Expired Listing Script: What to Say to Sellers

Dana pulled the morning's expired listings at 8:10 a.m. and dialed the first number at 8:15. The seller picked up on the second ring and said, "You're the sixth agent today. Is this number on the Do Not Call list or not?" Dana didn't know. (Dana is a composite, not a real agent.)

That's the part most advice skips. An expired listing script tells you what to say, but it can't tell you whether you're allowed to call. These sellers are tired: their home didn't sell, and now strangers are phoning about it. A good script respects that, and a good process keeps you out of trouble.

This guide starts with the check to run before you dial. Then come five sample scripts for phone, voicemail, the front door, a letter, and the call back, plus questions to find out why the home didn't sell, answers to common objections, and the 60-second note to speak into ParrotNotes after each conversation.

We wrote these scripts as samples for this article. We haven't tested them on live calls and have no conversion numbers to offer, so change them until they sound like you.

Four checks before you use an expired listing script

This is general information, not legal advice. Your broker and a telecom lawyer are the authorities, and state rules can be stricter than the federal ones below.

1. Confirm the listing has expired

Check the MLS status on the day you reach out. A seller may have relisted last night. NAR's Standard of Practice 16-4 says Realtors "shall not solicit a listing which is currently listed exclusively with another broker."

A withdrawn or temporarily off-market status needs extra care, since the agreement may still be running. If it's unclear, ask the listing broker for the expiration date and type of listing.

2. Check the number against the National Do Not Call Registry

Expired listings get no special treatment here. NAR asked the FCC to allow these calls, and the FCC said no. Its 2005 order says a telephone solicitation "would include calls by real estate agents to property owners for the purpose of offering their services to the owner, whether the property listing has lapsed or not."

So a registered number is off limits for a listing pitch unless an exemption applies. The FCC requires a version of the registry no more than 31 days old, and the rules cover cell phones too.

You or your brokerage can get access at telemarketing.donotcall.gov. According to the FTC, as of November 2026 the first five area codes are free, and each one after that costs $85 a year. If you buy lead lists, ask when the vendor last checked them.

3. Check your own do-not-call list

Federal rules require a written do-not-call policy and your own internal list. Honor a stop request within 10 business days at most, and keep honoring it for five years. Ask your broker where the office list lives.

4. Check how and when you're calling

Call live, by hand, between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the seller's time zone, and give your name and your brokerage. Some states go further: Florida stops commercial telephone solicitation calls at 8 p.m. and limits them to three in 24 hours on the same subject. Autodialed or prerecorded telemarketing to a cell phone needs the person's prior express written consent, and the rules on registered numbers also reach marketing texts.

Mistakes get expensive. The FTC says fines can reach $53,088 per violation under its rule. Federal law also lets a consumer who gets more than one violating call in 12 months sue for up to $500 per violation, or up to three times that if it was willful. For wider calling rules, see our cold calling tips.

Which channel can you use?

One narrow exception: the FCC says an agent who represents only a buyer may call someone advertising a property to discuss a sale to that buyer. It's not a way to pitch your listing services.

The registry doesn't cover a letter or a knock. Local rules can still apply, so respect any "no soliciting" sign and check your town's permit rules.

The five parts of an expired listing script

Every sample below uses the same order:

1. Who you are: your full name and brokerage, right away.
2. Why you're here: say plainly that you saw the listing expired.
3. What you won't do: no pitch for your commission, no criticism of their last agent.
4. One question: ask whether they still want to sell.
5. A small ask: 15 minutes, not a signature.

Sellers told NAR they want help marketing the home, pricing it competitively, and selling within a specific time frame. An expired listing means at least one of those went wrong. Your first job is to find out which.

Five sample expired listing scripts

Sample 1: The phone call (number cleared)

"Hi, is this Pat? This is Dana Reyes with Northside Realty.
I saw the listing on Maple Street expired, and I know you've
probably had a few calls about it. Is now a bad time?

I'll be quick. Are you still hoping to sell, or have you
decided to stay put for now?

[If still selling] What's your best guess about why it didn't
sell? ... That helps, thanks. Could I come by for 15 minutes
on Thursday with the recent sales near you? You can decide
after that whether there's anything worth talking about.

[If not] Understood, thanks for telling me.
Would you like me to leave you off my call list?"

If they say "stop calling," don't try one more line. Say, "Of course, I'll take your number off my list today." Then do it before the next dial.

Sample 2: The voicemail (number cleared)

"Hi Pat, this is Dana Reyes with Northside Realty, about the
listing on Maple Street that expired. I have one question
about your plans for the home, and no pitch. My number is
555-0142. If you'd rather not hear from me, tell me and I'll
take you off my list. Thanks."

Leave one and move on. Our sales voicemail scripts cover timing and length in more detail.

Sample 3: At the front door (number on the registry)

"Hi, I'm Dana Reyes with Northside Realty. I'm not here to
pressure you. I saw your listing expired, so I brought the
last three sales on this street, and you can keep them either
way. Are you still thinking about selling?

[If yes] If you'd like to talk it through, my card's on top.
Call me whenever suits you.

[If no] Thanks for your time. Have a good evening."

Keep it under a minute and stay on the step. If there's a "no soliciting" sign, send the letter instead.

Sample 4: The letter (number on the registry)

Dear Pat,

I saw that your listing on Maple Street expired. After months
of showings, I imagine you're tired of hearing from agents, so
I'm writing instead of calling.

Enclosed are the three most recent sales near you. They're
yours to keep, whatever you decide.

If you still want to sell, I'd like to hear what happened and
what you'd want done differently. Call or text me at 555-0142
and I'll bring a plan for your home. If you'd rather not, no
reply is needed, and you won't hear from me by phone.

Dana Reyes, Northside Realty

Ask your broker what the letter must carry, since many states require your brokerage's name on advertising.

Sample 5: The call back (seller contacted you)

"Thanks for calling, Pat. Before anything else, what made you
pick up the phone? ... What did you like about how the last
listing went, and what would you change? ... What has to
happen for this to feel like a good result, and by when?

Could I come by on Thursday at 5 p.m.? I'd bring recent sales,
and we can look at what's different this time. Is this the
best number to reach you at for that?"

Note the date of their inquiry: it lets you call back for three months, and a stop request ends it. Then build the appointment from our real estate listing presentation outline.

Find out why the home didn't sell

Read the listing history first, then ask a question instead of offering a verdict. Don't run down the last agent; you don't know the whole story.

Our free real estate commission calculator helps with the net sheet.

How to answer expired listing objections

For the price conversation in more depth, see our guide to handling the price objection.

The five-line note to take after every conversation

The agent who remembers the details gets a different conversation next time. Take this down right after you hang up or walk back to the car:

1. Permission: on the registry or not, date checked, and anything they said about further contact
2. Their words: why they think it didn't sell, word for word
3. Their plans: still selling or not, and the date that matters to them
4. What you promised: what you'll send or bring, and by when
5. Next step: the agreed date, or "no further contact"

Marcus, a composite agent in our examples, door-knocked a street of expired listings one Saturday. By Monday he couldn't remember which seller had the job starting in January and which had said "don't come back." He now says the five lines into his phone at the curb, before the next door. The "no further contact" line goes straight onto his do-not-call list. If you track dials on paper, the free call log template keeps each outcome on one sheet.

Where ParrotNotes fits

Open ParrotNotes after the conversation and speak the five lines. You're the only one talking, so there's nobody to ask for permission. If you want to record a conversation with a seller, ask first; consent rules vary by state, as our guide to one-party consent states explains.

You get a transcript and an AI summary of every recording. On AI-powered recordings, you also get action items, a draft follow-up email, and answers to questions like "What date did Pat give for the move?" As of November 2026, the Free plan includes 100 minutes a month and 5 AI-powered recordings. Pro is $19.99 a month, or $14.99 a month billed annually, with 3,000 minutes a month and AI features on every recording. Download ParrotNotes free before your next round of expired listings.

Your next expired listing script starts with a check

A good expired listing script is short and honest: who you are, why you're there, one question, and a small ask. Before you use it, confirm the status, check both lists, and pick the channel the rules allow.

Think back to Dana at 8:15 a.m. With the check done, she'd know the answer to the seller's question before dialing, or she'd have written instead. New to prospecting? Our tips for new real estate agents cover the habits around it, and ParrotNotes keeps what each seller told you ready for the next talk.