Script guide for agents
Expired listing scripts that book listing appointments
Five word-for-word expired listing scripts for real estate agents: the first call, the owner who is tired of agents calling, the owner who plans to relist, the one who wants to wait, and the follow-up. Plus the objections you will hear, the questions that qualify a seller, and the rules for calling expireds legally.
The short answer
What a good expired listing call does
A good expired listing script is short. Say who you are, say you saw the listing come off the market, and ask whether they still want to sell. If they do, ask what they think kept it from selling, then ask for 20 minutes to see the house. The owner tells you which problem to solve, and you walk into the appointment with the answer.
Everything below builds on that. The scripts are a starting point: read them out loud a few times, then say them in your own words. Calling for-sale-by-owner sellers too? See our FSBO scripts. Want both on paper? Get the free agent script pack (PDF).
Before you call
Four things to have ready
- A Do Not Call check. An agent calling to offer listing services is making a telephone solicitation, and an expired listing is not an exception. Remove every number on the national registry and on your own do-not-call list before you dial. Reach those owners by mail or at the door.
- The listing history. Days on market, every price change, the photos and the description. You will ask the owner what went wrong, and you should already have a guess.
- One concrete reason to meet. A look at the homes that sold nearby while theirs sat, or what the listing photos and description missed. Something you can show, not a promise.
- The right hour. Federal rules allow calls between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the owner’s time zone, and some states set a narrower window. Florida, for example, stops at 8 p.m.
The scripts
Five expired listing scripts, word for word
Square brackets are for you to fill in. Each script ends with a short note on why it works and what to listen for.
Script 1: the first call
Use it on the first call after the listing expires. The aim is one question answered honestly, then an appointment.
You: Hi, is this [First Name]? This is [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. I’m calling about your house on [Street]. I saw the listing came off the market, and I wanted to ask you one thing: are you still planning to sell, or have you decided to stay?
Owner: We still want to sell. We’re just tired of it.
You: That makes sense. [Number] days of showings and keeping the house ready is a lot. Can I ask what you think kept it from selling?
Owner: Honestly, I think the price was too high. And the agent didn’t do much.
You: Thank you, that helps. If you put it back on the market, what would have to be different this time?
Owner: We’d need someone who actually brings buyers.
You: Here is what I’d suggest. Let me come by for 20 minutes, see the house, and show you the homes buyers were comparing it with while it was listed. If what I show you doesn’t make sense, you’ve lost 20 minutes. Is [day] at [time] better, or [day] at [time]?
Why it works: “What do you think kept it from selling?” does the heavy lifting. The owner names the problem, so you are not guessing, and the appointment becomes the place where you answer it.
Script 2: the owner who is tired of agents
By the afternoon of the first day, some owners have had a dozen calls. Do not fight the irritation. Agree with it and make a smaller ask.
Owner: You’re the tenth agent who’s called today.
You: I believe it, and I’ll be quick. One question: if someone fixed whatever went wrong last time, would you still want to sell this year?
Owner: Maybe.
You: Fair enough. You’re hearing the same promises from everyone, so I’d rather show you than tell you. I’ll put together one page on your listing: the price history, the homes that sold near you while it was on the market, and what they did differently. Can I drop it off tomorrow, or would you rather I email it?
Why it works: A page is easier to say yes to than a meeting, and dropping it off is a meeting. If they choose email, call two days later and ask what they thought.
Script 3: “We’re relisting with our agent”
First find out whether they have already signed. If they have, thank them and end the call: soliciting a listing that is exclusively listed with another broker breaks the REALTOR® Code of Ethics (Article 16).
Owner: We’re going to relist with the same agent.
You: Good, then you have a plan. Have you signed the new agreement, or are you still deciding?
Owner: We signed yesterday.
You: Then I’ll let you get on with it. I hope it sells quickly this time. [End the call.]
Owner: Not yet. Probably this week.
You: Can I ask one thing before you do? What is your agent going to change this time?
Owner: Lower the price, I think.
You: That may be the right answer. If it’s the only change, though, it’s worth a second opinion before you take less. In 20 minutes I can show you what the homes that sold near you did differently. Would that be worth it before you sign?
Why it works: You respect the decision and ask about the plan, not the agent. If the plan is only a lower price, the owner sees the gap without you criticizing anyone.
Script 4: “We’re going to wait”
The goal of this call is a date, not an appointment.
Owner: We’re taking it off the market until spring.
You: That’s a reasonable choice. What changes for you in the spring?
Owner: The kids finish school, and we think the market will be better.
You: Makes sense. Would it help to meet a few weeks before you relist, so the plan is ready when you are? I’ll put a date in my calendar. Is [month] about right?
Why it works: You agree with their timing instead of arguing about the market, and you leave with a reason to call back. Write the date down and call on it.
Script 5: the follow-up call and the voicemail
Many listings are won on a later call. Open the follow-up with what the owner told you last time, so they know you were listening.
Follow-up: Hi [First Name], it’s [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. We spoke on [date] about [Street], and you said [their plan or timing]. I said I’d check back around now. Is that still the plan?
Voicemail: Hi [First Name], this is [Your Name] with [Brokerage], about your house on [Street]. I have one quick question about the listing. You can reach me at [number]. Again, that’s [Your Name] at [number].
Why it works: The follow-up proves you remember them, which the agents who called once cannot. The voicemail is short, gives a reason to call back, and says the number twice.
Objections
What expired owners say, and what to say back
| They say | What is usually behind it | What to say |
|---|---|---|
| “I’m not interested.” | Tired of calls, not necessarily of selling | “Understood. Not interested in selling, or not interested in talking to another agent?” |
| “Just send me something.” | A polite way to end the call | “Happy to. So I send the right thing, is it the price you want answered, or why it didn’t sell?” Then call two days later. |
| “We’ll sell it ourselves.” | They feel the last commission bought nothing | “Plenty of owners try that. If it doesn’t go the way you want, would you be open to a call in a few weeks?” |
| “Your commission is too high.” | The last agent did not seem to earn theirs | “That’s a fair thing to ask after the last listing. What would an agent have to do to be worth it to you?” |
| “How did you get my number?” | A privacy worry | “The listing was public, and the number came from a public records search. If you’d rather I didn’t call, I’ll take you off my list right now.” If they say yes, do it. |
Qualifying
Questions that tell you if they will list
An appointment with an owner who will not sell costs you an evening. Before you book, try to get answers to most of these:
- Why did you decide to sell? The reason tells you how firm the plan is.
- Where are you moving, and when do you need to be there? A date is the clearest sign of a real seller.
- What happens if the house doesn’t sell? “We stay” and “we have to rent it out” are very different answers.
- What did you like and dislike about the last listing? This is your plan for the appointment.
- What price would make the move work for you? Ask, listen, and save the pricing talk for the appointment.
- Who else is part of the decision? Book the appointment when everyone can be there.
Follow-up
How often to follow up with an expired listing
Many agents call an expired listing once, on the first day. The follow-up is where you stand out. A sensible starting schedule:
- Days 1 and 2: a call each day, with a voicemail on the first.
- Day 4 or 5: one more call, after the rush of other agents has passed.
- Weekly for the first month: a short call with something new, such as a nearby sale or price change.
- Monthly after that: until they list, tell you they have listed with someone else, or ask you to stop.
If an owner asks you not to call again, stop and put the number on your do-not-call list that day. Keeping this schedule for every expired in your market is a full-time job, which is why many agents hand it to an inside sales agent.
Common questions
About calling expired listings
What should I say when calling an expired listing?
Say who you are, that you saw the listing come off the market, and ask whether they still want to sell. If they do, ask what they think kept it from selling, and ask for 20 minutes to see the house and show them what the homes that sold nearby did differently.
When is the best time to call expired listings?
As soon as you can after the listing expires, inside legal calling hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the owner’s time zone, or a narrower window where a state sets one. Many agents call on the first day, so a second call a few days later often reaches a calmer owner.
Can I call an expired listing that is on the Do Not Call list?
No. An agent’s call to offer listing services is a telephone solicitation, and an expired listing does not change that. Remove those numbers before you dial and reach the owners by mail or in person. Our guide is real estate cold calling legal? covers the rules in full.
Can I text expired listings instead of calling?
Treat a text like a call. Marketing texts are covered by the federal do-not-call rules, and a text sent with automated tools needs the owner’s prior written consent. For a cold expired list, a call or a letter is the simpler choice.
Should I hire someone to call expired listings for me?
If you are not calling every expired in your market on the day it expires and following up for weeks, an inside sales agent will reach owners you are missing today. Our outsourced ISAs make these calls and book the appointments on your calendar.
Want these calls made for you?
Our ISAs call your expired listings, FSBOs and farm every working day and book listing appointments on your calendar. Book a 15-minute call to see how it would work in your market.