The first week on the market is when a listing gets the most attention. A good "Just listed" email puts your listing in front of the people most likely to act: past clients, local buyers, and agents with buyers in the area.
Most of these emails get skipped, though. Here's how to write one that gets opened, read and acted on, and that keeps you on the right side of anti-spam law.
1. Subject lines that get opened
Your subject line decides whether anything else matters. Keep it short (under about 50 characters), specific, and honest.
Formulas that work:
- Location + type + hook: "Just listed: 3-bed townhome by Redwood Park"
- Price + area: "New in South Surrey under $1.2M"
- Event: "Open house Saturday: 123 Maple Crescent"
- Feature first: "Detached garage + RV parking, just listed"
Avoid:
- ALL CAPS, lots of exclamation marks, or "FREE". These trigger spam filters.
- Fake "Re:" or "Fwd:" prefixes. Misleading subject lines are prohibited under the US CAN-SPAM Act.
- Clickbait the email doesn't deliver on.
Add a preview text too: the grey line shown after the subject in most inboxes. Use it for the second-best fact, e.g. "Renovated kitchen, south-facing deck, open Saturday 2–4."
2. A layout that works on a phone
Most people read email on their phone. Build for a narrow screen:
- Hero photo first. Your single best image, full width.
- Address, price and a one-line headline.
- Three to five bullet points. Beds and baths, the best features, an open house time.
- One clear button: "See the photos and book a showing." One call to action beats five.
- A QR code for people reading on a desktop or a printed copy, linking to the same page.
- Your footer: name, brokerage, contact details, the unsubscribe link and your mailing address.
Keep the email itself short. Its job is to get the click, not to tell the whole story.
Use real text, not one big image. Emails that are a single picture get flagged as spam more often, and they're unreadable when images are blocked.
3. If any photo is staged, say so in the email too
If the email includes a virtually staged or digitally altered photo, the disclosure needs to travel with it:
- a short label near the photo
- a link or QR code to the original photos
California's AB 723 requires this for altered images in any ad, and email is advertising. Our virtual staging disclosure guide covers the details. BC's rules against misleading advertising lead to the same practice.
4. The law: CASL (Canada)
Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) is one of the strictest anti-spam laws in the world. It applies to any commercial email sent to or from Canada.
You need consent before you send.
- Express consent: the person actively opted in, for example by ticking an empty box on your website. Keep a record of when and how. Consent can't be hidden in terms and conditions, and the box can't be pre-ticked.
- Implied consent: this comes from an existing relationship, but it expires. Under the CRTC's guidance:
- Someone who bought, sold or leased through you (or signed a contract with you) gives implied consent for two years from the last transaction.
- Someone who only made an inquiry gives you six months.
- A business card handed to you is not automatically consent to join a mailing list.
Every email must:
- identify you (and your brokerage) as the sender
- include your contact information, including a mailing address and either a phone number, an email address or a web address
- include an unsubscribe link that works. It must stay working for at least 60 days after you send, and you must act on an unsubscribe within 10 business days.
Penalties can reach $1 million per violation for individuals and $10 million for businesses.
5. The law: CAN-SPAM (United States)
The US CAN-SPAM Act doesn't require consent up front, but it has firm rules for every commercial email:
- No false or misleading header information: your "From" name and address must be accurate.
- No deceptive subject lines.
- Identify the message as an ad where required.
- Include a valid physical postal address. Your brokerage address works.
- Tell people how to opt out, and honour opt-outs within 10 business days.
- You're responsible even if someone else sends it for you, such as an assistant or a marketing service.
Each non-compliant email can bring a penalty of up to $53,088, according to the FTC.
Practical tip: if your list includes both Canadians and Americans, follow CASL for everyone. It is stricter, so meeting it covers you for CAN-SPAM too.
6. Who should be on your "Just listed" list
- Past clients and your sphere (with consent).
- Buyers who asked about similar homes (CASL: within six months of their inquiry).
- Agents in your area. Emails to other agents about listings are still commercial messages, so the same rules apply.
- Neighbours. "Just listed in your neighbourhood" is popular, but under CASL you need consent before emailing them. For neighbours without consent, use mail or door-knocking instead.
Checklist before you hit send
- Subject line under ~50 characters, specific and honest.
- Preview text with your second-best fact.
- Hero photo, address, price, 3–5 bullets, one button.
- QR code to the listing website.
- Staged or altered photos labelled, with a link to the originals.
- Your name (or Personal Real Estate Corporation name), brokerage and contact details. See ad rules agents often miss.
- Working unsubscribe link and mailing address.
- Everyone on the list has consent (CASL) or can easily opt out (CAN-SPAM).
- Sent a test to yourself and checked it on your phone.
How Trulisted helps
Trulisted builds your "Just listed" email from your best photos, listing copy and brand kit. It comes with:
- a QR code
- the disclosure line and originals link when any photo is altered
- your brokerage and Personal Real Estate Corporation wording
- an unsubscribe placeholder in the footer
Copy the HTML into Mailchimp, Constant Contact or your CRM, add your unsubscribe link, and send. It's one part of the complete listing marketing kit.
Frequently asked questions
Can I email someone who gave me their business card?
Not automatically. The CRTC says a business card alone is not clear consent to add someone to a mailing list. Ask them to opt in, or rely on implied consent only if you have a qualifying business relationship.
How long does implied consent last under CASL?
Two years after someone bought, sold or leased through you, or signed a contract with you. Six months after someone only made an inquiry. After that, you need express consent.
Do I need consent to email people in the US?
The US CAN-SPAM Act doesn't require consent up front, but every email needs an accurate sender, an honest subject line, a postal address and a working opt-out. If your list includes Canadians, follow CASL for everyone.
What is a good subject line for a "Just listed" email?
Short (under about 50 characters), specific and honest, for example "Just listed: 3-bed townhome by Redwood Park". Avoid all caps, lots of exclamation marks, and fake "Re:" or "Fwd:" prefixes.
Should I include a QR code in an email?
Yes. It helps people reading on a desktop or a printed copy reach the listing website on their phone. Point it at the same page as your main button.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Anti-spam rules have more detail than we can cover here. Check the CRTC and FTC guidance, or ask a lawyer, for your situation.