Reaching out to property owners whose listings have expired can be a great way to generate leads. These homeowners will likely be discouraged, so you should have a plan before you pick up the phone or knock on their doors. We’ll show you five effective expired listings scripts to help you convert these to active listings and sales.
That said, the overall effectiveness of cold calling homeowners with expired listings has decreased over the last decade with the development of caller ID and smartphones. While it is still a viable strategy, you should expect to go to voicemail more often than not. This is why you should also try sending expired listings letters when attempting to reach out to these leads.
1. The Casual Approach
Hi there, is this the homeowner? I’m _____ calling with _____.
As I was looking over what’s happening in our neighborhood, I noticed that your home is no longer for sale. I was really surprised that it went for _____ days without selling. Any thoughts on why?
(Hear them out—they’ll often talk about what they see the problems are, the other agent’s shortcomings, and so on.)
I sold a home recently in the neighborhood at _____, so I thought you might still be interested in selling your home. How about I swing by tomorrow at _____ to take a look and give you a second opinion?
(If yes, book it! If no…)
OK, I can just come by to drop off some things for you to look over? I’ve been selling in the neighborhood and I’d like to show you what I’ve been able to do for others. Around _____ tomorrow?
Why This Script Works
Instead of immediately putting the attention on yourself, this script is great because it starts by hearing the homeowner’s perspective. This helps you gauge their point of view and where they need help the most, and opens the door to natural conversation without making your real estate lead generation efforts seem overly pushy. In addition, by offering to personally look at their house, you are giving them an easy place to get answers.
2. The Empathetic Expert
Good morning, is this the homeowner? I’m _____ calling with _____.
I try to take a look at the homes for sale in the area every day, and I noticed yours was no longer listed. It’s a great home; I was wondering what happened?
(Listen to what they have to say.)
Where were you planning to move after you sold the house?
(Engage them in conversation a bit around this.)
So, do you have a deadline for when you’d want to sell the house to get there?
(If they say they don’t have a deadline or don’t need to move…)
I think I can get you where you want to be. What kind of time and attention did your last agent offer you? How many offers? Do you know what kind of marketing they did?
(They likely don’t have good stats.)
I know you’re probably pretty frustrated, and likely think that all agents are the same, but I’d love to show you my approach. I work hard and I recently sold a home at _____.
How about this Saturday at _____? I won’t take much of your time, and you’ll likely find it worth it to at least get another take.
Why This Script Works
By asking many different questions about their home, this script is effective because it shows the homeowner that you actually care about their experience instead of just making a sale. It also helps you learn more details about the homeowner, the listing, and how you can help it sell.
We can find another good example of an empathetic script similar to this one in the #Relentless coaching video by Brendan Bartic.
3. The Harder Sell
Hi, is this the homeowner? I’m _____ calling with _____.
I was just calling because I noticed that your house was just recently taken off the market. It’s such a lovely home, what happened?
(Listen to what they have to say.)
I’m so sorry, it seems like you had a really bad experience. Well, I really like your home, and was wondering if you were considering re-listing it?
(If not, ask why. If so, OK!)
How did you find your last agent?
(Usually a friend or referral.)
Well, I might not be someone you’ve met previously, but I thought you might be interviewing agents more formally this time and I’d love to show you what I’ve been doing in the neighborhood and how I can help get you where you want to be.
Where are you heading when you sell the home?
(Listen and give some encouragement.)
How about I come by this Saturday for 15 minutes—tops—and show you how I sell homes. It’s likely a far different approach than one you’ve seen before.
Why This Script Works
This script directly addresses the seller’s previous agent. Although it is a more direct approach, offering to meet them and view their home for 15 minutes is a simple way to connect in person. You can use this approach and remain polite and encouraging to have the most impact.
4. The Neighborhood Expert
Hi, is this the homeowner? I’m _____ with _____.
You know, I work in the neighborhood, and I noticed that your home was no longer for sale. Are you planning to put it back on the market?
(Listen—they will sometimes say “maybe later” or “not for a while.”)
I can understand why you might feel pretty discouraged—it’s a great house. Any idea why it didn’t sell? Any offers?
(Listen to what they have to say.)
I was just pretty surprised to see it on the market for ___days; I assumed it would be gone in a few weeks. What made you all decide to sell? Where are you moving to?
I know you’ve likely had a few people calling you, but as I said, I’ve worked in the neighborhood for ___ years, I know this neighborhood, I’ve sold homes in this neighborhood, and I’d love a chance to sell your home or at least take a tour and see what might be holding it back.
Would you mind if I came by this Saturday at _____? I’m happy to give you some feedback.
Why This Script Works
By emphasizing your expertise with their neighborhood, this script can help the homeowner feel that you are familiar with their problem, even if you’ve never actually met. It makes it easy to offer to view their home if you are already in their neighborhood on a regular basis.
5. The Outstanding Agent
Hi, is this the homeowner? I’m _____ calling with _____ about your home.
I noticed it is no longer for sale. I’m sorry to see it didn’t sell. It’s a great house—I really like the (name some features), and I thought for sure it would be a fantastic fit for a buyer out there.
(Listen for things like “yeah, it didn’t sell” or “‘it’s not the right time” or “‘it’s a slow market.”)
Do you know why the home didn’t sell? Hmm…well, do you know what your agent did to help get the home sold?
(Maybe an open house, for example.)
Well, there’s a reason I sell homes in this area, and I have a lot of ways that I market homes that might really give your home an advantage if you’re looking to interview agents in the future. I have a proven track record of closing deals quickly—in fact, over 80% of my listings sell within the first 30 days, often for more than the asking price.
(Plant the seed but keep moving in the script.)
When did you want to move by? Where are you heading? Wow, well, I think I could certainly help get you there by (date).
I just sold the house at ________. Do you think I could swing by and take a look at your house this Saturday at ____?
(If yes, book it. If not…)
I’ll give you my honest opinion, and tell you a little about what I do that’s different. I know you probably feel pretty discouraged right now, but not all agents are the same.
How about I swing by on Saturday? We’ll chat for 10 minutes, and I’ll give you some thoughts.
Why This Script Works
This script focuses primarily on your expertise and ability to sell their home even though someone else failed. Stating that you have unique ways of marketing homes can peak the homeowner’s interest enough to want your feedback and ideas for their home.
How to Find Expired Listings Quickly
These expired listing scripts are designed to convert your expired listing leads into appointments. However, at the end of the day, calling expired listing leads is a numbers game, and you’ll need to first find leads to call.
If you don’t want to manually scour the MLS and go searching for contact information yourself, a service like REDX will do it for you for as low as $59.99 per month. Better yet, in addition to currently waiving setup fees (a $149 savings), they are also offering free scripts and role-playing assistance for free to help you gain confidence. Click on the button below to get started.
How to Create Your Own Expired Listing Script
While our five expired listing scripts work well, sometimes you want to craft your own script to reflect you and your unique personality. Here are seven things to be sure to include when you create an expired listing script:
- Introduction: Be sure your name and agency are clear.
- Acknowledgment: The first step in helping a potential client solving a problem is to get them to acknowledge there is one. Make it clear you know the home is off the market while being sympathetic to challenges they may be facing.
- Periods of listening: Allow the homeowner to feel heard and explore their perspective.
- Statement of expertise: Set yourself up as an area expert and problem-solver.
- Unique benefit: Let them know why you are different while making them curious to learn more about your services.
- Look to the future: They are likely to be disappointed or frustrated based on their past experience. Use words that inspire optimism and help them refocus on the future.
- Call to action: Your goal for this call is to get an appointment. Always make sure to ask for one before you hang up.
Tips on Using Expired Listing Scripts to Get Appointments
Many people dread making cold calls. However, one way to get over cold-calling reluctance as it relates to calling expired listings is to remember that the homeowner shares your goals. They want to sell the home, they want to focus on the future, and they want to solve the problem of selling the home. Therefore, the biggest tip for using expired listing scripts is to give homeowners ample time to be listened to and heard.
Then use these additional tips to make sure you communicate effectively on every call:
- Don’t try to push the lead too far during your first interaction: Focus first on making a genuine connection and offering help.
- Open the door for natural conversation: Try asking, “When you sell this house, where do you want to move?”
- Understand who you’re calling: These owners may have a fairly negative perspective on real estate agents and be frustrated. Use this to relate to what they’re feeling and showcase how you can help them.
- Be yourself: Practice your script over and over so it feels natural, and make adjustments to convey your own voice.
- Follow up: These may not be the most eager leads, so politely following up is where you can prove your expertise and dedication. You can follow up by sending a handwritten letter or dropping off a package.
You can also learn more about how one pro, Realtor Jason Wang of Charleston, South Carolina, was able to convert a frustrated homeowner into a happy client by watching the REDX podcast episode on expired leads.
Bottom Line
While using expired listing scripts is probably out of your comfort zone, you actually have many common goals with the sellers. Focus on making a connection with the homeowner and truly helping them with your expertise. Though they may be hesitant and need a few follow-ups, being able to sell their home will be a notable success.
