Expired Listing Scripts That Actually Work in 2026
The exact language Club Wealth coaches use in their own production – field-tested, not theoretical.
Quick Answer
When you call an expired listing in 2026, open with your name and a simple permission question, then immediately ask what they think went wrong with the last listing. That one question separates your call from every other agent's pitch. The scripts below are the ones Club Wealth coaches have been refining for years - and using in their own active production.
Right Now Is One of the Best Times in Years to Call Expireds
There are homeowners sitting on expired listings right now who still need to sell. The reason they wanted to sell did not suddenly disappear. The move they were planning did not become less necessary, and the life event that drove the listing decision in the first place is still happening.
What changed is that rates did what rates do. Spring underdelivered for a lot of sellers. Some priced their homes incorrectly, some hired the wrong agent, and others simply got caught in unfortunate timing. They are frustrated. They are questioning what went wrong. And they are sitting by the phone.
Most agents are not calling them.
Michael Hellickson has said it directly: expired listings are on fire right now. And he has gone further than that. He has said publicly that calling expireds for 20 hours a week – just this one lead source – will produce the average sales price in your market in annual GCI. This is not a lead source that requires a marketing budget. It does not require a zip code purchase or a portal subscription. It requires a phone, a script, and the discipline to show up consistently.
The agents who are working this source right now are winning listings without spending a dollar. The scripts below are the ones that convert. Here is how to use them.
What Expired Sellers Are Actually Thinking When You Call
The agent who listens first wins. Every time.
Before you dial, you need to understand who is on the other end of the call. Because if you lead with the wrong energy, you will get a door slammed on you in the first 15 seconds.
The expired seller is not hostile. They are frustrated. There is a difference. Hostile means they do not want to talk to anyone. Frustrated means they want to talk to the right person – they just have not found them yet.
By the time you call, they have probably already heard from two or three other agents. Those agents led with their production numbers. Their marketing packages. Their track record. Their reviews. All the things that are about the agent, not the seller.
What the expired seller has not heard yet is an agent who actually wants to understand what happened. An agent who asks the right question and then stops talking. An agent who makes them feel heard before trying to earn their business.
The
expired seller does not need to hear why you are great.
They have already heard that speech. They need
to hear that you understand why last time did not work – and that you have a
specific, honest plan to make this time different.
That reframe changes everything about the call. You are not walking in with a pitch. You are walking in with curiosity and a diagnosis. The agent who leads with ‘What do you think went wrong?’ will outperform the agent who leads with ‘Let me tell you about my marketing plan’ nine times out of ten.
Now here is the script.
Uncovering the Real Motivation Behind the Move
The answer to ‘what went wrong’ is surface-level. The real gold is beneath it.
Most agents stop at the listing diagnosis. They ask what happened, nod sympathetically, and move straight to their solution. But Club Wealth coaches know that the expired listing is just the symptom. The seller’s true motivation – the reason they listed in the first place – is what actually drives the decision to sign with you.
That is why every conversation needs to uncover three things: why they are moving, when they need to move, and what happens if they do not move. The seller who is relocating for a job has a hard deadline. The seller who is downsizing because of health has a different kind of urgency. The seller who is just testing the market has none. Knowing which one you are talking to changes everything about how you position your service.
This is why the script above includes questions like ‘what changed for you?’ and ‘was it the process, or did something shift about why you wanted to sell in the first place?’ Those questions are not filler. They are the diagnostic tools that separate a generic call from a Club Wealth call. The agent who understands the seller’s true motivation can tailor every subsequent conversation to that specific drive – and that is the agent who gets the appointment.
The Initial Call: Word for Word
Not a template. The actual language. Use it before you adapt it.
Expired Listing Initial Call Script
“Hi, is this [first name]?”
(Wait for yes. Use their name once. Not twice.)
“Hey [name], this is [your name] with [brokerage].
I noticed your home on [street address] came off the market, and wanted to give you a quick call. I don’t want to waste your time – do you have just a minute?”
(The permission question matters. It signals respect and
separates you from the agents who barrel through without asking.)
(If they say yes, continue. If they say they’re busy, ask
when you can call back. Do not pitch on a rushed call.)
“The reason for my call is I saw your home came off the market and I wanted to learn more about your situation. I’ll be honest, I don’t even know if we’d be a fit. What I actually want to understand first is what happened with the listing from your perspective. From your perspective, what happened?”
(Then stop talking. This is the question that separates
your call from every other call they received. Let them answer. The longer they
talk, the better. Take notes. Ask follow-up questions. Do not interrupt.)
(Common things they’ll say: wrong price, wrong agent,
wrong timing, not enough showings, bad feedback. Whatever they say, acknowledge
it without over-validating or immediately disagreeing.)
“That makes a lot of sense. A lot of what you’re
describing is fixable – it’s not the house, it’s the approach. I’d love to come
by, take a look at the property, and share what I’d do differently. It’s not a
listing presentation – I just want to see the house and have an honest
conversation. Would [day] or [day] work better for you?”
(Offer two specific days, not ‘whenever works for you.’
Two options creates a decision. Open-ended creates delay.)
What makes this script work is what it does not do. It does not pitch your production numbers. It does not promise a specific price. It does not claim to be different without explaining how. It leads with a question, listens to the answer, and then offers a low-pressure next step that feels like a conversation rather than an audition.
The Four Objections and the Exact Responses
Know these before you dial. You will hear at least one on every call.
Expired sellers have a wall up. Not because they are mean – because they have heard the same pitch from five agents and they are protecting their time. Here is how to get past each wall.
Objection
1: ‘I’m taking it off the market for now.’
Seller Says:
“We’ve decided to just take a break and pull it off the
market for a while.”
You Say:
“That completely makes sense, and honestly, a lot of
sellers do that. Can I ask – what’s driving that decision? Is it the timing, or
did something come up that changed the situation?”
(Why this works: it asks a question instead of pushing. Most
agents try to talk the seller out of it. You want to understand it. Their
answer tells you whether this is a ‘we’re genuinely pausing’ situation or a
‘we’re exhausted and frustrated’ situation. The second one is a conversation
worth having.)
Objection
2: ‘I already have an agent I’m thinking of relisting with.’
Seller Says:
“We’re actually already talking to our previous agent about
going back on the market with them.”
You Say:
“That’s completely fair. Can I ask – are you sold on going
back with them, or are you still weighing your options? I ask because I don’t
want to take up your time if you’ve made the decision. If you’re still figuring
it out, I’d genuinely like ten minutes to show you what I’d do differently – no
pressure either way.”
(Why this works: it respects the relationship without walking
away. The question ‘are you sold or still weighing?’ is the hinge. If they’re
still weighing, you’re in the conversation.)
Objection
3: ‘I need to think about whether I even want to sell anymore.’
Seller Says:
“Honestly, after all of this, we’re not even sure we want
to sell. We’re kind of questioning everything.”
You Say:
“I hear that, and that’s actually a really healthy thing to
step back and ask. What changed for you – was it the process, or did something
shift about why you wanted to sell in the first place?”
(Why this works: most agents try to re-sell them on selling.
That’s the wrong move. Ask what changed. Their answer tells you what the real
objection is. Ninety percent of the time, the motivation is still there. They
are just burned out from the last experience.)
Objection
4: ‘What makes you different from the last agent?’
Seller Says:
“That’s what I’ve been told by every agent who has called.
What actually makes you different?”
You Say:
“Honestly? I don’t know yet – and I mean that. I don’t know
enough about what happened with your last listing to tell you what I’d do
differently. That’s actually why I asked what you think went wrong before I
started talking about myself. If I understand the specific reasons it didn’t
sell, I can tell you specifically what I’d change. Can I ask a few more
questions?”
(Why this works: it is the most disarming possible answer to a
defensive question. You are not claiming to be different in the abstract. You
are showing that you approach the question differently than every other agent –
by diagnosing before pitching.)
The Follow-Up Sequence Most Agents Skip
One call is a cold call. A system is a business.
Most agents call an expired listing once or twice and move on. The agents who convert at the highest rate have a 30-day follow-up sequence that runs without requiring a decision from the seller after every touchpoint. Here is the exact sequence.
Day 1 First Call
Use the script above. If they answer: run the conversation. If they do not answer: do not leave a voicemail yet. Call back later the same day at a different time. First-day voicemails have very low callback rates. Try twice before you leave one.
Day 2 Voicemail (if no answer Day 1)
Day 2 Voicemail Script
“Hey [name], this is [your name] with [brokerage]. I called yesterday about your home on [street]. I won’t leave a long message – I just wanted to reach out because I’ve had some success with listings in your area that didn’t sell the first time around and I have a couple of thoughts on what I’d do differently. Give me a call back when you get a chance – [number]. And if this isn’t a good time to be selling, no worries at all, just let me know. Hope to talk soon.”
Day 3 Text Message
Day 3 Text
“Hi [name], this is [your name] – I left you a voicemail about your home on [street]. I don’t want to be a bother, just wanted to say I’m available if you want to have a quick conversation. No pitch, just a conversation. [Number].”
Day 5 Handwritten Note or Value Piece
Send a handwritten note or a one-page market analysis specific to their neighborhood. The handwritten note is more powerful. It takes three minutes and it is the one thing virtually no other agent will do.
Handwritten Note
[Name] – I wanted to reach out personally. I’ve been selling homes in [neighborhood] and I have some specific thoughts on what tends to make the difference between a listing that sells and one that doesn’t. When you’re ready to talk, I’m here. – [Your name] [Number]
Day 7 Second Call – With a Value Add
Do not call to follow up. Call with something specific. A new comparable sale in their neighborhood. A buyer inquiry you received. A market shift worth knowing about. Give them a reason to take the call that is about them, not about you.
Day 7 Call Script
“Hey [name], [your name] again. I’m not calling to follow up on my last call – I actually wanted to let you know that a home two streets over from you just closed at [price], and it’s relevant to a conversation we’d have about your property. Wanted to pass that along. If you want to talk through it, I’m available. [Number].”
The agents who convert expireds at the highest rate are
not the best talkers. They are the most consistent at following up.
What to Do When You Get the Appointment
The call is the first conversion. The appointment is the second. They are different conversations.
When you get in front of an expired seller, you are not giving a standard listing presentation. They have already sat through at least one of those. They are not going to be impressed by your marketing package or your online reviews.
What they need to see is a specific diagnosis of what went wrong last time and a specific plan to make this time different. That means walking in with research – their previous list price versus the comps at the time, the days they were on market, the feedback from showings if you can get it, and your honest read on what the issue was.
Lead with the diagnosis before you get to your plan. ‘Based on what I’ve looked at, here’s what I think happened’ is more compelling than any marketing presentation because it signals that you did your homework. An expired seller who feels like their agent truly understands their situation – not just their house – is the one who signs.
Club Wealth coaches train the listing appointment for expired sellers specifically
because it is a fundamentally different conversation than a cold listing presentation. The seller has context. They have been through the process. The agent who acknowledges that experience rather than pretending it did not happen wins the listing.
How Much Time It Takes to Make This Work
Michael said it publicly. Here is what the math actually looks like.
Michael Hellickson has said this directly and publicly: work expired listings for 20 hours a week – just this one lead source – and you will make the average sales price in your market in annual GCI.
Twenty hours a week is four hours a day, Monday through Friday. That is 8am to noon. Every day. That block is protected. Nothing else gets scheduled in it. That is the prospecting block where you are calling expireds, leaving voicemails, sending texts, and following up on the sequence above.
The first two to three weeks will feel unproductive. That is normal. The pipeline does not show results immediately – it shows results in 30 to 60 days when the follow-up sequence starts converting. The agents who stop after the first slow week never see it. The agents who show up for 90 consecutive days without stopping build a pipeline that funds their business for months.
Austin Hellickson taught a full Calling Expireds A-Z session at LABC 2026 – walking through the entire approach from first call to signed listing agreement. The depth of what that session covered is not something that fits in a blog post. But the core principle is simple: consistency beats everything else.
The
script is the entry point. The system is what produces the results.
Most agents have a script. Almost none of them
have a 30-day follow-up system running behind every expired listing they touch.
That gap is where the listings are.
Lead
measures: track the numbers that matter.
Club Wealth’s lead-measures philosophy is
simple: contacts lead to conversations, conversations lead to appointments,
appointments lead to agreements, and agreements lead to closings. If you
are not tracking those four metrics daily, you are guessing. The agents who
convert expireds consistently know exactly how many calls it takes to get a
conversation, how many conversations to get an appointment, and how many
appointments to get a signed listing. That data tells them where to focus –
whether they need more dials, better scripts, or stronger appointment
techniques. Without that visibility, you are working blind.
Club Wealth coaches train the listing appointment for expired sellers specifically
because it is a fundamentally different conversation than a cold listing presentation. The seller has context. They have been through the process. The agent who acknowledges that experience rather than pretending it did not happen wins the listing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you say to an expired listing?
Open with your name and a brief permission question, then immediately ask what the seller thinks went wrong with the last listing. That question is the entire foundation of the call – it shifts you from agent who is pitching to agent who is listening. Let them talk. Acknowledge what they say. Then offer a low-pressure next step: coming by for a conversation, not a full listing presentation.
How do you convert expired listings?
Convert expired listings by leading with curiosity instead of pitch, running a systematic 30-day follow-up sequence on every listing you touch, and walking into the appointment with a specific diagnosis of what went wrong rather than a standard marketing presentation. The sellers who list with you do so because they feel understood – not because you had the best brochure.
Why do agents call expired listings?
Expired listings are one of the highest-quality free lead sources in real estate. The seller has already demonstrated motivation to sell, the home is market-ready, and the previous agent relationship is over. The agent who calls first with a credible, specific, and honest approach has a significant advantage. Michael Hellickson has said publicly that this single lead source, worked consistently for 20 hours per week, will produce the average sales price in any market in annual GCI.
How many times should you follow up with an expired listing?
Follow up at least seven times over 30 days before deprioritizing an expired listing lead. Day 1 call, Day 2 voicemail, Day 3 text, Day 5 handwritten note, Day 7 call with a value add – then continue with touchpoints every 7-10 days through 30 days. Most agents give up after one or two contacts. The majority of conversions happen after the fifth touchpoint.
Are expired listings worth calling in 2026?
Yes – and according to Michael Hellickson, more so now than in recent years. Volatile rates and a spring selling season that underdelivered for many sellers have created a pool of motivated homeowners with expired listings who still need to sell. The motivation is real, the frustration with the previous experience is real, and the agent who calls with a genuine diagnostic approach and a systematic follow-up sequence has a strong conversion opportunity at no lead cost.
Want to Role Play These Scripts With a Coach Who Uses Them in Their Own Production?
Expired listings are one of the five lead sources Michael Hellickson teaches inside Club Wealth coaching – because they are proven, free, and available in every market regardless of conditions.
If you want to role play these scripts with a coach who uses them in their own production, or if you want to build a lead generation system around expireds that runs consistently without burning out, the 3x Your Income Call is where that conversation starts. 55 minutes. No cost. A coach who is actively producing in today’s market and can help you build a predictable lead-generation system on the other end of the call.
