6 Expired Listing Letter Templates & Why They Work
Kaylee specializes in real estate, B2B, and SaaS companies. You can find her expertise in sales and real estate content on Fit Small Business.
This article is part of a larger series on Real Estate Lead Generation and Marketing.
When real estate listings don’t sell within the time frame specified in the listing agreement, it becomes an expired listing. For real estate agents, expired listings present an opportunity to get a new lead and listing client. One of the best ways to connect with owners of expired listings is through an expired listing letter. To help you get the best results from your letters and send them efficiently, we’ve gathered six different expired listing letter templates.
In addition to writing your letter strategically, make sure to visually design your letter to stand out and be easy to read. This can be difficult to do in a standard word processor, but is extremely easy to do with Canva. Canva provides thousands of letter templates to make your letter fit your real estate brand, whether you want a simple design or a unique background and font. Plus, Canva is completely free to use.
If you’re a do-it-yourself kind of agent and instead want to write an expired listing letter from scratch, check out our article How to Write an Expired Listing Letter in 6 Steps (+ Free Template).
1. Include Agent & Neighborhood Statistics
Dear [insert homeowner name(s)],
As an agent in [insert neighborhood/city/etc.], I study the market closely and watch which homes sell and which homes don’t. I’ve noticed that you put your home on the market, and it didn’t sell. I realize there are many reasons homes don’t sell, and one of those may have been that you simply decided not to move. If that is the case, this letter may not be of interest to you. However, if you still want to move, here is some information that may be useful:
Last year homes in the [insert neighborhood/city/etc.] sold for an average of [insert percentage]% of the asking price. Many of my clients are surprised to learn homes are selling for the asking price, if not over the asking price.
According to the National Association of Realtors, the national median existing single-family home price in the second quarter of 2022 was $416,000, up 13.4% from the second quarter of 2021 ($366,900). Additionally, there is currently a three-month supply of available homes for sale; this is well below the six-month supply that many real estate experts consider normal.
As a real estate professional, I completely understand the stress of putting your home on the market. I pride myself on minimizing that stress by taking a very honest and comprehensive look at your situation and goals. If you are still considering moving, I would like to offer you a no-obligation move analysis. A move analysis examines your overall goals, and then I give you an honest opinion as to whether or not your goals are feasible.
I hope this letter finds you well, and please feel free to contact me at any time.
Regards,
[Insert Your Name]
(Source: Breakthrough Broker)
Why This Letter Works
This real estate agent doesn’t just claim that they have local expertise—they prove it. By including and discussing hyperlocal neighborhood statistics, the agent makes a strong point about the local real estate market. They also provide a clear next step for the homeowner to take advantage of the statistics provided, which is a move analysis. Alternatively, you could offer a different service, like a home valuation, and direct owners to a custom real estate landing page.
When you use a real estate software program like Real Geeks, creating a custom landing page specifically for expired listing clients is extremely easy and effective. Real Geeks provides customizable website and landing page templates that include IDX search functionality and custom lead forms. It also includes a detailed customer relationship manager (CRM) and automated marketing tools like email and text to help you nurture your leads and clients.
Find out more about how Real Geeks is the all-in-one tool you need to boost your business.
2. Offer a Resource Guide
Dear [insert homeowner name(s)],
Have you heard the news? The real estate market’s values are skyrocketing, houses are selling like hotcakes, and all you have to do to get your home sold is put a sign in the yard.
SO WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CASE OF YOUR HOME?
Fact is, there is more to selling a home than putting it in the MLS and putting a sign in the yard … in any type of market. There has to be a strategic and precise plan in place.
Inside, you’ll find our “My Home Didn’t Sell, Now What?” guide that will offer insight into what might have happened and how it can be corrected.
Hopefully, by the time you read this, we will have already met in person, but on the chance I missed you, let me take a moment to introduce myself!
My name is [insert name], and I am a real estate agent at [insert brokerage name].
The reason for my recent visit is to show you that I’m more than just another phone call or email … or another real estate agent making promises they can’t fulfill.
Your home didn’t sell, and there’s probably some disappointment. This has likely caused some disruptions in your life and possibly delayed future plans. You put a lot of work into getting your house ready to sell, and I can only imagine the frustration you must feel now that it didn’t.
Are you still interested in selling your home if you could get the right offer?
If so, then we should talk. I’d like to show you our Property Marketing Plan so you can see my firm’s approach to selling real estate.
In an effort to conserve paper, I did not attach the plan here, so please give me a call, and I’ll be happy to email that over to you!
Take some time to read through this information and absorb it. If you have any questions about the information you received, or anything else I can offer guidance on, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Thanks!
[Insert Your Name]
000-000-0000
This marketing piece is not intended as a solicitation for properties currently in an exclusive agreement with another Broker.
(Source: Nicki Reichel on Prezi)
Why This Letter Works
Just as the letter says, it’s delivered with a resource guide that directly addresses the questions and thoughts that most expired listing owners have. Since most homeowners who were unable to sell their house feel overwhelmed and confused, they are likely to be receptive to someone who instantly provides value by answering their most urgent concerns. This short expired listings letter packs a big punch by being brief and offering a comprehensive resource for free.
If you don’t already have a resource or guide to provide like the one mentioned in this template, it’s easy to create one. With Canva, a graphic design platform that is free to use, you can choose from thousands of premade design templates. The platform is extremely user-friendly, allowing you to simply input your unique content and adjust the design template with your brand colors. On the other hand, every document is fully customizable, and you can even design a print or online resource from scratch. Start using Canva for free.
3. Ask Questions & Provide Solutions
Expired listings letter example (Source: LUXVT)
Why This Letter Works
This letter is divided into two sections: a letter to the seller and a questionnaire. This is unique and effective because it engages the homeowner by asking questions instead of only sharing information with them. This agent also strategically selected questions that draw attention to unique and standout offerings they provide within their real estate listing marketing strategy.
4. Provide an Unconventional Delivery
Free expired listing letter template example
(Source: Stacey Alcorn on SlideShare)
Absorption.
I’m sorry to see that your home has not sold yet. You’re probably wondering why a real estate agent would be dropping off a package of paper towels to you right now. It’s actually not strange at all. I consider myself to be very much like a paper towel in today’s market because the number one reason a home will not sell in today’s market is something called absorption.
This is how it works. There are 240 single-family homes on the market in [Insert Neighborhood] today. 18 homes sold in [Insert Neighborhood] in the last month. If you are an average home seller priced at an average price, it will take 13 months for the market to ABSORB your home. That’s where you need a good paper towel; that’s where you need me.
Over the next seven days, you will receive several items of correspondence in the mail from me. Each of them will contain tools for helping you sell your home … not 13 months from now … but TODAY. I hope with each of these items, you’ll learn how I am very different in the way I professionally market each home through closing.
Please call me at your earliest convenience for a confidential one-on-one marketing consultation.
[Insert Your Name], [Insert Brokerage]]
(Source: Stacey Alcorn on SlideShare)
Why This Letter Works
As this letter states, it is delivered with a package of paper towels. Attaching something extremely unusual to your letter is an extremely effective way to ensure that you’ll get the homeowner’s attention and pique their interest. Plus, this letter template specifically states that the agent will be delivering even more packages—and who doesn’t love getting packages?
In addition to the object it’s attached to, this expired listing letter stands out on its own with unconventional formatting. While most letters start with a greeting, this one excludes a greeting and an introduction. Instead, it uses a banner style at the top with the word “absorption.” This letter is formatted more like a real estate flyer, and breaks many typical rules that agents follow when writing a letter. However, those who are successful in real estate find unique ways to stand out from the crowd, and that is clearly displayed in this example.
Expired listing leads and data from REDX (Source: REDX)
Studies show that 80% of sellers contacted only one agent before deciding to work with them. That means that the best way to get expired listing clients is by reaching them with your standout letter before other agents do. If you want to be ahead of the crowd, REDX is a tool that automatically sends you new expired listing leads and highly accurate contact information before data is available manually.
If you’re serious about marketing niche audiences like expired listings, FSBOs, or preforeclosures, REDX can transform the success of your business.
5. Specify Recent Sales
[Client name and address block]
Hello [homeowner name(s)],
I noticed your home listing expired recently and am sorry to hear that your home has not yet sold. The home sales process can certainly be a stressful and exhausting process.
Despite the challenges of today’s real estate market, I have seen success with real estate sales in your area. My recent sales of homes in your neighborhood include:
- [insert 2-3 closed sales: two-bedroom, listed for xx months sold for $]
- [insert 2-3 closed sales: two-bedroom, listed for xx months sold for $]
- [insert 2-3 closed sales: two-bedroom, listed for xx months sold for $]
I would be thrilled to take the burden and stress of the home sales process off your shoulders. Please consider hiring me as your new listing agent. I have some creative ideas to ensure your property moves quickly and garners a sales price commensurate with its market value. I hope to hear from you soon.
Best Wishes,
[Insert Your Name]
[Contact block with name
RE license #
Firm name
Firm address
Email, phone, and social media]
(Source: National Association of Realtors (NAR))
Why This Letter Works
This letter template is from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), which is arguably the best source of education for all real estate agents. With that said, this template is relatively basic, with formal language and sentences and no additional elements to make it stand out.
However, if you are a new agent or just beginning to focus on the expired listings real estate niche, this template is a perfect starting point. Start by editing just a few words or sentences, so the letter feels like it was written by you. As you gain more confidence and experience, you can change the letter more significantly or stand out with additional marketing tactics, like pop-by gifts or direct mail campaigns.
Pro tip: Generating leads is one of the most important elements of your real estate career. Whether you’re a new or seasoned agent, make sure you know the best real estate lead generation strategies to use.
6. Provide Details & Tips About Expired Listings
Sample expired listing letter templates free
(Source: Agent Inner Circle)
Are You Fed-Up With All The Reasons Your Home Didn’t Sell And Now Want Some Straight Answers?
You want to get on with life. You want to get your home sale behind you. But no one has stepped forward to make an offer.
“Why is this happening?”…
The REAL reasons may shock you!
Dear Frustrated Homeowner …
Does it seem like your home will never sell?
Few people truly understand the frustrations you face trying to sell your home. Perhaps you’re in between jobs and need to start renting. Or maybe you want to buy your next home, but you feel paralyzed because you need to sell this home first.
Maybe you’ve dropped your life savings into this home. And because of the lousy economy or unscrupulous people, you’re now trying to get your money out. The clock is ticking … and with each tick, you lose more and more of your hard-earned money.
My name is [Your Name], and I am a REALTOR® specializing in difficult-to-sell properties.
In Over [10] Years Of Marketing “Hard-To-Sell” Properties, I’ve Learned A Few Things About Why YOUR Home Is NOT Selling …
Each home is different and has special problems that make selling it difficult. That’s why I created a special program for people like you. I call it my “Maximum Home Value Audit.” It’s FREE, and there’s absolutely No Obligation Whatsoever to work with me or any other agent.
My audit will show you…
- How to get the absolute highest price the market will pay for your home;
- The difference between Functional and Cosmetic issues with your home, and how easy-to-fix and inexpensive problems may be costing you thousands;
- How to “dress” your home to make it look like it’s worth thousands more (the way you live in a home, and the way you sell a home are TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS!);
- I’ll inspect your home and property from top to bottom to reveal true problems affecting its successful sale: from specific condition issues, through lot sighting, home sighting, and location. Then, I’ll tell you how to minimize the impact of negative issues and promote positive features so you can get the very most money for your home … and sell it NOW!
As you can see, because of my experience, my Maximum Home Value Audit is a much higher level of service than what you may have experienced before.
Selling “Hard-To-Sell” Homes Is My Specialty!
And unlike other agents who will tell you anything just to get your listing, I’ll show you EXACTLY what your home is worth with a reliable, real-world analysis. No fancy figures. No hard sales pitches. Just the facts presented in a straightforward, easy-to-understand format for you.
THERE’S MORE: In the process of reviewing your home’s sale potential, I’ll also tell you how to get your property out to the most people possible through the Internet.
You Can Put An End To You Frustrations … Stop The Hemorrhaging Flow Of Your Equity Down The Drain, And Get-On With Your Life RIGHT NOW!
I know there’s a tendency to put this letter aside or “think about it later.” But every minute you spend sitting on an unsold home is costing you money! And in today’s overcrowded market (with more listings than buyers), you need to know all the smart ways to advertise and show your home to get a fast, top-dollar sale.
Right now, you can take advantage of my FREE, No Obligation “Maximum Home Value Audit” by simply picking up your phone, and calling my Fast-Response Hotline at 222-2222.
You have thousands of dollars and valuable time to gain … and absolutely NOTHING to lose by calling now. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely yours,
[Insert Your Name]
P.S. Right now, you can end the frustrations of sitting on a home that simply won’t sell! You can stop flushing money down the drain with each passing day … and get on with your life, simply by taking advantage of my FREE, No Obligation “Maximum Home Value Audit.” So call my Fast-Response Hotline right now at 222-2222, and say goodbye to your old home … and hello to new freedom!
(Source: Agentinnercircle.com)
Why This Letter Works
Unlike many of the other short expired listing letter templates, this one spans more than two pages. However, it strategically utilizes unconventional formatting to grab attention and to keep readers engaged, like the large heading, informal language, bold and italicized font, and bullet points. In addition, the letter is focused on sharing information about a free resource the agent offers, providing a variety of details about what’s included in the resource.
While this letter style may not fit every agent, it stands out from many more typical letter templates and provides a wealth of value to its recipients. If you choose this expired listing letter template, make sure to customize the details to fit your brand and your offer.
How & Why to Personalize Your Expired Listing Letters
As you implement strategies to get expired listings, keep in mind that you are probably not the only agent prospecting each listing. Think about how you would feel after going through a frustrating experience and then receiving essentially the same letter from a dozen different real estate agents. This is exactly why it’s so important to take the time to customize your expired listings letter for each potential lead.
Using a sample expired listing letter makes the process much more efficient, but you’ll need to research the property and the owner to include accurate details. Make sure to research:
- Length of time the property was on the market
- Original listing price and subsequent price drops (if applicable)
- Estimated market value according to your comparative market analysis (CMA)
- Condition of the home
- Name and experience of the previous agent
- Homeowner’s name and any other available details
- Listing marketing strategy (e.g., Was it properly photographed or staged? Was the description accurate? How was the home staged?)
Once you have this information, make sure to reference a few details in your real estate expired listing letter. This will make every letter feel like it was written personally for the homeowners, which helps you build trust with the recipients and sets you apart from other agents.
Sample expired listings postcard (Source: ProspectsPLUS!)
Differentiate yourself from your competition with eye-catching expired listing mailers. For example, ProspectsPLUS! provides a wide range of customizable postcards specifically for expired listings. It includes prewritten copy that appeals to expired listing leads, like “What could have been done differently?” or “Four questions you should ask about your expired listing.”
Postcards like these are even more effective when sent in addition to personalized letters as well as emails and phone calls. ProspectsPLUS! can help you get a higher return on investment (ROI) in your marketing.
Bottom Line
When it comes to generating expired listing leads, letters are one of the best ways to connect with homeowners and show them how you stand out from other agents. A great expired listing letter can get you new clients and help you establish authority in your farm area. Since letters can be time-consuming to write, use an expired listings letter template to start reaching new leads today.
