Expired Listing Scripts & Letters That Get Appointments

An expired listing is a homeowner who already decided to sell — the market just told them their last plan didn't work. That makes expireds some of the highest-intent seller leads there are, and also some of the most bombarded: the morning a listing expires, the phone starts ringing. You win by sounding like the one agent who isn't piling on.

The mindset that separates you

Every competitor is calling to say what the last agent did wrong. Flip it: lead with empathy and a plan. The homeowner is frustrated, a little embarrassed, and bracing for pitches. Acknowledge that, and you're already different.

Phone script (day one)

• "Hi [First name], this is [Your name] with [Brokerage]. I saw your home on [Street] came off the market — I imagine your phone's been ringing all morning, so I'll be brief. Can I ask you one question the other agents probably won't: what do you think stopped it from selling?"

Then be quiet and listen. Their answer tells you exactly how to position the appointment. Close with:

• "That matches what I see in the data. I put together a short, honest breakdown of why homes like yours in [Neighborhood] sit — pricing, photos, or exposure, and it's usually fixable. Could I drop it off, or would 15 minutes on [Day] work to walk through it?"

The letter/text version

Many expired owners stop answering unknown numbers within 48 hours. A short letter or text keeps you in the running:

• "Hi [First name], [Your name] with [Brokerage]. Your home didn't sell — that's frustrating, and it's usually not the house's fault. I wrote up the 3 most common reasons listings in [Neighborhood] expire and how to fix each one. Want me to send it over? No pressure, no pitch."

Notice you're offering something useful before asking for anything. That one choice puts you in the top 5% of everyone contacting them.

The two objections you'll hear every time

• "We're taking a break from the market." — "Completely understandable. Most owners feel burned right now. Can I send you my honest breakdown anyway? If you re-list in the spring — with me or anyone — you'll at least know what to change."
• "We're re-listing with our old agent." — "That's loyal of you, and sometimes it's the right call. One question worth asking them: what specifically will be different this time? If the plan is the same price, same photos, same marketing… the result usually is too."

What the "honest breakdown" should say

Keep the promise. One page, three sections: Price (what the comps actually say — see how to frame the price story), Presentation (photos and the listing copy itself — a weak description quietly kills good homes; here's how to rewrite it), and Promotion (where it was and wasn't marketed). Specific beats clever every time.

The follow-up cadence

Half of expired owners re-list within 90 days — but not in week one. Call on day 1, send the breakdown day 2, text on day 7, then a monthly check-in with one useful data point. Set it up once in your CRM alongside your standard follow-up system and let consistency do the winning.