Send a few short texts that each give the buyer something useful, such as a new listing that matches what they asked for or an offer to set up a showing, and stop after a handful of tries. GoHighLevel's Stop on Response ends the sequence the moment the buyer replies. The bottom line: a lead who went quiet has usually not decided against you, so one helpful message beats five that ask whether they are still interested, and the number of messages is limited by consent as well as by manners.
Why buyers go quiet
NAR's 2025 Profile reports a median buyer search time of 10 weeks, and that most buyers interview only one agent before deciding, 67 percent of first time buyers and 76 percent of repeat buyers. A buyer who stopped replying may be waiting on a lender, comparing homes, or busy, and the agent who stays useful is the one they still have in mind when they restart. The same profile reports that 43 percent of buyers found their agent through a friend, neighbor, or relative, so a lead that went quiet may also be asking someone else.
The sequence
| Day | Message | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | A new listing that matches their stated criteria, with a link | Something useful |
| 8 | An offer to schedule a showing for one of the homes they viewed, with a booking link | Easy next step |
| 15 | A short market note for their search area, factual and dated | Value |
| 22 | A last message: I will stop texting unless you want updates, reply YES to keep getting them | Clean exit |
Avoid texts like just checking in. They ask the buyer to do work and give nothing. Match the content to what the buyer said they wanted, and do not infer anything about the buyer from their name or location.
The consent limits
The National Association of REALTORS says the FCC's one to one consent rule was vacated, that real estate professionals are not required to get one to one consent, and that they must still follow the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the Do Not Call Registry. Texts count as calls, and the Registry's protections extend to texts. Law firm and vendor summaries describe the established business relationship exception as 18 months after a transaction and 3 months after a consumer's inquiry, note that some states set shorter windows, and put statutory damages at $500 per call or text, up to $1,500 for willful violations. A person who asks to stop must be added to the agent's own do not call list, and an inquiry to another agent or a public record search does not create a relationship with you. Rules differ by state, and one summary reports that Washington has no established business relationship exemption for residential contacts and that Pennsylvania rewrites its telemarketing statute effective October 18, 2026, so check your state with counsel.
For a lead whose only contact was an inquiry, the 3 month window described in law firm summaries means the sequence should end within about 3 months, and a buyer who has not given written consent for marketing texts should not receive them after that. Some states set shorter windows. A buyer who replies STOP must be added to the do not call list at once. The FCC's 2024 order also lets people revoke consent by any reasonable means, with stop, quit, end, revoke, opt out, cancel, and unsubscribe counting automatically.
Build it in GoHighLevel
- Create a workflow that starts when a lead has had no reply for 3 days, using a tag such as Buyer lead and a Wait step.
- Turn on Stop on Response in the workflow settings.
- Use custom values to merge the buyer's search area, price range, and last viewed property into each text.
- Send the four messages in the table, each with a Wait between them, and an If/Else before each to check for the tags Opted out, Appointment booked, and Working with another agent.
- Add a call task for the agent on day 8, so a person tries once.
- After day 22, move the contact to a monthly email list only if the buyer gave written consent, and otherwise end the sequence.
- Build an opt out workflow that removes the contact from every messaging workflow and logs the time.
Worked example
For example, an agent has 100 buyer leads a month and 40 go quiet after the first reply. If the four message sequence brings back 6 of those 40, that is 6 more conversations (40 times 0.15), and the other 34 are asked once, cleanly, whether they want updates.
Mistakes to avoid
- Texts that only ask if they are still interested. Give something useful.
- Never stopping. The inquiry window is short.
- Ignoring informal opt outs. Any reasonable means counts.
- Using the same text for every lead. Match their stated criteria.
How this was handled before
Agents set a reminder to call leads every few weeks and lost track of most. Drip campaigns made follow up automatic, and the consent rules for texting, including the inquiry window, now set how long the sequence may run.
What to measure after launch
Track leads that went quiet, replies to each message, showings booked, and opt outs. Stop any message that produces more opt outs than replies.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Check your state's texting window and Do Not Call rules with counsel, and keep records of consent and opt outs for at least four years. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
How many times should an agent text a lead who went quiet?
A handful. Four useful messages over about three weeks, then a clean exit, is a reasonable limit.
How long can an agent follow up after an inquiry?
Law firm summaries of the federal Do Not Call rules describe 3 months after an inquiry, with some states shorter. Written consent allows more.
What should the text say?
Something useful and specific to what the buyer asked for, such as a matching new listing or a showing offer, not just checking in.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.