Postcards or letters for motivated sellers?
By Josh MillerUpdated 4 min readUse postcards to reach a lot of owners cheaply and often, and letters when the owner needs privacy or more explanation, like a foreclosure, probate or divorce. A postcard costs about 55 to 78 cents all in and a letter about 79 cents to $1.33, from the vendor prices we checked on October 14, 2026, so most investors mix them: a letter first to the sensitive lists, postcards for the follow-ups.
The postcard-versus-letter argument never ends because both sides are right about something. Here's what each actually buys you, and how to pick by list.
What each costs
| Postcard | Letter | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per piece, all in | About $0.55 to $0.78 | About $0.79 to $1.33 |
| Who sees the message | Everyone who handles it | Only the person who opens it |
| Room to explain | A few lines | A full page |
| Best for | Reaching many owners, repeat touches | Sensitive situations, first contact |
Source: investor mail vendors' published pricing pages and USPS Notice 123. Every price, vendor by vendor.
Pick by the list
- Foreclosure, probate, divorce: a letter. A postcard announcing you buy houses from people in foreclosure, read by the neighbor who brings in the mail, does real harm and gets you nowhere.
- Expired listings: either. The owner already wanted to sell; a postcard that says you'll buy as-is is fine.
- Vacant, tax, liens: postcards for reach, especially when the owner lives elsewhere and the mail goes to their home address.
Mix them
Most investors who mail well use both: a letter as the first touch to the sensitive lists, then postcards for the follow-ups, because owners decide over months, not days. Across 99 counties, of every 100 owners with a foreclosure filed, about 3 sold off-market in the first 3 months and about 13 by month 12. That's a sequence, not a single piece.
The piece matters less than the list
A great postcard to owners who aren't selling loses to a plain letter to owners who are. Free and clear owners sold off-market at about 1.5 of every 100 within a year; expired listings at about 12. Pick the list first. Work out how much to mail for your market.
Questions investors ask
Do postcards or letters work better for real estate investors?
Neither always wins. Postcards are seen by everyone who handles the mail, cost less, and work for repeat touches. Letters are private and can say more, which matters for owners in foreclosure, probate or divorce.
How much does a postcard cost vs a letter?
About 55 to 78 cents for a postcard and about 79 cents to $1.33 for a letter, printing and postage included, from investor mail vendors' published prices on October 14, 2026.
Should I put a foreclosure message on a postcard?
No. Anyone who sees the postcard sees the message. Write to owners in foreclosure, probate or divorce in a sealed envelope, and keep the outside plain.
What size postcard should I use?
A 4x6 is the cheapest First-Class postcard size. Larger cards stand out but are priced as flats or Marketing Mail, so check the postage before you design.