Real Estate Call Scripts

(That actually work)

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Expired Just Sold FSBO & Hot Market Handling

Listings Online Leads Objections
 Introduction
The phone-prospecting debate has been raging for the better part of the last decade and
is likely to continue to go head–to–head against digital methods of prospecting, but, in
real estate, it’s far from dead. This business is about building relationships and, aside from
physically being in front of your prospects, getting them on the phone is one of the most
effective methods for connecting with buyers and sellers, on a personal level, in a matter of
minutes. If you can get them on a Zoom call, even better.

It’s not the act of calling that’s difficult, it’s knowing what to say. We’ve got you covered with
the following scripts that work.

© Market Leader, 2022. All rights reserved. 2

 Best Practices
Know the legal restrictions on calling your prospects.
By law, agents must:
• Restrict the hours you call people between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
• Immediately tell whoever answers the phone who you are and the name of your company.
• Not call from a restricted or blocked phone number.

Know when (and when not) to call.

Studies show the best days to call are Wednesday and Thursday, and calls made between four and
six o’clock are 164 percent more successful than calls made earlier in the day. Be mindful of calling
later than that, as families eat dinner and others who might be early to bed.

The worst time to call is between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Do your due diligence.

You’re calling people in the hopes of connecting (or reconnecting) with them and creating a business
opportunity; take the time to familiarize yourself with the properties, neighborhoods, and people
you’re calling. By conducting some discovery before you pick up the phone, you are personalizing
the call and identifying ways to relate to the person on the other end of the phone.

Whether you’re calling a past client or an expired listing, preparing for the call will help to position
you as an expert. There’s no such thing as being too prepared.

Scripts only work if you work them.

The key to sounding natural is practice. Role play with another agent, your spouse, or kid. Call your
voicemail, read the script, play it back, and repeat until you feel confident in your delivery and it
sounds natural. And don’t be afraid to change a script to fine–tune it to your personality!

Resist the urge to sell. The best way to hook someone over the phone is to be relatable, transparent,
and develop a real connection. Listen to what the other person is saying, take notes, and incorporate
their own words back into the conversation. This will tailor the conversation specifically to their pain
points and allow what you say to better resonate with their concerns.

© Market Leader, 2022. All rights reserved. 3

 The Scripts
Expired Listings
Get as much information as you can on the home before picking up the phone so you can better connect
with the homeowners. Learn about the home itself, or find mistakes in the listing, price, marketing, or
showing availability that their previous agent missed.

Find a way to offer value and be mindful of the fact other agents might also be calling them. Set yourself
apart by being genuine, transparent, and showing concern for their situation.

Hey [their first name], this is [your name] with [your company] calling – how are you?

Are you another real estate agent calling about my listing?

Yes, I figured you were getting calls because we are all thinking the same thing you are –
how could a listing possibly expire in this good of a market? Obviously, something went
wrong and I wanted to see if you were open to having a quick conversation around that?

Yes, but at this point I am totally frustrated with the process. I don’t know what I am
going to do right now.

I figured as much. Obviously, you listed your home because you wanted it to sell and the
reason it expired wasn’t because of you. The reason I am calling is that at some point you
are going to list again and when you do, you will interview agents. I am hoping to be one of
those agents. Would you be willing to give me 20 minutes when that time comes?

© Market Leader, 2022. All rights reserved. 4

 Just Sold or Pending Sale
Hey [their first name], this is [your name] with [your company] calling and I’m proud to say
we just sold your neighbor’s home at [listing address], for $[sale price]. Did you know it was
on the market?

There’s a lot of movement in the market right now. When one neighbor sells their home, it’s
pretty common for 2–3 homes in the same neighborhood to sell right away. Curious, have
you given any thought to selling your home?

No, I have no plans to sell.

I understand. How long have you lived there?

Can I ask, how did you pick this [neighborhood/community]?

School district, commute, etc.

Makes sense! I’ve thought about relocating for the [specific school, commute, etc.] alone!
Tell me, how long do you see yourself/your family staying here?

If their
If their
response is
response is a
longer than a
year or less:
year:

Great, homeownership is a long–term Think about when you want to sell and the
investment. If you find yourself wondering process of selling. Did you know, it can
what your home’s worth in our current take months to get a home ready to list,
market, don’t hesitate to reach out. I offer marketed and sold?
free home valuations and resources,
whether you’re ready to sell or just No, I didn’t think about that.
curious. Do you know anyone that IS
looking to buy or sell that I could help? Well, let’s talk about it. Let me walk you
through the home selling process so you
**Send a follow up card with your know what to expect. Does [day of week
contact information and thank for their and time] work for you?
time.

© Market Leader, 2022. All rights reserved. 5

 FSBOs

Hi there, this is [your name] with [your company], and I’m calling about the home for sale.
Is this the owner?

Is this another agent calling to try and sell my house?

I am. [their first name], I am calling because I’m wondering the same thing every other
agent in the area is thinking: WHY?

We feel good about selling ourselves without having to pay commission.

Tell me this, [their first name] – what is more important to you in selling your home –
selling it on your own, or selling it at the highest price and making the most money?

Sounds to me like making the most money. What if we could help you and help you sell
your home faster, with less hassle and risk, and net more money; would you consider
interviewing us?

How can you guarantee that?

Great question. When we get together, I will show you. Does tomorrow or [other day of
week] work for better you?

Online Leads
Keep this simple. The purpose of this call is to get to know your leads, where they’re at in their home
buying or selling journey, and find out how you can be of service.

Hi there, [their first name]. This is [your name] from [your company]. You were looking [at
properties/for a home valuation] on [website] and I wanted to introduce myself. Tell me a
little about your experience with the home [search/selling] process so far…

If you’re like most people I talk to, this entire process can be pretty overwhelming. I’d love to
chat for a few to get an idea of what your needs and time frame are so make sure you’ve got
the right information to and resources to help you in your home [search/listing] process.

© Market Leader, 2022. All rights reserved. 6

 Voicemail Script

Hi there, [their first name]. This is [your name] from [your company]. You were looking at
homes on [your website] and I just wanted to introduce myself. If you’re like most people I
talk to, this entire process can be pretty confusing. I’d love to chat for a few to get an idea
of what your needs and time frame are so I can follow up accordingly.

Give me a call back at [your phone number]. I look forward to hearing from you!

Want more leads for

your business?
With Market Leader, you can get a guaranteed number of
leads – not just impressions – in your desired areas. These
leads are exclusive – not shared with other agents. Lead
inventory is limited, so check availability today.

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Leader, 2022.
2022. All
Allrights
rightsreserved.
reserved. 7
 Sphere of Influence
Remember, these are people you know and have already developed relationships with.

Some people freeze when put on the spot, so offer your caller prompts to help them think of the people in
their sphere: church, neighborhood, work, friends, empty nesters, growing families, families that need more
space now that everyone is home 24/7, etc.

Hi, [their first name]! [your name] here. Hope all is well! Do you have a few minutes to chat?
Great, thank you. I’m reaching out remind you I’m in real estate! (laugh)

In all seriousness, the reason I’m calling is the real estate market is one a lot of folks are afraid of
right now - which makes perfect sense - but it’s the most stable industry we’re seeing worldwide.

Chances are, you’ll run into some people looking to buy or sell a home and when you do, would
you be willing to call/email me with their information?

Thanks, I appreciate it! Since I’ve got you on the phone, can you think of anyone in your [family,
neighborhood, office, church] that could use my services right now?

Great! I’d love to connect with them, is that okay?

**Follow up with a “thank you” card to maximize your impact.

Current Clients
Close on the referral question just like you closed on the sale.

Hey [their first name], it’s been great working with you and I want you to continue to think of
me as a resource so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything.

I’m always looking to work with more clients like you. Based on what we’ve done so far, would
you feel comfortable referring me to people like you?

Great! Who do you know that has been thinking about buying or selling a home?

I really appreciate it, [their first name]. These are people I know I can help right away.

© Market Leader, 2022. All rights reserved. 8

 Hot Market

Hi there – I’m [your name] with [your company] and I’m calling to give you an exciting
update on the real estate market in your area. [x] homes in [neighborhood] have sold in the
past 60 days and [x] sold above listing price! Did you know that?

The real estate market is booming.

This is a great neighborhood to consider selling in. When one home sells, it’s pretty
common for 2–3 more to sell right away. Curious, have you given any thought to selling
your home?

No, I have no plans to sell.

I understand. How long have you lived there?

Wow! Can I ask, how did you pick this [neighborhood/community]?

School district, commute, etc.

I know! I’ve thought about relocating for the [specific school, commute, etc.] alone! Tell me,
how long do you see yourself/your family staying here?

If their response is longer than a couple years:

Great, homeownership is a long–term investment. If you find yourself wondering what
your home’s worth in your hot market, don’t hesitate to reach out. I offer free home
valuations and resources, whether you’re ready to move or just curious. Do you know
anyone that IS looking to buy or sell that I could help?

**Add them to your CRM and send a follow up card with your contact information to...
thank them for their time.

If they are thinking about selling or moving in less than a year:

Think about when you’ll be ready sell and the process of selling. Did you know, it can take
months to get a home prepared to sell?

No, I didn’t think about that.

Well, let’s talk about it. Let me walk you through the home selling process so you know
what to expect and, when the time comes, you’re better prepared to start that process.
Does [day of week and time] work for you?

© Market Leader, 2022. All rights reserved. 9

 I’m Here (Touching bases)
It’s not uncommon for consumers to be afraid of the market right now, and that’s okay. You probably won’t
succeed at getting them all off the fence and ready to buy or sell (that shouldn’t be your goal either), but this
touch base is a great way to normalize some of their fear, let them know that you understand and are here
for them.

Hey [their first name], it’s[your name] with [your company]. I wanted to touch bases and
see how you’re holding up?

We’re alright. Starting to feel a sense of normalcy again.

Tell me about it - We are all ready to be back to normal.

Are you still thinking about [buying/selling]?

It’s normal to feel unsure about the market right now. I just want you to know I’m here and
available as a resource. If you have questions about the current real estate market, how
things are trending, or what’s going on with mortgage rates and financing options, I’m here.

If you want to keep searching on your own, I’m here. If you need anything, I’m here.

© Market Leader, 2022. All rights reserved. 10

 Handling Objections and Rejection
Objections are a normal part of engaging your market. It’s important to understand why someone
is objecting. Odds are, it’s not because they don’t like you, but rather they have hesitations
because of the market and economy, they might be in the early stages of the home buying or
selling process or simply aren’t ready to talk to an agent.

Remember, most people are searching for homes, not for real estate agents. Counter objections
and resistance with reminders about how you are uniquely capable of finding their dream home.

I’m pausing my search/listing right now. The market is too crazy.

I get it. We’ve seen historic lows in inventory bottleneck the industry. But there is still still a lot of
movement and opportunity for both buyers and sellers.

Feel free to continue your search on my website and reach out if you have any questions, anytime.

“I don’t need any help right now.”

Hey – that makes complete sense. This process takes a long time. I assume you don’t need me
right now, but down the road you might have questions. Would it be ok if I continue to send you
listings so you can search on your own time?

“I don’t remember registering, I’m not interested.”

I’m sorry, I should have explained this better. You were looking at properties in [x]area and
registered on my website. I am reaching out to let you know that I exist behind the site, because
in my experience, waiting for someone to follow up with me is very frustrating. If you’re actively
looking to buy or sell, do you want to use my website? There is no obligation or agreement and
that way you can decide when to contact me or anyone else.

“Please don’t call me anymore.”

No problem. I completely understand that you want to go at your own speed. I’d like to invite you
to continue using my website throughout your search process and you can reach out if or when
you decide you are ready.

© Market Leader, 2022. All rights reserved. 11

 About Market Leader
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of agents and teams across the United States and Canada. You can build and manage your
business, lead-to-close, with our products:

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