Need Expired Listing Outreach Scripts to Warm Up Cold Calls?
October 09, 2026 · 5 min read
Expired listings are the cheapest leads in your MLS and the easiest way to burn a Saturday. Here's how to warm them up before you dial.
Build the list and the pre-call brief
Pull expirations from the last 30 days and give the AI your context once.
I'm a solo real estate agent in [CITY/COUNTY] with no assistant. I have [NUMBER] expired listings from the past [NUMBER] days, price band [PRICE RANGE]. I can call Tuesday and Thursday 6–8pm and Saturday 9–11am. Build me a five-day outreach plan that fits those windows: daily dial count, a text or voicemail for the no-answers, and a one-page tracker for who's been touched. No fluff.
Expired sellers get 15 to 20 calls in the first 72 hours, so day 5 through day 14 is far quieter.
For each expired listing below, write a four-line pre-call brief: list price and any price cuts, days on market, one neutral opening question, and one detail from the property description I can reference. Data: [PASTE ADDRESS, LIST PRICE, DOM, PRICE CUTS, PROPERTY DESCRIPTION].
Warm-up texts and voicemails
Text first, call second — the first touch isn't a pitch.
Write a first-touch text under 40 words to the owner of [ADDRESS], which expired on [DATE] after [NUMBER] days at [PRICE]. Tone: neighborly, zero pressure. Say I'm a local agent, not a call center. Ask one yes/no question. No emojis, no "just checking in," no claims about what their home is worth.
Write a 20-second voicemail for a cold call to an expired listing at [ADDRESS]. Include my name [YOUR NAME], my brokerage [BROKERAGE], and the reason: it expired on [DATE] and I want to ask one question about their timeline. End with my number [PHONE] spoken slowly. No sales pitch.
Write three follow-up texts for an expired seller who didn't reply to my first message: day 3, day 10, day 21. Each under 35 words, each ends with a question they can answer in one word, and each gives a different reason to talk — [REASON 1: a similar home on their street], [REASON 2: an inventory shift in their ZIP], [REASON 3: a staging or repair referral]. Don't repeat the same opener.
Scripts for the three objections you'll actually hear
An expired seller at [ADDRESS] listed at [PRICE] and insists their home is worth [THEIR NUMBER]. Write a six-line response that acknowledges their number, asks what data they're basing it on, offers to bring a side-by-side of closed sales in [SUBDIVISION] from the last 60 days, and asks for 20 minutes. Never tell them they're wrong, and don't promise any final sale price.
A seller at [ADDRESS] who expired on [DATE] says they're waiting until spring to relist. Write a five-line response that asks what would need to change between now and then, offers to do a walkthrough now so nothing surprises them later, and suggests a 15-minute call this week. No pressure language, no predictions about the market.
An expired seller tells me their cousin, a friend, or their previous agent will relist the home. Write a four-line response that thanks them, asks what worked and what didn't in the last listing, and offers one specific thing I'd do differently: [YOUR DIFFERENTIATOR]. Keep it under 60 words and end with a question, not a pitch.
Decision rule: use the price-anchored script when the seller's number is within 5% of the last list price. If they're 15% above it, skip the debate and bring closed sales from their subdivision.
Pro tips
- Call day 5–14 after expiration, not day 1. The first 72 hours go to whoever dials fastest.
- Send first-touch texts 9–11am on weekdays, then stop texting the moment someone replies.
- Log every touch the same day. A "not now" in month one often lists in month three.
- Never say you have a buyer for their home unless you actually do.
- Check state do-not-call rules before you dial and honor opt-outs immediately.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best time of day to call expired listings?
Weekday evenings from 6 to 8pm and Saturday mornings from 9 to 11am reach the most expired sellers. Text first between 9 and 11am on weekdays and skip the first 72 hours after expiration.
How many times should I follow up with an expired listing?
Plan five to seven touches over three weeks: a text, a call, a voicemail, then follow-ups on day 3, day 10, and day 21. Many sellers who pass in week one list in month three.
Is it legal to text an expired listing seller?
Rules vary by state and by how you got the number, so confirm yours with your broker or attorney first. Honor an opt-out the first time you get one.
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