Why Expired Listings?
The most motivated sellers in any market — and most agents never call them
72%
of expired sellers relist within 30 days with a different agent
4–7
agents contact the average expired the morning it hits — be first
2–3x
higher conversion rate vs. cold door knocking or calling FSBOs
✓
Understand why listings expire — it's almost never the property
Listings expire because of overpricing (most common), poor marketing, bad photos, limited showing availability, or an agent who went silent. Your job is to diagnose which one and fix it.
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Know your expired listing value proposition cold
You are not selling them on listing again — you are selling them on why it will work this time. Price strategy, marketing plan, and honest communication are your three pillars.
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Set a daily expired prospecting goal — minimum 2 contacts per day
Consistency beats intensity. Two expired contacts per day = 40+ per month. At a 10% conversion rate that is 4 listing appointments per month from expireds alone.
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Understand the seller's emotional state
Expired sellers are frustrated, embarrassed, and skeptical. They have already been let down once. Your tone must be empathetic and confident — not salesy. Lead with understanding, not your pitch.
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Know the difference between expired, withdrawn, and cancelled
Expired: contract end date passed. Withdrawn: seller pulled it temporarily. Cancelled: seller terminated early. All three are worth calling — withdrawn and cancelled sometimes convert faster because they are still motivated.
⚡ Pro Tip
The sellers most resistant to expired calls are the ones who had a close friend or family member as their agent. Never badmouth the previous agent. Instead say: "I am sure they did their best — but the market is unforgiving when pricing isn't right. Let me show you what the data says."
Daily Prospecting System
Your morning routine for finding and contacting expireds every day
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Pull expired listings from MLS every morning by 7 AM
Filter: Status = Expired, last 24 hours, residential, your target zip codes. Sort by price high to low — higher-priced expireds often have more motivated sellers.
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Cross-reference county appraisal district to find direct owner contact information
The MLS only shows the listing agent info. Pull the owner's name and mailing address from the county appraisal district. Use a skip-tracing service (REDX, Vulcan7, or PropStream) to find cell numbers.
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Research the property before calling — know their story
How long was it listed? How many price reductions? What was the original vs. final list price? Estimated current market value from fresh comps? Knowing their history shows professionalism.
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Set up REDX or Vulcan7 for automated expired lead delivery
These services pull expireds, FRBOs, and pre-foreclosures daily with verified phone numbers. REDX is $50–$100/month and pays for itself with one listing. Integrate into GHL CRM.
✓
Call between 7–9 AM or 5–7 PM — these are peak contact windows
Morning calls catch sellers before they get busy. Evening calls catch working homeowners. Avoid lunch hours and weekends unless you have a prior warm connection.
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Send a physical mailer same day as the call attempt
A postcard or letter mailed the same day you call creates a touchpoint even if they don't answer. Keep it simple: "I noticed your home came off the market. I have a plan that works for homes like yours."
✓
Log every contact and outcome in GHL CRM immediately
Tag as "Expired — Called", "Expired — No Answer", "Expired — Interested", "Expired — Not Ready". Set follow-up tasks. Your follow-up system only works if the data is clean.
⚡ Pro Tip
The agents who win the most expireds are not the best closers — they are the most consistent dialers. Set a non-negotiable 45-minute prospecting block every weekday morning. Treat it like a client appointment. Skip it once and it becomes easy to skip forever.
The Approach — First Contact
How to open the conversation, build trust fast, and earn the appointment
✓
Lead with empathy — acknowledge their frustration first
"I know your home coming off the market isn't what you planned for." This disarms defensiveness and immediately differentiates you from every other agent who leads with their pitch.
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Ask diagnostic questions — don't assume why it didn't sell
"Can I ask — what do you think was the biggest challenge with the listing?" Let them tell you. Their answer tells you exactly what angle to take and what they are most frustrated about.
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Never pitch your services until you understand their current intention
"Are you still planning to sell, or are you putting things on hold for now?" If they are not planning to sell, no pitch will work. If they are, now you know they need your help.
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Bring the data — arrive with a fresh CMA and updated market analysis
Show them the market has changed, show them what similar homes sold for recently, and show them exactly where their original pricing was vs. market value. Data ends emotional debates.
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Present a specific problem diagnosis — not a generic sales pitch
"Based on what I've researched, I believe there were two issues: the price was 6% above market, and the listing had only 8 photos. Both are fixable." Specificity signals competence.
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Ask for a 20-minute in-person meeting — not a full listing appointment
"I am not here to list your home tonight — I just want 20 minutes to show you what I found and get your thoughts. No pressure, no pitch." Lower the commitment threshold to get in the door.
⚡ Pro Tip
The fastest way to differentiate yourself from the 4-6 other agents calling the same expired is to know something specific about their home. "I drove by your property this morning and I think I know exactly why it didn't get offers." That sentence gets more appointments than any script.
Objection Handling
The 8 objections expired sellers throw — and exactly how to handle each one
⚡ Objection 01
"I'm not ready to relist yet. I need a break."
Your Response
"I completely understand — you've been through a lot. I'm not calling to push you to relist today. I just wanted to introduce myself and share some updated market data so that when you are ready, you have everything you need to make the best decision. Can I text you a quick market update?"
⚡ Objection 02
"We're going to stay with our current agent."
Your Response
"That makes total sense — loyalty matters. Can I ask, has your agent already reached out with a new plan for the relisting? If they have a strong updated strategy, that's great. If not, it might be worth a quick conversation before you commit. Either way, I wish you the best."
⚡ Objection 03
"We've already had 10 agents call us today."
Your Response
"I figured you would hear from a lot of people today — which is exactly why I'm not going to give you a sales pitch. I did my homework on your home specifically and I have one thing I haven't heard any other agent talk about in this neighborhood. Can I share just that one thing with you?"
⚡ Objection 04
"The market is bad. We're just going to wait."
Your Response
"I hear that a lot — and in some markets, waiting makes sense. Here's what the data shows for your area specifically right now... [share stat]. Waiting has a cost too — carrying costs, opportunity, and the market could shift either direction. Would you want to see the full picture before deciding?"
⚡ Objection 05
"Your commission is too high."
Your Response
"That's fair to raise. Here's how I look at it — your last agent's commission was probably similar, and the home didn't sell. My fee isn't just for the listing — it's for the marketing plan, the pricing strategy, and my negotiation when we get an offer. If I net you more money, is the commission still a concern?"
⚡ Objection 06
"We're thinking about renting it instead."
Your Response
"Renting is absolutely an option — and I can help with that too. Before you decide, can I walk you through a quick numbers comparison? I want to make sure you've seen what selling nets you today vs. the monthly cash flow and headaches of being a landlord, so you have the full picture."
⚡ Objection 07
"We need more money than the market supports."
Your Response
"I respect that — and I want to help you get as close to that number as possible. Let me show you exactly what buyers are paying for homes like yours right now. If we price it right and market it aggressively, we can often push the upper end of the range. Would you want to see what that looks like?"
⚡ Objection 08
"Just send me some information."
Your Response
"Absolutely — I can do that. I want to make sure what I send is actually relevant to your specific situation though. Can I ask two quick questions so I'm not wasting your time with generic stuff? ... [ask about timeline and price expectation]. Perfect — I'll have something specific to you in your inbox within the hour."
⚡ Pro Tip
The best objection handler isn't a comeback — it's a question. When you don't know what to say, ask "Can you tell me more about that?" It buys you time, shows you're listening, and 80% of the time the seller answers their own objection.
Follow-Up System
Most agents give up after 1-2 contacts. Most listings are won on contact 5-8.
D1
Day 1 — First Contact
Within 24 hours of expiration
Phone call + physical mailer sent same day. If no answer, leave a brief voicemail (see scripts tab). Text follow-up 2 hours after voicemail. Log outcome in GHL.
D2
Day 2 — Second Call Attempt
Different time of day than Day 1
Try a different time slot. If morning yesterday, try evening today. No voicemail on second attempt — just call. If answer, use the approach script. If still no answer, move to Day 5.
D5
Day 5 — Value-Add Text
5 days after expiration
Send a text with a local market stat — not a pitch. "Hi [Name], just saw a home similar to yours on [street] close for $[X] this week. Market is still moving in your area. Happy to share the full report if useful." No ask — just value.
D7
Day 7 — Door Knock
One week after expiration
If local, knock the door. Bring a printed CMA in an envelope. "Hi, I'm [name] with Eagle Nexus — I left you a voicemail earlier this week. I put together something specific to your home that I didn't want to just email. Do you have 5 minutes?" In-person converts at 4x the rate of phone calls.
D14
Day 14 — Handwritten Note
Two weeks after expiration
A brief handwritten note — 3 sentences max. "Still thinking about you and your home on [street]. The market shifted slightly this week and I have some updated numbers I think you would find interesting. I am here whenever you are ready." Mail it that day.
M1
Month 1 — Monthly Market Update
30 days and every 30 days thereafter
Add to GHL monthly market update sequence. Send a relevant market stat or neighborhood sale. Keep it brief and hyper-local. "A home two streets from yours just sold for $[X]. Thought you would want to know." Continue until they list, call you, or opt out.
30-Day Touch Sequence Summary
At a glance — what goes out and when
| Day | Channel | Message / Action |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 📞 Call + 📬 Mailer | Introduction call + physical postcard mailed same day |
| Day 1 | 💬 Text | Brief follow-up text 2 hours after voicemail |
| Day 2 | 📞 Call | Second call attempt — different time of day, no voicemail |
| Day 5 | 💬 Text | Value-add market stat text — no pitch, no ask |
| Day 7 | 🚪 Door Knock | In-person visit with printed CMA in envelope |
| Day 14 | ✉️ Handwritten | 3-sentence handwritten note — personal, not corporate |
| Day 21 | 💬 Text | Neighborhood sale or market update text |
| Day 30+ | 📧 Email / Text | Monthly market update via GHL — continue until they engage |
⚡ Pro Tip
Add all expired contacts to a dedicated "Expired — Long Term Nurture" pipeline in GHL. Set the monthly market update sequence to run for 12 months automatically. Expired sellers who are not ready in month 1 often become listings in months 3–6 — but only if you stayed in touch.
Expired Listing Scripts
Word-for-word for every expired listing conversation
📞 Opening Call — When They Answer
"Hi, is this [Owner Name]? Great — my name is [Your Name], I'm a real estate agent with Eagle Nexus. The reason I'm calling is I noticed your home on [Street] came off the market recently, and I wanted to reach out. I'm not calling to badmouth what happened before — I'm sure your agent did their best. But I've been researching your neighborhood and I think I know what the issue was, and honestly, it's fixable. Do you have about 2 minutes?"
If they say yes — move into the diagnostic questions. If they say they're not interested — use the objection handlers. Never launch into your pitch before asking if they have time.
📞 Voicemail Script — Day 1
"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] with Eagle Nexus Real Estate — my number is [phone]. I noticed your home on [Street] came off the market today and I wanted to reach out. I've done some research on your neighborhood and I have a couple of ideas I think could make a real difference if you decide to relist. I'll keep it short — I promise no sales pitch. Give me a call back when you get a chance, or I'll try you again tomorrow. Have a great day."
Keep voicemails under 30 seconds. The goal is a callback, not a sale. Sound calm and confident — not eager or desperate.
💬 Text Follow-Up — After Voicemail
"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] with Eagle Nexus — just left you a voicemail. I've been researching your area and I have some ideas specific to your home that I think are worth 10 minutes of your time. No pressure at all. Happy to connect whenever works for you. [Your number]"
Keep texts under 3 sentences. Never text a full pitch. If they respond, move to a call. Texts are for opening the door, not closing.
🚪 Door Knock Opening
"Hi, are you [Name]? I'm [Your Name] with Eagle Nexus Real Estate. I left you a voicemail earlier this week — I wanted to introduce myself in person. I put together a quick analysis of your home specifically and I didn't want to just email it over. [Hand them the envelope.] I'm not here to pressure you at all — just wanted to drop this off and say that whenever you're ready to talk, I'm available. Is there a good time to follow up, or would you prefer I just let you review it and reach out if you have questions?"
Have the CMA in a professional Eagle Nexus branded envelope. Handing them something physical while you're standing there makes it much harder to dismiss you than a phone call.
📊 The Diagnosis Conversation — At the Appointment
"Before I show you anything, I want to understand your experience. Can I ask — looking back, what do you think was the biggest reason your home didn't sell? ... [Let them answer.] That's really helpful. From what I've researched, I think there were actually [two / three] factors at play: [share your specific findings — price vs. market, photo quality, showing availability, marketing reach]. Here's what I'd do differently... [Walk through your specific plan.] Does this approach make sense to you, or do you have questions about any of it?"
Never skip the diagnostic question. The seller's answer tells you what they most need to hear. Tailor your presentation to address their specific frustration.
🤝 The Close — Asking for the Listing
"Based on everything we've talked about — what happened before, what the market is doing right now, and what I'd do differently — I'm confident I can get your home sold. I'm not going to promise you a number I can't deliver. But I am going to tell you that with the right price and the right marketing, this home sells. Are you ready to give it another shot and do it right this time?"
If hesitant: "What would need to be different this time for you to feel confident about relisting?" Their answer tells you exactly what objection to close on.
Documents & Downloads
Eagle Nexus internal checklists and quick-access resources for expired prospecting
Eagle Nexus Internal Checklists
Quick Access — External Resources
MLS — Pull Today's Expired Listings
Filter by Status = Expired, last 24 hours, your target zip codes.
County Appraisal District — Owner Contact & Property Research
Look up owner name, mailing address, legal description, and tax records.
REDX — Expired Lead Delivery & Skip Tracing
Automated daily expired leads with verified phone numbers. Integrates with GHL.
Vulcan7 — Expired & FSBO Leads
Premium expired lead service with built-in dialer and CRM integration.
FEMA Flood Map Service Center
Check flood zone before the appointment — important in flood-prone areas.
Prompts:
Expired Listing AI Assistant
Ask anything about expired listing prospecting — or pick a prompt to get started
Expired Call Script
Full script with voicemail version
Objection Handler
Word-for-word response to any pushback
Appointment Script
Win the listing from an expired seller
Follow-Up Message
Right message for the right touchpoint
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