What To Say When Calling Expired Listings in 2026

Why Your Opening Line Matters More Than You Think

Expired listing calls are tough. The homeowner just watched their property sit unsold for months. They’re frustrated, overwhelmed, and bracing for another wave of agent calls.

You have about 15 seconds before they hang up or tune out completely. What you say in those first few seconds can either build instant trust or create resistance you’ll never overcome.

The question most agents overlook: should you mention your brokerage name in your opening line? The answer might surprise you — and change your conversion rate.

The Case Against Using Your Company Name

Here’s advice we picked up from YesMasters founder Kevin Ward, who’s trained thousands of agents on expired listing strategies. Ward suggests skipping your company name in your opening and using “I’m a local real estate agent” instead.

Instead of: “Hi, I’m Sarah Johnson with Coastal Realty.”

Try: “Hi, I’m Sarah Johnson, and I’m a local real estate agent.”

Why does this work better? Ward identifies four scenarios where mentioning your company creates instant objections:

1. They Don’t Recognize Your Company

When you say “XYZ Realty,” they pause. “What company?” they ask, even though you just told them. You’ve lost momentum and created confusion in the first five seconds.

2. They Had a Bad Experience with Your Brokerage

Maybe they worked with another agent at your company three years ago who disappeared after the listing. Maybe a friend had a nightmare experience. You’re guilty by association before you say another word.

3. They Already Used Your Company and It Didn’t Work

This is the killer. Their expired listing was with your brokerage. They swore they’d never use that company again — and now here you are, calling from the same office that failed them the first time.

4. They Already Talked to Someone from Your Company

“Oh, I already spoke to someone from there this morning.” Click. They assume one call per company is enough, even if you bring completely different strategies to the table.

Your company name will come up naturally during the conversation — and it definitely should before any face-to-face meeting. But why hand them a potential objection in the first sentence when you’re going to face plenty more later?

The Alternative Approach: Drop “Real Estate Agent” Entirely

Paul Argueta from REHRealEstate takes an even bolder stance. He suggests not mentioning you’re a real estate agent at all in your opener.

Argueta’s script:

“Good morning! I’m looking for Mr. or Mrs. Smith. Mrs. Smith, my name is Paul Argueta. We’ve never met. Here’s why I’m calling…”

His theory: the moment you say “real estate agent,” they mentally check out or put up walls. The phrase “We’ve never met” creates curiosity and buys you a few more seconds of attention.

We’re less convinced this approach adds significant value. Yes, “We’ve never met” sparks curiosity. But within the next sentence, when you explain you’re calling about their property, they’ll immediately realize you’re an agent anyway.

Still, it’s worth testing. Some agents report this softer approach lowers defenses just enough to get to the next question.

What Actually Works in 2026: Data-Backed Insights

Roughly 28% of real estate cold calls turn into real conversations, and about 2% lead directly to appointments. Those numbers matter when you consider that most agents give up after 10 dials.

Success with expired listings comes down to four factors that matter more than your opening script:

Empathy Over Sales Pitch

Trust is critical in real estate transactions, especially for homeowners who have had a negative experience. Establish trust through empathy and transparency. Actively listen to and empathize with their frustrations.

Acknowledge the chaos they’re experiencing. “I know you’re probably getting slammed with calls today” instantly positions you differently than the 15 other agents who pretended they were the first to call.

Personalization Beats Generic Scripts

Personalization shows you’ve done your homework and care about their specific situation. Before you even pick up the phone, research the property, the neighborhood, and the seller if possible. Mention something specific about their home or the challenges they might have faced.

“I noticed your home on Oak Street was listed at $425K” works better than “I see your listing expired.” You did the research. You care about this specific property.

Timing Your Calls

Timing is crucial. Nobody wants to be reminded of the house they couldn’t sell. Especially in the middle of the day when they’re juggling all of their to-dos. Warm up your cold call to expired listings by reaching out during the golden weekday hours of 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Early morning calls go to voicemail. Lunchtime calls interrupt work. But late afternoon? They’re winding down, checking their phone, and more receptive to a conversation.

Persistence Without Being a Pest

Consistency and persistence are two traits that can make or break your success with expireds. The agents that consistently prospect their expired listing leads are the agents that get consistent results.

One call isn’t enough. Follow up with a mix of calls, texts (with permission), and personalized emails. Add value with each touchpoint — market data, staging tips, pricing insights. Be a resource, not a nuisance.

Critical Compliance Rules You Must Know

Before you pick up the phone, understand the legal requirements for cold calling expired listings in 2026.

Do Not Call Registry Compliance

Real estate professionals must comply with the Do Not Call Registry for any cold calling activities. It is important to be aware of any state lists in addition to federal, check the Registry every 31 days, and understand any exemptions that may apply.

You may not call a person who has advertised his property as FSBO or whose listing with another realtor has expired if: the person’s telephone number is on the National Do-Not-Call Registry and the purpose of your call is to offer to list the homeowner’s property.

Services like REDX automatically scrub phone numbers against the DNC list, saving you from potential violations that can cost $1,500 per call.

TCPA Updates for 2026

The FCC has delayed implementation of one-to-one consent requirements until Jan. 26, 2026. Even with the delay, cold calling has long been a key lead-generation strategy for real estate agents, but significant changes are on the horizon. Starting this year, amendments to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) will impose stricter regulations on telemarketing practices.

What this means for you:

• You cannot contact individuals on the Do Not Call Registry without prior consent. Cold calls are still limited to specific hours, typically between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time for the recipient. Calling outside these hours could result in penalties.
• Manual dialing remains the safest approach. Auto-dialers require explicit written consent from the prospect.
• Keep detailed records of all calls, consent, and opt-out requests.
• Honor opt-out requests within 10 business days to avoid penalties.

Check with your broker before implementing any expired calling strategy. Some brokerages have stricter policies than federal law requires.

Building Your Expired Listing Call Script

Scripts don’t make you sound robotic — they give you a framework when emotions run high. These expired listing scripts are not necessarily meant to be used word for word. You’ll want to sound natural and avoid sounding like you’re reading from a script. However, these expired scripts are a valuable resource to have in front of you as you begin your journey of calling expired listings. Over time, you will improve, become less nervous, and learn both what to say when calling an expired listing and how to say it by heart.

Kevin Ward’s book, available on Amazon as The Book of YES, contains different real estate scripts covering expired listings, FSBOs, and objection handlers — all battle-tested by top producers.

Opening Script Option 1: The Direct Approach

“Hi, I’m looking for [Name]. This is [Your Name], and I’m a local real estate agent. I noticed your home at [Address] came off the market recently. When do you plan on interviewing the right agent to get your home sold?”

This is assertive without being aggressive. You’re assuming they want to sell (they listed it, after all) and positioning yourself as the solution.

Opening Script Option 2: The Empathy Play

“Hi [Name], this is [Your Name]. I’m a local agent, and I noticed your listing on [Street] expired. I know you’re probably getting slammed with calls — where were all these agents when your house was actually on the market, right? Look, I specialize in homes that didn’t sell the first time around. What are your plans moving forward?”

This acknowledges their frustration and separates you from the pack. You’re not just another hungry agent — you understand their situation.

Opening Script Option 3: The Curiosity Approach

“Good morning, is this [Name]? Hi, my name is [Your Name]. We’ve never met. I’m calling about the property at [Address] — are you still planning to sell?”

Short, direct, and slightly mysterious. Gets straight to the point without overwhelming them.

Handling the Most Common Objections

No matter how good your opening, expect objections. Here’s how to handle the big three:

“We’re Listing with the Same Agent”

Kevin Ward’s response: “You can’t do that — not until you meet with me first. Why? Because you want to make sure you get the best result, right? At least take a look at an option that will give you the best shot at getting the most money. Fair enough? When’s the best time for us to get together?”

Confident, playful, and direct. You’re not letting them off the hook, but you’re doing it with a smile.

“I’m Not Interested Right Now”

“I completely understand. What happened during the listing period? What do you think kept the home from selling — was it price, marketing, timing, or something else?”

Shift from selling to diagnosing. Get them talking about the problem, and you become part of the solution.

“You’re the 20th Agent to Call Today”

“I bet you are getting hammered today. That’s exactly why I called — to cut through the noise and have an actual conversation. Most agents are calling every expired listing. I’m calling yours because I specialize in this neighborhood and I know exactly why homes here don’t sell. Can I show you what I mean?”

Acknowledge the chaos, then differentiate yourself with specificity.

Tools That Make Expired Calling Easier

Calling expired listings manually is brutal. Smart agents use technology to stay efficient and compliant.

Expired Listing Lead Services

Try REDX for access to fresh expired listings every morning, automatically scrubbed against the DNC registry. Their platform integrates a power dialer, CRM, and skip-tracing — everything you need in one system.

CRM and Follow-Up Systems

You won’t convert most expireds on the first call. Track every conversation, note objections, and schedule follow-ups. Systems like Follow Up Boss, LionDesk, or KVCore keep you organized so nothing falls through the cracks.

Practice Your Scripts

Practice, practice, practice. Just because it’s called a script, that doesn’t mean you should sound scripted. Instead, you want to know your script so well that it becomes part of your natural conversation. Ask a partner, colleague, or spouse to help you practice your script with different objections.

Role-play with another agent. Record yourself and listen back. You’ll catch awkward phrasing, rushed delivery, and missed opportunities to build rapport.

Your Next Step: Take Action Today

Expired listings represent some of the warmest leads in real estate. These sellers already decided to sell — they just need the right agent to make it happen.

Start with five calls tomorrow. Test Kevin Ward’s approach of dropping your company name from the opening. See how it feels. Track your results.

Whether you’re brand new to calling expireds or you’ve been doing it for years, small tweaks to your opening line can dramatically change your conversion rate. The difference between “I’m Tim with Acme Realty” and “I’m Tim, a local agent” might be the difference between a hang-up and a listing appointment.

Ready to dive deeper? Check out our comprehensive guide to the best expired listing scripts and our breakdown of the most effective objection handlers used by top agents.

And if you’re serious about building a pipeline from expired listings, invest in a lead service that does the heavy lifting for you. Try REDX and get access to fresh expireds every day, DNC scrubbing, and a dialer built specifically for real estate prospecting.