Custom Scratch Off Cards for Real Estate Agents
How real estate agents use custom scratch off cards for farming mailers, open houses, and listing follow-up, with sizes, print specs, and compliance notes.
Why does a scratch off card outperform a standard farming postcard?
Because it changes the sequence. A standard postcard asks for attention before it earns any. A scratch off card gives the recipient a small action to complete, and the reveal happens after they have already read your name, your brokerage, and your headline. Nothing about the paper is magic. The interaction is what buys you the extra three seconds.
Which size should agents use for farming mailers?
Start with the 4" x 6" medium classic card. It is the standard USPS First-Class postcard trim, so it mails at postcard rates rather than letter rates, and it leaves room for a hero headline, your photo, a prize legend, and a reveal area around 2" x 1.5". If your farm is large and budget is the constraint, the 2" x 3.5" mini classic is our lowest cost per piece and works well tucked into door hangers or bag drops.
| Use | Size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Farming mailer | 4" x 6" medium | USPS postcard rate, room for a prize legend |
| Open house handout | 2.75" x 4" small | Fits a pocket, still readable across a table |
| Door hanger insert | 2" x 3.5" mini | Lowest per-card cost for high counts |
| Closing gift or keepsake | 4" x 6" full color | Printed art under the reveal |
What should the card actually offer?
Keep the reward tied to something you can deliver every time. Agents commonly use:
- A free comparative market analysis or home valuation
- A gift card to a specific local business, funded by you
- An entry into a single drawing at a set date
- A credit toward staging, photography, or a moving service
Whatever you choose, put the full prize legend on the card. Every reveal should resolve to a real outcome, including the common one, and the copy should say what that outcome is.
What do agents need to handle on the compliance side?
You supply the disclaimer and prize-legend language, and your broker's compliance team should approve it before we print. We print what you approve. Two points that come up constantly:
- Nobody may sell a scratch off card or charge for a chance at a prize. That crosses into lottery territory and is not something we print. Promotional giveaways and scratch and donate fundraisers are the models that work.
- License numbers, brokerage identification, and required disclosures vary by state. Build them into the layout early so they are not squeezed into 5pt type at the last minute.
What reveal style fits a real estate card?
Classic silver or gold is the default and the value choice: clean, familiar, and it reads instantly as a scratch off. Choose a full-color reveal when the thing under the panel needs to be an image, a listing photo, a sold banner, a logo, rather than a line of text. Full-color reveals run about 20% to 30% more than the same size in Classic.
How do you print these on 12pt stock without the mail cracking?
All our standard cards print on 12pt C2S stock, which is the sweet spot for a mailed piece: heavy enough to survive a mail stream and a thumbnail, light enough to keep postage sane. Heavier 14pt and 16pt options are available when a card is meant to be kept, along with a 280gsm blue-core security stock when you do not want anyone reading the reveal through the back. Details live on the cardstock weights page.
How much do real estate scratch off mailers cost?
At the 250-card minimum, medium classic starts at $468, about $1.87 per card. Mini classic starts at $365, about $1.46 per card, and drops toward $0.08 each at high volume. Full per-card tiers are on the pricing page, and a quote comes back within one business day. There are no setup fees on standard orders.
What is the right quantity for a farm?
Match the run to your mailing list, then round up to the next price tier and keep the extras for open houses. A 250-card minimum covers a small farm or a single neighborhood. Agents mailing a full farm several times a year almost always find that 1,000 cards ordered once beats 250 cards ordered four times, both on price and on brand consistency.
How long from artwork to mailbox?
Standard production is 7 to 10 business days after you approve the digital proof, and proofs are free and usually same-day. Rush production of 3 to 5 business days is available when the press schedule allows. Add your mail house time on top of that. For a seasonal push, a spring market or a fall listing season, start four to six weeks out.
What do teams do differently from solo agents?
Teams tend to order one shared design with a variable contact block so each agent's name, license, and phone print on their own segment of the run. That keeps the brand consistent and the cost per card low. If your team wants non-standard shapes, a house silhouette or a key die cut, look at the custom size and shape option; expect a one-time die charge.
Frequently asked questions
What size scratch off card is best for a real estate farming mailer?
The 4" x 6" medium card. It is the USPS First-Class postcard trim, so it mails at postcard rates and still has room for a headline, prize legend, and reveal area.
What is the minimum order?
250 cards, which is the minimum across every scratch off size we print.
Can I charge for the cards or sell entries?
No. Selling a scratch off card or charging for a chance makes it a lottery. Promotional giveaways and scratch and donate fundraisers are the compliant models.
Who writes the legal disclaimer?
You do, with your broker's compliance approval. We print the language you supply and will lay it out cleanly.
How long does production take?
7 to 10 business days after proof approval, with 3 to 5 day rush available when the schedule allows.
Related guides
Share your artwork or use our Design-It-Yourself tools. We proof every job before printing. Orders ship in 7-10 business days.