Setup and Sending
How soon is the first e-Alert sent after I create one? The first e-Alert — called the initial blast — sends all properties matching the search, ordered by newest first. It goes out the next time your site updates, usually within the hour. After the initial blast, subsequent e-Alerts only send New listings the lead hasn't already viewed, plus Price Reduced, Under Contract, Pending, and Sold listings (based on settings), on your chosen frequency.
My e-Alert has said "Pending" for several days. Why hasn't it sent? An e-Alert only sends when two conditions are met: there are properties matching the search criteria, and a lead email address is selected for sending. To check, click Edit this Search — the number of matching properties appears at the top of the page. If it shows 0, broaden your search. Also confirm the checkbox next to the lead's email address is selected on the e-Alert creation page.
The e-Alert I set up for my lead is no longer sending. What happened? BoomTown automatically adjusts e-Alert frequency when a lead goes inactive, to protect your email deliverability:
Instant or Daily frequency, unopened or unmodified for 30 days → changed to Weekly
Any frequency, unopened or unmodified for 180 days → changed to Monthly
No activity for 1 year → frequency changed to Never
To resume sending, update the frequency manually in the e-Alert settings.
What is the default frequency for a lead-created Saved Search? When a lead saves a search on your website, the default frequency is Instantly.
What is the default frequency for a System e-Alert? The default frequency for a System (automated) e-Alert is Daily.
Search Criteria
I selected both Marsh View and River View but it shows 0 properties. Why? Feature filters use AND logic, not OR. Selecting both Marsh View and River View returns only listings that have both features simultaneously, which is rare. If your lead is interested in either view, create two separate e-Alerts — one for Marsh View and one for River View.
What's the difference between a Saved Search and an e-Alert? Saved Searches are created by leads on your website when they click "Save this Search." They automatically appear in the e-Alerts section of the lead's profile in your CRM and function the same way as agent-created e-Alerts. In the CRM, both types appear together in the e-Alerts section.
Managing e-Alerts
Can I add a second email address to an e-Alert? Yes. To add an additional email address, open the e-Alert via Edit this Search in the lead's profile. Scroll to the Save This e-Alert section at the bottom and click the +Add a new email link. Enter the address and click Save Email. The address will be included in future sends and automatically added to the lead's profile settings.
How can a lead create an e-Alert on the website? A lead can create an e-Alert by clicking the Save this Search button at the top of any search results page on your website. They'll be prompted to name the search and choose a send frequency. The default is Instantly, and the saved search will appear automatically in the e-Alerts section of their lead profile in your CRM.
If I update an existing e-Alert's criteria, will the lead receive listings that already matched? No. After the initial blast, only new activity — New, Price Reduced, Pending, Under Contract, and Sold listings that arise after the save — will be sent. To ensure a lead sees all currently matching listings after a criteria update, either delete and recreate the e-Alert (which triggers a new initial blast) or manually email the lead a link to the current search results from their profile.
Sold Data
How do I turn off sold data for a specific lead? Open the lead's e-Alert, scroll to the Listing Status section, uncheck the Sold box, and save. For context: sold data is valuable to both buyer and seller leads — over 60% of home shoppers are not first-time buyers, and dormant leads sometimes re-engage when they see relevant sold activity in their area.
Why does sold data only go back 90 days? Sold data in e-Alerts is limited to the past 90 days on a rolling basis because e-Alerts are designed to surface recent changes to your MLS. Listings older than 90 days would no longer be timely or actionable for most leads.
Can I use the map polygon tool with sold data e-Alerts? Yes. All standard e-Alert settings and functionality apply. Sold data is simply an additional listing status checkbox within the e-Alert criteria.
Why don't I have access to sold data for e-Alerts? Sold data availability depends on your MLS board and state regulations. Contact our Support Team and they'll connect you with the right team to investigate availability in your area.