5 Expired Listing Scripts + Responses to Common Seller Objections

Of course, sellers never want to see their listing expire. It’s demoralizing.

And this is where you come in as the hero of second chances. You can turn what feels like a dead end into a win-win, simply by preparing yourself with the best expired listing scripts. Get ready to sweep in and save the day.

Wondering how to find expired listings? Most agents discover them on Zillow, Realtor.com, or other websites with real estate listings. Wherever you start the conversation, be sure to catch yourself up on all of the background information so you can help the owner get back in the game with their head held high.

But in sensitive situations like this, it can be difficult to know what to say and how to say it. So here’s a collection of free expired listing scripts that are fully adaptable to the most common situations second chance real estate heroes find themselves in.

Sample Expired Listing Scripts for Realtors

Script #1: For When They Plan to Re-List With the Same Agent

Script #2: For When They Plan to Rent Instead

Script #3: For When They Plan to Work on the House Before Re-Listing It

Script #4: For When They’re Stuck on the Price Promised by Their Previous Agent

Script #5: For When You Want to Make a Positive Impression Over Voicemail

Disclaimer: Get prior, express, written consent before texting or using artificial or prerecorded messages. If you do not have prior express consent to call or text prior to making contact by phone or text, check phone numbers against the DNC registry as well as the DNC list for your brokerage. Avoid using automated platform vendors for calling or texting.

Tips for Success: How to Maximize the Benefits of Using Expired Listing Scripts

It’s not enough to have a handful of scripts lying dormant in your back pocket. They’re tools. And like all tools, you have to know how to use them. So here are five tips that will ensure you’re cold calling expired listings like an expert.

• Rehearse. But remember, the point of rehearsing expired listing scripts isn’t to memorize them. They’re not meant to match real life situations perfectly anyway. Instead, the objective is to build your instincts so that when the time comes you can steer the conversation in a way that sounds natural, experienced, and confident.
• Keep in mind the best time to call expired listings. Timing is crucial. Nobody wants to be reminded of the house they couldn’t sell. Especially in the middle of the day when they’re juggling all of their to-dos. Warm up your cold call to expired listings by reaching out during the golden weekday hours of 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
• Save time—automate your calls. Use the best dialer for real estate, an auto-dialer that will connect only when someone picks up. You could increase your call load by up to 400% per hour! This is one of many examples of marketing automation which agents shouldn’t go without.
• Be extra careful with your tone and approach. It’s always important to avoid sounding “sales-y.” But that’s especially true when you’re talking with the owner of an expired listing. So rather than rattling through a one-sided pitch, be quick to empathize. Be considerate. Be curious. And never come across as a shark circling the waters, just waiting to capitalize on the down-and-out.
• Get a dedicated number or email account. Secure a catchy number, call handle, or email address that you can use specifically for reaching out to owners of expired listings. Whatever it is, make it memorable. Aim toward being the agent that’s top-of-mind when they catch the next wave of hopefulness and decide to re-list.

Top 5 Objections You’ll Hear From Expired Listings (And How to Respond)

Be prepared to encounter resistance as you’re calling expired listings. Understandably, would-be sellers tend to feel defensive and apprehensive in this kind of situation. They’re often put off by anyone who seems to be questioning their decision to take their home off the market. Again, that’s understandable. They’re demoralized. And now they might be feeling as if they can’t even trust their own decisions, as if their instincts were off.

So before we jump into the five objections and consider how the wisest of agents might respond, here’s a crucial point: Be authentically friendly and genuinely helpful. Keep a light tone. It’s important to come across as an expert offering insight. Not a critic who’s pointing out their mistakes.

Of course we can’t address every objection that real estate agents hear. But we can almost guarantee you’ll encounter these five very common objections from owners of expired listings. And by the end, you’ll be armed and ready to provide the kind help they’re looking for.

1. “I Want to Stay With My Agent.”

Nobody wants to admit that their “picker” was wrong the first time. Oddly enough, that may be the reason a seller will re-list with the same agent that failed them.

There’s no need here to point out all of the previous agent’s missteps. Chances are, that will only make matters worse. Instead, showcase your value. Show what you can bring to the table. For example, call out the tools and resources you have and show how they’ll refine the market analysis and pricing determinations this time around.

2. “It’s a Bad Time to Sell.”

Preparation is the key here. Come equipped with data to support your reasons why it’s not a bad time to sell. Many would-be sellers respond to the sting of rejection by blaming the market. Emphasize a different point. Show them all of the opportunities they’re missing out on by “waiting it out.”

3. “We’re Renting Instead.”

Make sure they’ve counted the cost, that they’re fully aware of how costly renting can be. Research and prep beforehand so you can show how much (or how little) is leftover after accounting for taxes, repairs, and other expenses. Ask questions that will help them think more deeply about what it would take to become a landlord. And compare all of that to the positive potentialities of getting an asking-price offer by working with you to sell instead.

4. “I’m Waiting Until I Can Get a Higher Price.”

Start by chipping away at the misconceptions. Probe into how they settled on their previous asking price, for example. It may have been misguided. Then equip them with information they need to make the right choices.

For example, show them that waiting isn’t always the solution because home values aren’t time-dependent. Or show them how they might be ousting segments of buyers because the listing isn’t showing up in the appropriate search brackets. Again, come prepared with a comparative market analysis to show them what similar homes are going for in their neighborhood.

5. “I’ve Never Heard of Your Agency.”

This is actually the best objection because it’s basically an invitation for you to show off. Roll out some stats about the homes you’ve sold recently. Set up an appointment with them so you can go into greater detail about what you do, what you’ve accomplished, how you’ve done it, and how you can hit a home run together.