Script guide for agents
Circle prospecting scripts that start real conversations
Five word-for-word circle prospecting scripts for real estate agents: just listed, just sold, the open house invitation, the market update and the follow-up. Plus how to build the call list, what you can and cannot say about a sale, the objections, and the calling rules.
The short answer
What a good circle prospecting call does
Circle prospecting means calling the neighbors around a listing, a sale or an open house. The event is your reason to call, so lead with it, keep it short, and ask one question: are they, or anyone they know nearby, thinking about moving? Most neighbors will say no. The few who say “maybe” are the reason you made the calls, and the follow-up is where they become listings.
Read the scripts out loud a few times, then make them yours. For calls to expired listings and FSBOs, see our expired listing and FSBO scripts, also in the free agent script pack.
Before you call
Build the list, then check it
- The circle. The homes on the same street and the next few streets around the property, usually the closest 50 to a few hundred owners. Owner names and addresses come from county records; the phone numbers come from skip tracing.
- A Do Not Call check. A call offering an agent’s services is a telephone solicitation. Remove every number on the national registry and your own do-not-call list before you dial, and reach those neighbors with a door hanger or a letter instead.
- Facts you are allowed to share. Talk about the listing or sale only in ways your listing agreement and your MLS allow. In some states sale prices are not public record, so when in doubt say “a home on your street sold” and talk about the market, not the exact price.
- The right hour. Between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the owner’s time zone under federal rules, narrower in some states. Florida, for example, stops at 8 p.m.
The scripts
Five circle prospecting scripts, word for word
Square brackets are for you to fill in. Each script ends with a short note on why it works.
Script 1: just listed
You: Hi, is this [First Name]? This is [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. I just listed the home at [Nearby Street], and I’m calling a few neighbors first, because people often know someone who’d love to live on their street. Do you know anyone who’s been hoping to move into the neighborhood?
Owner: Not really.
You: No problem. While I have you: is moving something you’ve thought about yourself in the next year or two, or are you happy where you are?
Why it works: asking for help is easier to answer than a pitch, and the second question is the one you called to ask.
Script 2: just sold
You: Hi [First Name], it’s [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. A home on [Nearby Street] just sold, and when that happens the neighbors usually wonder what it means for their own home. Has it got you thinking about your value at all?
Owner: A little. What did it go for?
You: [Share only what you are allowed to.] Every house is different, so I won’t guess at yours over the phone. If it would help, I can put together what the homes most like yours have sold for. Is that useful, or are you staying put for now?
Why it works: a nearby sale makes owners curious about their own value, and a free, specific answer is a reason for a second conversation.
Script 3: the open house invitation
You: Hi [First Name], this is [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. I’m holding an open house at [Nearby Street] on [day] from [time], and I’m inviting the neighbors to come by before the public does. No pressure, just a chance to see how it was updated. Would you like to stop in?
You: And if you’re ever curious how your home compares, that’s a good time to ask me.
Why it works: an invitation is a gift, not a request, and a neighbor who walks through the open house is meeting you in person.
Script 4: the market update
For a quiet month, when there is no listing or sale nearby to call about.
You: Hi [First Name], it’s [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. I work in [Neighborhood], and I’m calling owners with a quick update: [one true fact about the local market, e.g. how many homes are for sale nearby or how fast they have been selling]. Do you follow the market much, or is it not on your radar?
You: Fair enough. If you ever want a number for your own home, I’m happy to put one together. Is selling anywhere in your plans in the next couple of years?
Why it works: one real, local fact earns the next ten seconds. Use a number you can stand behind, never a guess.
Script 5: the follow-up and the voicemail
Follow-up: Hi [First Name], it’s [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. We spoke on [date] when the home on [Nearby Street] was for sale, and you said you might think about moving [timeframe]. I said I’d check in. Is that still on your mind?
Voicemail: Hi [First Name], this is [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. I’m calling the neighbors about the home on [Nearby Street], and I have one quick question for you. You can reach me at [number]. Again, that’s [Your Name] at [number].
Why it works: the follow-up opens with what they told you, and the voicemail gives one reason to call back and says the number twice.
Objections
What neighbors say, and what to say back
| They say | What is usually behind it | What to say |
|---|---|---|
| “We’re not selling.” | The honest answer for most neighbors | “Totally understood. If that ever changes, or a friend wants to move in nearby, I’m easy to reach.” |
| “How did you get my number?” | A privacy worry | “From public records for the homes around the listing. If you’d rather I didn’t call, I’ll take you off my list right now.” If they say yes, do it. |
| “Just tell me what it sold for.” | Real curiosity, and a conversation | Share only what you are allowed to, then: “Want me to show you what that means for your home?” |
| “We already have an agent.” | A relationship, or a polite no | “Good, keep them. If you ever want a second opinion on value, I’m happy to help.” |
| “Maybe in a year or two.” | A future seller | “Great to know. Would it be okay if I checked in around [month]?” Write the date down. |
Follow-up
Where circle prospecting pays off
The first round of calls finds the few owners who say “maybe”. The listings come from calling them back on the dates they gave you, with something new each time: the next sale on their street, a price change, an answer to a question they asked.
Calling a circle around every listing, sale and open house, and keeping every follow-up date, adds up to hours a day. That is the job an inside sales agent does, so you spend your time at the appointments.
Common questions
About circle prospecting
What is circle prospecting in real estate?
Calling the owners around a new listing, a recent sale or an open house. The event gives you a natural reason to call, and the goal is to find the neighbors who are thinking about moving, or know someone who is.
What do you say when circle prospecting?
Lead with the event: you just listed or sold a home nearby, or you are holding an open house. Ask whether they know anyone who wants to move into the neighborhood, then whether moving is something they have thought about themselves. Keep it short, and set a follow-up date for anyone who says maybe.
Is circle prospecting legal?
Yes, if you call only numbers that are not on the national Do Not Call registry or your own do-not-call list, during allowed hours. A call offering an agent’s services is a telephone solicitation. Our guide is real estate cold calling legal? covers the rules.
How many homes should you call around a listing?
Usually the same street and the next few streets around it, from about 50 to a few hundred owners depending on the neighborhood. Closer neighbors care most about a nearby listing or sale.
Can I share what a nearby home sold for?
Only what your listing agreement, your MLS and your state allow. In some states sale prices are not public record. When in doubt, say a home nearby sold and offer to prepare a value for their own home instead.
Want the circle called for you?
Our ISAs call the neighbors around your listings, sales and open houses, follow up on every “maybe”, and book listing appointments on your calendar. Book a 15-minute call to see how it would work in your market.