12 expired listing scripts for 2025 + best practices
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Working expired listings, listings that didn’t sell under their initial contract, has been at the core of real estate prospecting for decades for a good reason: It’s one of the most straightforward ways to identify homeowners who wish to sell their properties.
Yet many agents struggle with how to approach expired sellers and what to say. Why? Mainly because they’re likely to be upset or angry that their home didn’t sell, and they’re probably blaming their agent for it. Needless to say, there is a definite art to approaching an expired listing lead.
Keep reading to learn what to say to expired sellers and best practices for converting expired listings into closed business.
How to approach expired sellers
Before we get into the scripts, it’s important to recognize that expired listings are different than any other type of lead. These homeowners have already attempted to sell their property unsuccessfully, so chances are, they’re feeling frustrated and skeptical about real estate agents.
So, how can you be different when speaking to expired leads?
Start with the right mindset. Go into your interactions with expired homeowners with the mindset of: They need my help to achieve their goal. This will allow you to bring the right energy to the relationship and not come off as a pushy salesperson.
Lead with empathy. Show them at the very beginning of your conversation that you understand how they’re feeling and assure them you aren’t trying to sell them anything; you’re only looking to learn more about their situation and find out whether you can help them.
Listen to their concerns. Let clients express what they are upset about and release all their frustrations. Your job is to gather as much information as possible about the homeowner’s goals, what they’re looking for in price and terms and why the home hasn’t sold yet (it’s not always just that it’s overpriced). Be the consultant the seller needs.
Ask questions. Getting to the root of the problem often involves a bit of probing, so ask lots of questions. Don’t be invasive, but ask open-ended questions to keep your leads talking to you. This way, you’ll get to know them and the issues that surrounded the previous attempt at selling the house.
Don’t focus on negativity. This isn’t an opportunity to bash and criticize the tactics of the last agent they worked with. It’s about the solutions you can bring to the table to get their property sold with less stress and more action.
Prepare to be solutions-oriented. Come prepared with your solutions for lead generation, marketing and advertising so your clients feel that you have something to offer them. Also, review hyperlocal market information so you’ll be able to give them data that is relevant to their property.
Now that we have the groundwork, let’s get into the scripts!
Expired listings scripts
Now that you know how to approach an expired listing, you’re probably wondering what you should say when you do successfully get a homeowner on the phone. We’ve put together a bunch of scripts to use in different situations where an expired property conversation will occur.
1. Initial phone contact script
When you do make contact with an expired seller, you’ll need to be prepared with what to say to make them feel comfortable and open to discussing their situation with you. As mentioned above, it’s important to toe the line with empathy and confidence.
Here are a few simple openers to use during the initial phone call:
“Hi, this is (Name) with (Company). I noticed your home recently came off the market, and I’m just curious – are you still thinking about selling?”
“Hi, this is (Name) with (Company). I noticed your home recently came off the market, and I’m just curious – where had you hoped to move to? What about that is important to you?”
“Hi, this is (Name) with (Company). I noticed your home recently came off the market, and I’m just curious – what price were you hoping for?”
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Pro Tip
Remember that your opening line should reflect your personality. One of these lines may work for you, or it may not; judge it based on how confident you feel saying it. Test each of them out and feel free to adjust as you see fit.
2. Appointment script
During your initial conversation with an expired seller, whether that’s by phone, email, social media DM or in person, the goal should always be to set an appointment to see the house and meet with the seller in person. Here’s how to close for the appointment:
“I’d love to come take a look at your home and talk through some different strategies for getting it sold. It wouldn’t hurt to get a second opinion, right? Great! I could come by at (give two day/time options). What works best for you?”
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3. Door knocking script
While door knocking can seem intimidating, if you approach a stranger’s door with a specific and genuine reason for being there, it makes it easier. In this case, your reason for being there is to see if they’d be open to talking about their expired listing with you. Here’s what to say:
“Hi! I’m (Name) with (Brokerage), and I’m sure you saw that your home’s listing just expired. It seems like a great property; are you still hoping to sell it, or did you decide to stay?”
If they want to sell: “I would love to chat for a few minutes about strategies we could use to sell your property. Or would another time tomorrow or later in the week be better?”