10DLC for real estate investors: what you can text

Carriers require every business that texts from a regular 10-digit number to register first. That registration is called 10DLC. Without it, your texts get blocked or filtered.

The short answer for investors: texting leads who asked to hear from you can be approved. Cold texting sellers from a list can't.

This guide sums up what Telnyx and other public sources say. It isn't legal advice. For legal questions, ask your attorney.

What gets approved

Texting people who agreed to get texts from your business. For example:

• A seller who filled out the cash offer form on your website and checked the texting consent box.
• A seller who asked you to text them, with a record of it.

Telnyx, the carrier behind HandRaise, says every recipient must give clear and verifiable consent, and your texts must match what you registered.

What doesn't

Cold texting sellers from a skip-traced or bought list. Telnyx says a number or list you got from a third party doesn't count as opt-in.

A toll-free number isn't a way around it. Telnyx says toll-free texts tied to lead generation may be blocked whatever the opt-in.

Calling those sellers is a separate question from texting them. Your phone calls don't need a 10DLC registration.

How to get approved the first time

Carriers read your website before they approve you. Most rejections come from a missing piece:

1. Your site is live and shows the same business name as your registration, plus a way to reach you.
2. A privacy policy that says you never share mobile numbers or texting consent with anyone for marketing.
3. Texting terms: what you text about, that frequency varies, that message and data rates may apply, and "Reply STOP to opt out, or HELP for help."
4. An unchecked consent box on every form that asks for a phone number, linking to your terms and privacy policy.
5. Links to both pages in your site's footer.

Approval can take from a few days to about a month, DataSift says. Your calls work the whole time.

Good to know

• STOP means stop. Opt out anyone who replies STOP right away, and never text them again unless they reply START.
• Name your business in your texts.
• State law is its own layer. Texas, for one, now covers texts under its telemarketing registration law (Morgan Lewis).
• Not sure if a seller opted in? Don't text them. Call instead, and ask if you can text.

With HandRaise

Our team files your texting registration with you, and your numbers show Texting on the moment the carriers approve it. Registration is $49 once, then $10 a month, and texts are 2 cents each. STOP and START are handled for you. See Register for texting and the website checklist for texting.