Expired Listing Script for Realtors: How to Revive Cold Leads

If you’ve been hunting for an expired listing script for realtors that actually turns cold leads into warm appointments, you’re in the right place. Expired homeowners are frustrated, skeptical, and tired of hearing the same pitch. This guide gives you simple, proven scripts and a follow-up system you can use today to book listing consultations and relaunch properties with a smarter marketing plan.

What Makes an Effective Expired Listing Script for Realtors

An expired listing script for realtors works when it does three things quickly: acknowledges the seller’s frustration, pinpoints why the home didn’t sell, and offers a clear, different plan with a next step. Keep every line human, respectful, and short.

Core framework you’ll use in every conversation:

Hook: Quick pattern interrupt that shows relevance.
Empathy: “I get why you’re frustrated.”
Diagnosis: One or two likely reasons it didn’t sell.
Unique Plan: What you’ll do differently.
Next Step: Low-friction ask for a short meeting.

Quick Scripts You Can Use Right Now

Use these as templates. Personalize with the owner’s name, address, and one specific observation about the previous listing.

1) First-Call Script (Within 24 Hours)

“Hi [Name], this is [Your Name]. I’m calling about [123 Oak Street]. I saw it came off the market. I’m sure that’s frustrating.
From what I can see, the photos and pricing strategy didn’t highlight your home’s strengths.
If I could show you a simple relaunch plan that attracts fresh buyers in 7 to 10 days, would a quick 10-minute call today at 5:30 or 6:15 work better?”

Why it works: Short, empathetic, points to likely issues, offers a time-boxed next step.

2) Voicemail When They Don’t Answer

“Hi [Name], [Your Name] here about [123 Oak Street]. I have one quick idea to improve buyer traffic that I think your last agent missed. I’ll text you a time to connect, or you can call me at [number]. Thanks.”

3) Follow-Up Text

“Hi [Name], it’s [Your Name] about [123 Oak Street]. I noticed buyers in your price band are clicking most on listings with upgraded media and Google visibility. I can show you how to fix that fast. 5:30 or 6:15 for a quick call?”

4) Short Email

Subject: A faster relaunch plan for [123 Oak Street]
“Hi [Name], I reviewed your old listing and saw [specific gap: weak headline, lighting, inaccurate map pin, missing floor plan].
I’d like to show you a 3-step relaunch that re-positions your home, boosts buyer discovery, and sets correct pricing signals. Ten minutes this evening?”

5) Social DM (If They’re Active Locally)

“Hi [Name], I’m [Your Name] in [Area]. I work with expired sellers to relaunch with stronger media and local search visibility. Would you be open to a 5-minute call about [123 Oak Street]?”

6) Door Knock Leave-Behind

“Hi [Name], I’m [Your Name]. I built a one-page relaunch plan for [123 Oak Street] with pricing brackets, media gaps, and a 14-day calendar. I’d love 7 minutes to walk you through it. Can I drop this off and follow up later today?”

Objection-Handling Mini Scripts

“We’re taking a break.”
“I understand. Many owners pause after an expired. While you regroup, would you like a clear plan so when you’re ready, you’re not starting from zero? Ten minutes to walk through it?”
“We’ll relist with our last agent.”
“Loyalty matters. Could I be your second opinion on the relaunch plan? If my plan isn’t different and better, you’ll know you’re already in good hands.”
“We’re interviewing a few agents.”
“Smart. If I can show a 14-day marketing calendar and a side-by-side media upgrade that your last listing didn’t have, would that earn me a seat at the table?”
“Will you cut your commission?”
“I focus on net. If my plan adds [X]% more buyer exposure and reduces days on market, your net improves. How about we discuss the numbers and let the math decide?”
“The market is slow.”
“True for average listings. Refreshed positioning, pricing strategy, and omnichannel marketing can still move serious buyers. Want to see examples from the last 30 days?”

The 5-Part Expired Relaunch Plan You Can Pitch

Positioning Reset: Update headline, description, and buyer persona.
Media Upgrade: Pro photos, twilight set, video walkthrough, and a clean floor plan.
Search Visibility: Local SEO and Maps accuracy so buyers actually find it.
Demand Capture: Retargeted traffic and a landing page that collects inquiries.
Speed of Follow-Up: Automated responses and same-hour call backs.

Sample 14-Day Follow-Up Calendar For Expireds

Day 1: Call, voicemail, text.
Day 2: Email with a one-page relaunch plan.
Day 3: Call at a different time.
Day 4: Social DM and a short video explaining one missed opportunity.
Day 6: Door drop leave-behind with a mini CMA graph.
Day 8: Text with an available time slot and one quick win you can implement.
Day 11: Email case study of a similar home that relaunched and sold.
Day 14: Final value message: “Would it hurt to have a 10-minute plan review?”

Pro tip: Use your CRM to schedule touches, rotate call times, and keep your notes tight. See Top 5 Best CRMs for Realtors for tools that make this simple.

Micro-Personalization That Wins Appointments

Before you call, note three quick facts:

DOM and price history relative to similar actives and pendings.
Media gaps: no twilight shot, no video, no floor plan, weak cover photo.
Search issues: inaccurate map pin or confusing neighborhood label.

Reference one of these specifics in your first sentence. It proves you did your homework and separates you from generic cold callers.

The 10-Minute Listing Consultation Pitch

When they agree to talk, keep it tight:

Goal Check: “Are you still trying to move by [target month]?”
Diagnosis: “Here are the two most likely reasons the home didn’t sell.”
Plan: “This is our 14-day relaunch calendar.”
Proof: “Here’s a quick example of improved click-through and inquiries once we fix the media and search visibility.”
Close: “If this plan makes sense, I can start the media upgrade this week. Should we get you on the calendar for [day/time]?”

For the media and conversion side of your plan, share resources like Real Estate Website Conversion Tips and Real Estate SEO Best Practices to demonstrate how better presentation and visibility bring real buyers.

Real-World Scenarios You’ll See

Overpriced by a bracket: A home listed at $605,000 missed the major sub-$600k search filters. Your script shows how resetting to $599,900 plus better media re-opens the buyer pool.
Great home, weak photos: The rooms looked dark, the cover photo was poorly framed, and the listing lacked a floor plan. You relaunch with a bright, wide cover photo, a twilight exterior, and a clean 2D plan.
Invisible online: The map pin was off and the description never mentioned a key school zone. You fix local SEO and Maps details and add a neighborhood paragraph. See How to Rank Higher on Google Maps for the checklist.

Short Copy-Paste Scripts For Common Moments

Text Nudge After a Missed Call:
“Hi [Name], quick idea to unlock more showings for [123 Oak Street]. Two minutes to share it?”
Email With a Case Study Teaser:
“Subject: A 14-day relaunch that added 11 showings
Hi [Name], are you open to seeing a simple 14-day plan that boosted showings from [0 to X] on a home like yours?”
Video DM Opener:
“Hey [Name], quick video on one fix that usually adds more clicks to listings like yours. If this looks helpful, can we talk for five minutes?”

Metrics That Tell You It’s Working

Track these simple numbers:

Conversations per hour
Appointments booked per 20 contacts
Listing agreements signed per appointment
Showings in first 14 days post-relaunch
Offers or price-anchored inquiries by Day 21

Small improvements at each step stack up. Better follow-up alone often adds appointments. See Automated Follow-Up for Realtors for practical workflows, and use Best Free Tools for Realtors to speed up your process without bloating your budget.

Your Marketing Edge Sellers Can Feel

Sellers say yes when they feel a real plan. Present a modern, high-trust package:

Professional media kit with photo shot list, video storyboard, and floor plan sample.
Google strategy that includes Maps accuracy, local keywords, and a simple landing page. Read Real Estate SEO Best Practices for a fast checklist.
Demand capture with retargeting that follows interested buyers. Compare options in Facebook Ads vs Google Ads for Realtors.
Conversion-ready page that turns visits into showings. Use ideas from Real Estate Website Conversion Tips.

Expired Listing Do’s and Don’ts

Lead with empathy and a specific insight.
Offer a short next step instead of a long presentation.
Show a 14-day calendar so momentum feels real.
Respond fast. Same-hour reply beats same-day.

Don’t

Trash the last agent. Stay professional.
Overcomplicate your pitch. Keep it to five parts.
Delay media upgrades. Your cover photo is your bill-board.
Guess on pricing. Support with recent actives and pendings.

How Digital Dream Homes Can Help

If you want your relaunch plan to look as good as it sounds, Digital Dream Homes can help you ship it fast. We build luxury, conversion-focused websites, create high-end listing pages, and set up lead capture and follow-up that make your expired strategy shine. Pair your script with marketing that actually converts.

Final Word

A strong expired listing script for realtors is simple, empathetic, and tied to a clear 14-day relaunch plan. Use the scripts above, personalize your first sentence, and present a marketing package sellers can touch and trust. Book a free consultation with Digital Dream Homes and we’ll help you turn expireds into signed listings with a modern, measurable plan.

Matt Pieczarka

Matt is the founder and CEO of Digital Dream Homes. He loves building websites and working with his clients personally to achieve a common goal. He is currently working on building a CRM that integrates the top two most visited platforms on the planet (Facebook and Google) with lead generation and websites.

Want a Free Website Audit?

Fill out your information below and we will send you a personal screen share video of tips on how to make your actual website better!

See How Many Closings You're Losing to Zillow!

Click Here to Use our Calculator to See How Many Clients Zillow is Taking From You Per Year!