Expired listings are one of the most reliable lead sources in real estate, but most agents either avoid them entirely or approach them so poorly that they burn through the opportunity. The scripts and strategies in this guide are designed for 2026, accounting for today’s market conditions, seller expectations, and the reality that expired sellers have already been disappointed by at least one agent. Top performers who prospect expired listings consistently convert 3% to 5% of their contacts into listing appointments. That may sound modest, but consider this: in a market with hundreds of expirations per month, even a 3% conversion rate translates into multiple new listings. The difference between agents who succeed and those who fail comes down to timing, tone, preparation, and follow-through.

Why Expired Listings Are a Goldmine

Before diving into scripts, it is worth understanding why expired listings deserve a permanent spot in your prospecting system. The math and psychology both work in your favor.

The seller is already motivated. They made the decision to sell, hired an agent, went through showings, and endured the disruption of having their home on the market. That motivation does not disappear when the listing expires. In fact, research from NAR suggests that over 70% of expired listing sellers relist within 12 months. They still want to sell. They just need a better strategy.

The previous agent failed. This is your opportunity to differentiate. Something went wrong, whether it was pricing, marketing, communication, or all three. You are not cold-calling someone who has no interest in selling. You are reaching out to someone who has direct evidence that their previous approach did not work. That creates an opening for a new conversation.

The property is temporarily off-market. While the listing is expired, there is no competition from other buyers or agents marketing it. You have a window to build a relationship before the seller signs with someone else. According to industry data, approximately 40% of expired listings are relisted with a different agent within 30 days. Speed matters.

The commission opportunity is real. Expired listings tend to be properties that sat on the market, which often means the eventual sale price will be lower than the original list price. But even at a reduced price, the commission on a single expired listing conversion can easily exceed $15,000 to $30,000 depending on the market. That makes this one of the highest-ROI prospecting activities available.

Preparation Before You Pick Up the Phone

The agents who fail at expired listing prospecting almost always fail before the call even begins. They dial without doing their homework, and the seller can tell immediately.

Research the listing history. Before you call, pull up the expired listing on your MLS. Note the original list price, any price reductions, days on market, listing photos, and the marketing description. Look at the photos carefully. Were they professional or iPhone snapshots? Was the home staged? Was the description compelling or generic? This tells you a lot about why the listing did not sell.

Check comparable sales. Run a quick CMA. What have similar properties sold for in the past 90 days? If the expired listing was priced 10% to 15% above recent comps, pricing was likely the primary issue. If it was priced appropriately, the problem was probably marketing, condition, or showing access. Having this data ready makes you sound prepared and credible on the call.

Review the listing photos and marketing. This is where you can often identify the clearest differentiation. If the photos were mediocre (dark rooms, cluttered spaces, no exterior shots), you can point to that directly. According to NAR, 97% of buyers use the internet in their home search, and listings with professional photography sell 32% faster on average. Poor photos are one of the most common reasons listings expire.

Prepare your value proposition. Before you dial, write down three specific things you would do differently. Not vague promises (“I’ll market it better”), but concrete actions: “I would bring in a professional photographer to reshoot the home with proper lighting and staging. I would reprice at $X based on the comps I pulled. I would run targeted social media ads to buyers actively searching in this price range.” The listing presentation guide covers how to structure these value propositions in detail.

Script 1: The Direct Approach

This script works best when you have clear evidence of what went wrong with the previous listing. It is confident, specific, and positions you as someone with answers, not just questions.

Opening:

“Hi [Seller Name], this is [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. I noticed your home at [Address] came off the market recently, and I wanted to reach out because I specialize in [Neighborhood/Area] and I think I know what happened. Do you have two minutes?”

If they say yes:

“I took a look at your listing, and I noticed a couple of things. The home was on the market for [X days], and you had [number] of price reductions. Based on the comparable sales I pulled this morning, I believe the pricing strategy was part of the challenge. I also noticed the listing photos could have been stronger. In this market, buyers make their decision to schedule a showing within the first 5 to 10 seconds of seeing a listing online, and the photos need to do some heavy lifting. I have a specific marketing plan I think would get a different result. Could I stop by for 15 minutes this week to walk you through it?”

If they hesitate:

“I completely understand. You have been through a process that did not deliver what you expected, and the last thing you want is another agent making promises. I am not here to pressure you. I would just like to show you the data on what is selling in your area right now and where I think the opportunity is. No commitment, no obligation. If it does not make sense, I will tell you that honestly.”

This script works because it demonstrates preparation. You are not asking generic questions. You are showing the seller that you already did the work.

Script 2: The Market Expert Approach

This script leads with data rather than critique of the previous listing. It works well when you do not have obvious flaws to point to, or when you want a softer entry.

Opening:

“Hi [Seller Name], this is [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. I am calling because I track the [Neighborhood] market closely, and I noticed your home just came off the MLS. I have been watching the sales data in your area, and I think the market has actually shifted in your favor over the past few months. Would you be open to hearing what I am seeing?”

If they say yes:

“In the past 90 days, there have been [X] closed sales within a half-mile of your home. The average sale price was [amount], and the average days on market was [number]. What is interesting is that the properties that sold quickly, under 30 days, all had three things in common: they were priced within 2% to 3% of their final sale price from day one, they had professional photography and staging, and they had an aggressive digital marketing push in the first week. I put together a quick comparison for your home. Could I share it with you over coffee this week?”

Key data points to have ready: Recent sales within a half-mile, average price per square foot, average days on market, list-to-sale price ratio. These numbers make you sound like the authority, not just another agent prospecting for business.

Agents who lead with data report conversion rates approximately 40% higher than those who lead with personality alone. The numbers build trust quickly.

Script 3: The Service-Based Approach

This script offers immediate value with no strings attached. It works particularly well for sellers who are skeptical of agents or who had a bad experience and are emotionally guarded.

Opening:

“Hi [Seller Name], this is [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. I saw that your listing at [Address] expired, and I wanted to offer you something, no strings attached. I do a complimentary market analysis for homeowners in [Neighborhood] who are considering their options. It is a fresh look at the pricing, the competition, and what buyers in your price range are actually looking for right now. There is absolutely no obligation. Would that be helpful?”

If they say yes:

“Great. What I will do is put together a detailed CMA that includes the most recent comparable sales, active listings you are competing against, and my assessment of where your home fits in the current market. I will also include a quick breakdown of the marketing strategies that are working right now for properties like yours. When would be a good time for me to drop it off? I find that 15 minutes in person is worth more than an hour on the phone, but I can also email it if you prefer.”

Why this works: You are giving before you ask. The CMA becomes your foot in the door, and once you are sitting with the seller reviewing data, the conversation naturally moves toward representation. According to industry surveys, agents who offer a free CMA as their initial contact convert into appointments at nearly double the rate of agents who lead with a pitch.

Handling Common Objections

Every expired listing call will surface objections. Having rehearsed responses prevents you from freezing or sounding defensive.

“We already have an agent.”

“That is great. Are you relisting with the same agent, or are you interviewing others? If you are considering your options, I would love to be one of the agents you speak with. I have a different approach to marketing that I think is worth seeing. If you decide to stay with your current agent, no hard feelings at all.”

“We are taking a break from the market.”

“I completely understand. Selling a home is exhausting, especially when it does not go as planned. Can I ask, is the break a timing decision, or have your plans changed? If you are thinking about relisting in a few months, I would be happy to send you a monthly market update for your area so you can track what is happening. That way, when you are ready, you will have all the information you need.”

“We are not interested.”

“I respect that. Before I let you go, can I just ask one question? If the right agent came along with a plan that addressed the issues from the last time, would you consider selling again, or have you truly decided not to sell?”

This last question is critical. It separates genuine “not interested” from “not interested in being prospected.” Approximately 60% of sellers who initially say they are not interested will acknowledge that they would sell under the right circumstances. That answer gives you permission to follow up.

The Follow-Up System: 3 Touches in 10 Days

The first call is just the beginning. Most expired listing conversions happen on the second, third, or fourth contact. Here is a follow-up system that keeps you present without being annoying.

Day 1: The initial call (use one of the scripts above). If you reach the seller, aim for an appointment. If you reach voicemail, leave a brief, specific message referencing one data point about their neighborhood.

Day 3 to 4: The value drop. Send a handwritten note or a printed CMA by mail. Include a brief personal note: “I put this together for you based on our conversation (or my call earlier this week). The data on page 2 is especially relevant. I would love to discuss it when you have time.” Physical mail stands out because almost no one does it anymore.

Day 7 to 10: The follow-up call or email. Reference the materials you sent. “Hi [Seller Name], I sent you a market analysis earlier this week. Did you have a chance to look it over? I noticed [one specific insight from the CMA] and thought it was worth discussing.”

Agents who complete all three touches report a listing appointment rate of 8% to 12%, compared to 2% to 3% for agents who only make the initial call. Persistence, delivered with professionalism and value, is the difference between occasional conversions and a reliable pipeline.

Mistakes That Kill Your Expired Listing Conversions

Avoid these common errors that undermine even the best scripts.

Badmouthing the previous agent. Never criticize the seller’s former agent directly. Even if the marketing was terrible and the pricing was absurd, the seller chose that agent. Criticizing their choice feels like criticizing their judgment. Instead, focus on what you would do differently. “I have a different approach to marketing” is far more effective than “Your last agent did a terrible job.”

Being too aggressive on the first call. Expired sellers have often received 5 to 15 calls within the first 48 hours of their listing expiring. If you come across as pushy, desperate, or overly salesy, you blend into the noise. The agents who stand out are the ones who sound calm, prepared, and genuinely interested in helping.

Not having a clear differentiation. “I will work harder” is not a strategy. “I will bring in a professional photographer, price your home at $X based on these comps, and run a targeted ad campaign to [number] buyers actively searching in your price range” is a strategy. Specificity builds credibility. The listing description guide can help you articulate your marketing advantages in concrete terms.

Failing to follow up. Most agents make one call, get rejected, and never contact the seller again. The data is unambiguous: follow-up is where conversions happen. Build follow-up into your system so it happens automatically, not when you remember.

Calling too late. Timing matters enormously. The first 24 to 48 hours after a listing expires is the window when the seller is most receptive. After that, they have either already spoken to multiple agents, decided to take a break, or started to rationalize why the listing failed. Call on Day 1 if possible.

Building an Expired Listing Prospecting Habit

The agents who generate consistent business from expired listings treat it as a daily discipline, not an occasional tactic. Here is how to build the habit.

Set a daily prospecting block. Dedicate 60 to 90 minutes each morning to expired listing calls. Pull fresh expirations from your MLS every morning before 9:00 AM. In a market like Brooklyn, you can expect anywhere from 5 to 20 new expirations per week depending on the season and market conditions.

Track your numbers. Log every call, every contact, every appointment, and every conversion. Over time, you will develop your own conversion benchmarks. A solid target is 20 dials per day, 5 to 7 conversations, and 1 to 2 appointments per week. At a 3% to 5% conversion rate, that math generates 2 to 4 new listings per month.

Invest in your listing presentation. Expired sellers have already been through one listing presentation that did not deliver. Yours needs to be sharp. Include market data, a specific pricing strategy, a detailed marketing plan with professional photography samples, and testimonials from past clients. The referral generation guide covers how to build the social proof that makes your presentation persuasive.

Leverage your marketing as proof. When you sit down with an expired listing seller, show them examples of your previous listings with professional photography, video tours, and digital marketing campaigns. The visual difference between a poorly marketed listing and a professionally marketed one is immediately obvious. That single comparison often closes the deal.

Expired listing prospecting is not glamorous, and it requires discipline and resilience. But for agents willing to do the work, it is one of the most predictable paths to consistent listing inventory. The scripts and systems in this guide give you a framework. Your job is to practice them until they sound natural, track your results, and refine your approach based on what the data tells you.