumstances and often indicate serious intent:

• “First-time home buyer [Location]”
• “VA loan homes [Location]”
• “FHA approved homes in [Location]”
• “Down payment assistance programs [Location]”
• “Homes for sale no HOA [Location]”
• “New construction with builder incentives [Location]”
• “55+ communities in [Location]”

Pro Tip: Create dedicated landing pages addressing the specific concerns of these buyer segments to dramatically increase conversion rates.

High-Converting Seller Intent Keywords

Identifying homeowners looking to sell requires a different approach. These keywords typically have lower search volume but extremely high conversion potential:

Direct Selling Phrases

These straightforward queries indicate clear selling intent:

• “Sell my house in [Location]”
• “How to sell house fast in [Location]”
• “Best real estate agent in [Location]”
• “What is my home worth in [Location]”
• “[Location] home valuation”
• “Selling house by owner in [Location]”
• “Cash offers for homes in [Location]”

Pro Tip: For these high-value keywords, consider higher bids and dedicated landing pages featuring seller success stories and free home valuation tools.

Timing-Based Keywords

These searches indicate sellers with specific timelines:

• “Sell house quickly in [Location]”
• “Best month to sell house in [Location]”
• “How long does it take to sell in [Location]”
• “Selling inherited property in [Location]”
• “Selling house before foreclosure [Location]”
• “Selling home during divorce [Location]”
• “Selling house before buying new one [Location]”

Pro Tip: For timing-sensitive keywords, emphasize your efficiency and market knowledge in ad copy. Consider phrases like “From Listed to Sold in Under 30 Days” to capture attention.

Service-Based Keywords

These keywords target sellers looking for specific agent qualities:

• “Top-rated real estate agents in [Location]”
• “Best realtor reviews [Location]”
• “Discount real estate commission [Location]”
• “Realtors who handle short sales in [Location]”
• “[Location] agents with best marketing”
• “Experienced real estate agent in [Location]”
• “Full-service realtor in [Location]”

Pro Tip: Highlight your unique selling proposition in ad copy and landing pages for these searches. If you offer staging services, professional photography, or specialized marketing, make it prominent.

Advanced Keyword Optimization Strategies

Mastering Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords contain more specific phrases and typically deliver:

• 30-50% lower cost-per-click than generic terms
• 2-3x higher conversion rates
• Less competition from national sites and large brokerages

Examples of effective long-tail real estate keywords:

• “[Neighborhood] 3 bedroom brick homes under $400k”
• “Waterfront condos with boat slip in [Location]”
• “Luxury homes with mountain views in [Location]”
• “Historic downtown [City] loft apartments for sale”
• “Energy efficient new construction in [Subdivision]”
• “Homes for sale near [Specific School] in [Location]”
• “[Location] homes with large lots and no HOA”

Pro Tip: Use Google’s Keyword Planner to identify long-tail variations with sufficient search volume, then create highly targeted ad groups around these phrases.

Strategic Keyword Modifiers

Adding modifiers to base keywords can significantly improve targeting precision:

Price-Based Modifiers

• “Affordable homes in [Location]”
• “Luxury properties in [Location]”
• “Houses under $300k in [Location]”
• “Million-dollar homes in [Location]”
• “[Location] homes in [specific price range]”

Timing-Based Modifiers

• “New listings in [Location]”
• “Just listed homes in [Location]”
• “Open houses this weekend in [Location]”
• “Recently reduced homes in [Location]”
• “Pre-construction homes in [Location]”

Motivation-Based Modifiers

• “Foreclosure homes in [Location]”
• “Bank-owned properties in [Location]”
• “Estate sale homes in [Location]”
• “Must-sell properties in [Location]”
• “Relocating to/from [Location]”

Pro Tip: Set up automated rules in Google Ads to increase bids on these modified keywords during peak search times—evenings and weekends typically see 30-40% higher conversion rates for real estate searches.

Essential Negative Keywords for Real Estate

Preventing wasted ad spend is just as important as targeting the right terms. Consider these negative keyword categories:

Rental-Related Terms

• “Apartments for rent”
• “Houses for rent”
• “Section 8 housing”
• “Monthly rental”

Job-Seeking Terms

• “Real estate agent jobs”
• “Realtor positions”
• “Real estate license”
• “How to become a realtor”

Competitor and Portal Names

• “Zillow”
• “Trulia”
• “Redfin”
• “[Competitor brokerage names]”

Research-Only Terms

• “Free real estate listings”
• “MLS access”
• “Pictures of homes”
• “Floor plans”

Pro Tip: Review your Search Terms Report weekly to identify and add new negative keywords. At Blok, we’ve found this practice alone can improve campaign efficiency by 15-25%.

Implementation Blueprint for Real Estate Google Ads

1. Geographic Campaign Structure

Create separate campaigns for different geographic areas to control budget allocation and bidding strategies:

• Primary Campaign: Core neighborhoods/areas with highest property values
• Secondary Campaign: Surrounding areas with moderate demand
• Expansion Campaign: Emerging markets or areas with growing potential

This structure allows you to allocate more budget to high-converting areas while still maintaining visibility in developing regions.

2. Strategic Match Type Implementation

Leverage different match types for maximum efficiency:

• Exact Match: Use for your highest-converting keywords with proven ROI
• Phrase Match: Implement for neighborhood and property-type focused terms
• Broad Match Modified: Use sparingly and only with robust negative keyword lists

Pro Tip: Create a “keyword funnel” by starting new terms as broad match, then upgrading them to phrase or exact match once they demonstrate conversion success.

3. Budget Allocation Framework

Distribute your budget strategically:

• 50-60% to high-intent buyer keywords
• 20-30% to high-intent seller keywords
• 10-20% to brand-building and informational keywords

Adjust this distribution based on your business goals—if you’re primarily seeking listings, increase allocation to seller keywords.

4. Measurement and Optimization Cycle

Implement this 4-week optimization cycle:

• Week 1: Review performance metrics and adjust bids
• Week 2: Analyze search term reports and update negative keywords
• Week 3: Test new ad variations and landing pages
• Week 4: Evaluate campaign structure and keyword distribution

Pro Tip: Use Google Ads’ automated rules to adjust bids based on position, time of day, and device performance without requiring constant monitoring.

Case Study: How Smart Keyword Targeting Transformed One Agent’s Business

At Blok, we recently worked with a real estate agent in a competitive suburban market who was struggling with high cost-per-lead and low conversion rates. By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide, we achieved remarkable results:

• Reduced average cost-per-click from $4.87 to $2.93
• Increased lead conversion rate from 2.1% to 7.8%
• Generated 27 closed transactions directly attributed to Google Ads over 6 months
• Achieved an ROI of 843% on Google Ads spend

The key to this success? Abandoning generic terms like “homes for sale” in favor of highly specific, long-tail keywords with strong buyer and seller intent, coupled with neighborhood-specific campaigns and property-type focused ad groups.

Building Your Keyword Foundation

The right keywords don’t just get you clicks – they get you clients. And in Google Ads, that starts with going local and getting specific.

Here’s what matters most:

• Prioritize specific phrases over broad, high-volume terms
  
• Focus on neighborhoods, property types, and buyer/seller intent
  
• Use long-tail keywords to stand out in less competitive searches
  
• Keep costs down with a smart negative keyword strategy
  
• Monitor and refine your keywords based on real results
  

At Blok, we’ve helped hundreds of agents apply these exact strategies – and they consistently come out ahead, generating more leads for less money and closing more deals.If you’re ready to uncover what your local market is really searching for, let’s talk. We’ll start with a personalized keyword audit and show you where your biggest opportunities are hiding.