Guide for wholesalers and investors
20 questions to ask motivated sellers on the first call
The questions that separate a seller from someone who is curious about a number: what to ask about the property, the timeline, the reason and the price, in that order, with what a motivated answer sounds like and the red flags that mean it is not a lead yet.
The short answer
Ask about the house first and the price last
Confirm they own the property and would consider an offer. Then ask about its condition, then the timeline, then why they might sell, and only then about price. A seller who has already told you about the roof, the tenant and the deadline has explained the price for you, and is far more likely to give you a real number.
A seller who gives you condition, a timeline and a number is a motivated seller lead. That is the moment to book the appointment or the follow-up, while you are still on the phone.
The questions
Five steps, twenty questions
You will not ask all twenty on every call. Use the ones the conversation needs, in this order.
Step 1: the opening
| Ask | Why | A motivated answer sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Do you still own the property on [Street]? | Records go stale. Confirm before you spend the call. | “Yes, that’s mine.” |
| 2. Would you consider an offer if the number made sense? | Permission to keep going, without a pitch. | “Depends on the number.” That is a yes. |
Step 2: the property
| Ask | Why | A motivated answer sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| 3. What updates or repairs does it need? | Repairs set your offer, and an owner tired of repairs is often a seller. | “Honestly, a lot. The kitchen’s original.” |
| 4. How old are the roof, the AC and the water heater? | The three most expensive surprises. | “The roof leaks when it rains.” |
| 5. Is anyone living there right now? | Owner, tenant or vacant changes the timeline and the offer. | “It’s been empty since my mom passed.” |
| 6. Is there anything an inspector would find? | Sellers often know, and saying it now saves the deal later. | “There’s some foundation cracking.” |
Step 3: the timeline
| Ask | Why | A motivated answer sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| 7. If you sold, when would you want to be out? | A date is the clearest sign of a real seller. | “Before the end of next month.” |
| 8. Is something driving that date? | A lease ending, a move or a court date makes the timeline firm. | “I start a new job in another state.” |
| 9. What happens if it hasn’t sold by then? | Shows how much the date really matters. | “I’d be paying two mortgages.” |
| 10. Have you talked to an agent or other buyers? | Tells you who else is in the picture, and how fast to move. | “An agent said it needs too much work to list.” |
Step 4: the reason
| Ask | Why | A motivated answer sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| 11. What has you thinking about selling? | The reason is the motivation. Let them tell it. | “I’m done being a landlord.” |
| 12. What would selling let you do? | Moves the talk from the house to their plans. | “Move closer to my kids.” |
| 13. What is the hardest part of keeping it? | The pain point is what your offer solves. | “The taxes keep going up and the tenant doesn’t pay.” |
| 14. Who else is part of the decision? | Every owner and decision maker has to agree. | “My brother and I own it together.” |
| 15. Is selling something you want, or something you need? | Separates curious from motivated. | “Need, really.” |
Step 5: the price and the position
| Ask | Why | A motivated answer sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| 16. Is there a mortgage on it, roughly how much? | Tells you how much room the seller has. | “It’s paid off.” |
| 17. Is anything about the mortgage or taxes putting pressure on the timing? | Finds pressure without asking it bluntly. | “I’m a few months behind.” |
| 18. What would you need to walk away with? | Their number, in their words. | “About 180, after everything.” |
| 19. How did you arrive at that number? | A number from a need is firmer than one from a website. | “That pays off the loan and covers the move.” |
| 20. If we bought it as-is and closed when you need, is there room on the price? | Trades speed and certainty for price. | “If you can close quickly, maybe.” |
Red flags
Signs it is not a lead yet
- No reason and no date. “Just curious what it’s worth” is a long-term follow-up, not a lead.
- A retail price with no flexibility. If they want full market value as-is and are in no hurry, they are a listing, not a deal.
- A missing decision maker. One co-owner saying yes is not the property saying yes.
- Answers that change. A timeline that moves every time you ask usually means there is no timeline.
- They are not the owner. A relative or a tenant can tell you a lot, but cannot sell you the house.
None of these are reasons to throw the lead away. Log the answers and put the seller on the right follow-up schedule. Our guide on following up with motivated sellers sorts leads into hot, warm and long-term.
What not to ask
Keep it about the property and the timing
Stay away from questions about a seller’s health, religion, national origin or family makeup. If a seller brings up a divorce, an illness or a death, listen, be kind, and ask what it means for the timing and the property, not about the people.
Never invent pressure either: no fake deadlines, no “other buyers” you do not have. Sellers talk to more than one investor, and the one who was honest is the one they call back.
Common questions
About qualifying motivated sellers
What questions should you ask a motivated seller?
Confirm ownership and openness to an offer, then ask about the property’s condition, the timeline, the reason for selling, and finally the price and any mortgage. Price comes last because a seller who has explained the repairs and the deadline gives a more realistic number.
How do you know if a seller is motivated?
A motivated seller has a reason, a date and some flexibility: a move, a tenant problem or repairs they cannot face, a time they need to be out by, and a price that reflects the condition. Curiosity about value with no reason or date is a follow-up, not a lead yet.
Why ask about price last?
Asked first, price invites a retail number from a website estimate. Asked after the seller has described the roof, the tenant and the deadline, it gets a number that already accounts for them.
What do you do after a seller answers these questions?
If they gave you condition, a timeline and a number, book the appointment or the offer call before you hang up. If not, log what they said and set a follow-up date that matches their timeline.
Want these questions asked on every call?
Our callers run discovery in this order, log the answers, and hand you sellers with a reason, a date and a number. A lead manager can work the follow-up too.