13 of the best cold calling scripts for realators
Dr. Husam Abdelkhaliq
MBA, CIM Affiliate, MBSP, MCITP, DVM, Corporate Instructor
1. The initial cold calling script
Let’s start with a real estate script for making an initial cold call to a potential seller.
“Hi! My name is John. It’s so good to finally reach you! I’m a real estate expert for the Big Wins Real Estate community. Just checking, is this a good time to talk?”
Now, let the prospect respond. Showing a prospect that you understand they may be busy is a good way to build rapport.
At this point, your prospect will either give you an objection (such as “I’m not interested or give you a couple of minutes of their time. Regardless of their answer, steer the call with empathy:
This prospecting script is good for: Understanding a prospect, hearing their pain points and getting your foot in the door. If they don’t write you off and hang up, arrange a time to call them back for a more in-depth chat about how you can help with their property affairs.
2. The script that measures interest
This script measures a prospect’s interest in the market and whether they’d consider selling their property.
“Hi, I’m John with Big Wins Real Estate. Is this the homeowner?”
Wait for their confirmation.
“Ok, great! The reason for my call is that I have some home buyers who are looking for homes in your neighborhood at the moment. Would you consider selling your home if you had someone lined up to buy it?”
By telling the prospect you have interested buyers, you’re creating a sense of urgency which may encourage them to sell.
If the property owner shows an interest, make an appointment to do an initial pricing assessment of their property.
Many homeowners will tell you that they aren’t interested in selling at the moment. If that’s the case, pass on your contact information and explain how they can get in touch with you. A cold lead is better than no lead, so keep them in your sales pipeline to follow up later.
This script is good for: Getting a more in-depth look into a homeowner and if they’ve considered putting their property on the market.
3. The script that positions you as a community champion
Positioning yourself as a champion in the community builds trust between you and your prospects.
“Hi [prospect’s name], this is John from Big Wins Real Estate. Just reaching out as I’ve been living in the [neighborhood/area name] for over 20 years and I just love this place. As a new agent at Big Wins who specializes in the local area, I wanted to know if I could find a suitable buyer for your property in the next 30 days. Would you be open to meeting with me to discuss?”
The best cold calling scripts like this one get to the point. Your prospect will either say “yes” or “no”. Even if the prospect says “no,” you’ll likely strike up a conversation about the local area.
It’s a great way to build the foundations of a relationship, and they may refer you to friends or family members who are looking to sell.
This script is good for: Humanizing yourself as an agent and connecting with prospects through their sense of community. It’s a great way to build relationships with prospective sellers and buyers.
4. A script for leveraging a recent sale
This real estate script builds trust with prospects by showing that you have sold a property in their local area.
It also helps you with circle prospecting techniques. Homeowners who live near your real estate listings will want to know who you are and how you operate in case they decide to sell or buy a new home in the future. The best real estate agents are consistently building relationships that help them stay top of mind.
“Hi, I’m John from Big Wins Real Estate. Is this the homeowner?”
Wait for their confirmation.
“Just getting in touch because I recently sold a property down the street from you at (recent sale address). It’s a great area with a lot of interest at the moment and the properties are selling for fantastic prices. Out of interest, have you thought about selling your home?”
Highlighting recent sales in a neighborhood is a great way to get a prospect thinking about if it’s also the right move and if you’re the person who can get them the best price. It also helps you stand out from other cold callers for real estate agencies.
If the prospect shows a hint of interest, offer up any information about the recent sale that’ll paint you in a good light. It could be how quickly you sold the property, or how well the property was priced (e.g. above market value).
From there, you can book an appointment to meet or price their property for them.
This script is good for: Building trust and getting prospects to think about how much their properties are worth by highlighting a recent sale in their area.
5. The script for nailing your elevator pitch
Elevator pitches have one goal: to highlight why a buyer or seller should pick you as their real estate agent.
Every realtor needs an elevator pitch, but a big mistake many cold callers for real estate make is coming across as robotic and callous. You need to sound natural and convincing. It’s crucial to show that you care about helping prospects rather than having your call sound like a rehearsed telemarketing campaign.
Here are some examples:
“I just sold a property in this area last week for considerably more than the asking price. I know you’ve got a tight deadline for selling your property. If I could show you a plan to get your property moving on the market and above the asking price, can we set up a meeting?”
Or
“I’m on a mission to help 50 people find their dream homes by the end of the year. I’d like you to be one of those people and I want to be the person that finds your dream home in the shortest time frame possible. Would you be open to meeting with me tomorrow?”
Your goal with this elevator pitch script isn’t to sell yourself as the best realtor in the area but to book an appointment with the prospect.
If they do object, here’s what you can do:
Positioning the conversation around their pain points can make a difference in success.
This script is good for: Getting prospects curious about your real estate company and what you might be able to offer them.
6. The script for pitching to someone you already know
Has somebody put their property on the market that you’ve already met at an event or know through a mutual friend? If so, this is a great opportunity for you to connect organically and build on the trust you’ve already established.
“Hi [prospect’s name], this is John! We met at [fundraiser, mutual friend’s birthday etc.]. So, how have you been?”
Don’t open with the fact that you’re a real estate agent. Try to build the conversation from your last engagement with the prospect.
“I was calling you because, as [mutual friend’s name] might have told you, I’m a real estate agent for Big Wins Real Estate. I’m just reaching out to family and friends to see where they’re at with their properties and if they’ve thought about upgrading, downsizing or selling their home. [Prospect’s name], have you considered a move, considering the market right now?”
Reconnecting with someone you’ve already met means they’re much less likely to be defensive. Chances are, they’ll be more open to a discussion and want to keep the conversation casual.
This script is good for: Building on an existing connection. You already know the prospect, so use that to your advantage and get your foot in the door before your competitors.
7. The script that gets to the point
Cold calling can be time-consuming. With this script, you can get straight to the point (without making your prospect feel cornered or rushed).
“Hi, this is John from Big Wins Real Estate. I’m calling as my agency has some buyers who are interested in buying a home in [prospect’s area]. Can you tell me if you are looking to sell your home either now or in the near future?”
If they’re interested, move on to your next pitching technique. If they say “no”, add them to your CRM as a cold lead and make a note to check up with them using real-estate follow up scripts with them in the future.
This script is good for: Fitting the number of cold calls you require into your day. This one is short, sharp and clear, so your prospect instantly knows why you’re calling.
8. The script to pitch to a “for sale by owner” (FSBO) prospect
Motivated sellers will sometimes try to sell their homes themselves to avoid commissions and make a fast sale. They’ll usually list their house for sale on websites such as Zillow or Trulia.
If they’re struggling to sell, you can pitch to them to offer them a helping hand and relieve some of the pressure.
“Hi, is this [prospect’s name]? My name is John and I’m calling from Big Wins Real Estate. I was surfing the web this afternoon and I noticed you’ve got your house up for a private sale. I was just wondering if you have had any success?”
Wait for their answer, which will most likely be a “no” if you’ve spotted the property online.
“I’m not surprised, it’s hard selling a house on your own. How long have you been on the market for now?”
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Wait for their answer.
“Hmm. What kind of response have you got from interested buyers so far?”
Wait for their answer.
“Where are most of the interested buyers coming from? Have you had an open house or are you relying on your internet advertisement?”
Wait for their answer. By now, you’ve already got some information that can steer the pitch in your favor.
“That’s very interesting. The reason I’m calling you today is just to see if there’s anything I can do to help you with the sale and if you would like my assistance with getting more interest in the property.”
At this point, you may get some objections from the prospect. For example, they might reassure you that they’ve got the sale under control or that they can’t afford a realtor. If this is the case, you can then ask whether they’d change their mind if you could get them the property price they’re asking for.
Either they’ll bite at this point, or they won’t. If they don’t, make a note of it in your real estate CRM and follow up with them in the future.
9. The script for cold texting a “for sale by owners” prospect
Phone calls may not be the best method, or the only method, to reach out to potential clients. Cold texting is another option for real estate professionals hoping to find people who need help with a property sale.
Here’s a cold texting “for sale by owners” script.
Hi, I’m a realtor working in your area and I saw that you are hoping to sell your property at [property address]. I’ve had plenty of experience selling houses in the neighborhood, so I know it’s a popular area. I expect you have plenty of interest, how are you managing the offers coming in?
With this text, you hit a number of important points:
This script is good for: reaching out to FSBO prospects when a phone call hasn’t worked.
10. The script to follow up on a previous property appraisal
If you’ve given a property appraisal and don’t hear back from a prospect, it doesn’t mean you should write them off. They’ve shown initial interest in selling their property, so try following up six months after the appraisal to see where they’re at.
"Hi [prospect’s name]. It’s John calling from Big Wins Real Estate. I just wanted to touch base with you about the appraisal I conducted on your home in [month of appraisal]. I’ve been watching the market in your area closely and there’s been quite a lot happening. Has your position on selling the property changed at all?”
Wait for their answer.
“Okay, no problem. Because the market in your area has been so busy, it may be worthwhile updating the initial estimate I gave you. Would this be something you would be interested in?”
Wait for their answer. If they say “no”, don’t give up.
“Okay [prospect’s name], I completely understand. I’m picking up that you aren’t planning on moving from the [neighborhood] at the moment, but I think you might be interested in how other properties in the area have sold since I spoke to you in [month you last spoke].”
Wait for their answer. If they don’t put up any immediate objections, you can talk to them about any new sales or listings in the area.
As mentioned previously, people are often interested in how much properties are selling for in their local area, so use it to your advantage.
This script is good for: Following up with cold leads. If you’ve provided an appraisal but haven’t heard back, this script allows you to engage with the prospect and give them a chance to reconsider using your services.
11. The script to stop a discussion about commissions
It’s likely your prospect will want to discuss your commission rate. To help them overcome any objections or concerns about your commission rate, this script acknowledges their concerns while moving the process forward by arranging a meeting.
The best way to handle an objection about commission is to extinguish it early.
Prospect: “John, I don’t want to pay more than 3% commission on the sale.” John at Big Wins Real Estate: “[Prospect’s name], I’m making a note that you don’t want to pay anything more than 3% commission. How’s tomorrow or Tuesday looking to meet up to preview the property?”
Here, you’re not agreeing to their terms, but merely acknowledging their concern to help the prospect feel understood. If they won’t move past it and they want to know what your rates are, you can share them but add a caveat that rates can change based on several factors (including sale price).
If your rates are higher than they’re willing to pay, outlining your benefits can be a good way to encourage them to up their budget.
Also, explain that you’ll have a better idea of your rates after reviewing the property in person. After valuing the property, let them know what you can offer them as a realtor and what your commission fee will be.
This script is good for: Not getting locked into talking about your commission on a call.
How to use the scripts in this article for wholesaling
Wholesaling is when a real estate wholesaler puts a seller's home under contract and then finds an investor to buy it. In a wholesale deal, the agent acts as an intermediary between a seller motivated to sell their property quickly and a buyer who wants to purchase a property at a discount.
A wholesaler would use a cold calling script for two reasons:
All of the scripts in this article can be used for wholesaling houses. However, you might need to tweak them to suit your audience.
Here are a couple of wholesaling real estate scripts you can use as a guide.
12. A wholesale real estate script for contacting a potential seller
Here’s a cold calling script for contacting a potential seller.
“Hi, it’s John from Big Wins Real Estate. Is this [prospect's name]?”
Wait for their answer. If they say “yes”, start to build rapport.
“Great, thanks for taking my call. I'm calling because you have a property in [add location] that you might be interested in selling. Is that correct?”
Identifying need:
“I'd like to learn more about your situation and see if we can help you in any way. Can you tell me a bit about why you're considering selling your property?”
Now, you can offer some value and build a connection.
“At Big Wins Real Estate, we help homeowners like yourself get the best possible value for a fast sale. We sell properties quickly and easily, without any hassles or headaches.”
From here, you can either arrange a time to meet in person or continue the call to further explain your services, prices and what the next steps should be.
If they don’t want to meet or learn more about what you do, let them know that you’ll reach out again in a few months to see if their needs have changed.
This script is good for: Reaching out to a potential seller for the first time to find out more about their situation and their property.
13. A wholesale real estate script for reaching out to a potential investor
Use this cold calling script to reach out to a potential investor.
“Hi, it’s John from Big Wins Real Estate. Is this [prospect's name]? Great, thanks for taking the time to chat. I'm calling because I came across your name as a potential investor and I’m keen to learn more about your investment interests. Can you tell me more about your current investments and your goals for the future?”
If the investor sounds like a good fit, explain more about what you do and how you can help them achieve their goals.
“It sounds like your investment goals align with our company's investment opportunities. At Big Wins Real Estate, we offer real estate investment opportunities for investors just like yourself. Our investments provide high returns, and we make sure the entire buying process runs as smoothly as possible.”
After this, you can continue the call to further explain your services, prices and what the next steps should be. Or, you could arrange a time to meet in person to discuss your services in more detail. Let the prospect decide what works for them.
If these options don’t interest them, let them know that you’ll reach out in a few months to see if their position has changed.
This script is good for: Contacting a potential investor to see if they want to buy a property you’re selling.
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