Let’s talk about expired listings — properties that were recently on the market but couldn’t find a buyer before their listing expired. While it might be challenging to get these listings, agents armed with a strong marketing strategy and a thoughtful outreach approach can succeed. Read along as I review strategies for how to get expired listings and effectively nurture clients.
1. Buy Expired Listing Leads
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Cost:
$50 to $200
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Time commitment:
1-2 hours per week
Purchasing expired listing leads is an excellent option to jumpstart your prospecting without spending hours combing through data manually. While some agents prefer to save money by finding leads, buying real estate leads from a lead gen platform saves time by pulling public records and MLS data into one easy-to-use list.
If you’re looking for a game-changing lead generation platform, REDX is one of the best. With its Vortex CRM, lead contact info, tax details, and listing specifics for FSBO and expired leads are easily accessible. But that’s not all — its Brand Builder provides top-notch editing tools and topic suggestions to help you create engaging content. These are some of the reasons why REDX is one of our top recommended lead generation platforms.
2. Leverage the multiple listing service (MLS) and public records
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Cost:
$20 to $200
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Time commitment:
2-4 hours per week
The MLS is a great place to start if you want to learn how to get expired listings. Search for expired properties in the last two to four weeks and add them to your CRM for follow-up. Besides your time and MLS access, these leads are essentially free.
You can also search public records for expired listings that may not appear in the MLS, though it’s more time-consuming. Local archives can provide property details like ownership history, divorce filings, or probate activity. These records can reveal off-market opportunities, but weigh the time investment against the potential return.
Once you’ve built your list of expired listings, follow up consistently using a lead-nurturing plan. If you don’t have a CRM or want a real estate CRM with specific functionality, check out our guide on the best real estate CRMs for some options.
3. Network with real estate professionals
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Cost:
Free
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Time commitment:
3-5 hours per month
Reach out to other agents who are up for swapping expired listings. Connect through email and social media or by joining groups like Referral Exchange or Agent’s Referral Network, and local real estate groups on platforms like Meetup. It’s a terrific way to sell listings using your marketing style, and you might even hook a referral fee from some agents.
Explore local chapters of real estate associations as well, like the following:
- National Association of Realtors (NAR)
- National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)
- Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM)
- National Real Estate Investors Association (NREIA)
- National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB)
- Women’s Council of Realtors (WCR)
4. Reach out to expired listing owners directly
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Cost:
Free
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Experience level:
4-6 hours per week
Reaching out directly to homeowners with expired listings — whether by phone, letter, or email — is one of the most effective ways to get your foot in the door. These sellers are often frustrated or disillusioned with the selling process, so your message needs to be thoughtful, professional, and above all, seller-focused.
Each method has advantages: a phone call allows real-time interaction, a letter offers a personal touch, and an email can quickly build rapport. The key is to lead with empathy, not a hard pitch.
📌 Pro Tip
No matter which outreach method you choose, keep it simple, direct, and tailored to the seller’s situation. When writing your scripts, remember these essential tips that apply across the board:
If you want to start converting expired listing leads to clients, here are customizable scripts you can use for phone calls, letters, and emails:
Phone call script
Hi there, is this the homeowner? I’m _____ calling with _____.
As I looked over what’s happening in our neighborhood, I noticed that your home is no longer for sale. I was surprised that it went for _____ days without selling. Any thoughts on why?
(Hear them out—they’ll often talk about what they see the problems are, the other agent’s shortcomings, and so on.)
I sold a home recently in the neighborhood at _____, so I thought you might still be interested in selling your home. How about I swing by tomorrow at _____ to take a look and give you a second opinion?
(If yes, book it! If not…)
OK, can I just come by to drop off some things for you to review? I’ve been selling in the neighborhood, and I’d like to show you what I’ve been able to do for others. Around _____ tomorrow?
Letter template
Dear _______,
I discovered today that the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) no longer has your home at ______________ (insert address) posted for sale. I’m _________ (insert your name), and my area of expertise is assisting clients who may be frustrated that their house didn’t sell the first time around, which resulted in an expired listing. How? Despite the market conditions, I offer my clients a unique approach to selling their homes.
One example of my marketing strategy is to use the internet effectively to maximize exposure for your home. This is critical as 47% of homebuyers today look online at properties for sale first before contacting an agent. In addition, when working with sellers, I offer my clients the following:
A complete comparative market analysis
Facilitate and coordinate showings
A free marketing strategy session
A fully automated drip marketing campaign
A dedicated website specific to your listing
Regularly scheduled open houses
The strategies listed above will assist you in determining the right listing price for your house and help you generate and convert leads into actual clients. If you consider relisting your home, I welcome the opportunity to interview for the job. Please give me a call or email at your convenience.
Sincerely,
[Insert Your Name]
[Insert Your Contact Details]
Email script
Subject line: “Let’s try an entirely new approach.” or “Let’s sell your property now!”
Hello ________ (prospect’s name),
I saw that the listing you had for _____________ (the address of the expired listing) had recently expired. You’re likely feeling agitated, stressed, and frustrated. Rest assured that I’m here to help you.
When a home fails to sell, real estate agents usually blame the price, which is not exactly fair. In reality, these houses frequently have poor marketing that prevents them from selling. That is why I am a marketer and a real estate professional.
I have sold ______ (number) houses in ___________ (neighborhood or location) in an average of _____ (number) days for _____ (percentage) over the asking price. I do it with clever and innovative marketing and knowledge gained during my ____ (number) years of serving the _______ (neighborhood or location) area.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on my suggestions for better positioning your property. Please call or email me at your earliest convenience if you want to know how we can get your house back on the market and competitive.
Regards,
(Your name)
📌 Pro Tip
When possible, combine these outreach methods. A letter followed by a phone call a few days later often has a higher response rate than a single touchpoint.
5. Create & automate drip marketing campaigns
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Cost:
Free
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Time commitment:
5-8 hours
Drip marketing is when you automatically set up a bunch of emails to send to your contacts. It’s a perfect way to connect with people whose house listings expire on the MLS since it lets you stay in touch with potential leads without manually following up each time. But here’s the catch — the emails in your drip campaign must offer value, not just be about sales pitches.
Include neighborhood market reports, recent sold data, seasonal check-ins, and helpful tips. For your expired listings leads, share information about what causes listings to expire and simple changes that can prevent it, or share stories about how you managed to sell expired listings.
If you want to step up your email game, try Market Leader. It offers real estate-focused CRM and marketing solutions with customizable email templates, automatic responders, drip campaigns, and tracking tools. You also get reports to fine-tune your strategies and some branded content for sharing the latest real estate news.
6. Create & share videos that speak to expired listing leads
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Cost:
Free
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Time commitment:
3-6 hours (including writing scripts, filming, and editing)
Keep this in mind: owners of expired listings are usually skeptical of agents and fed up with the whole process, which is why video can be such a powerful way to break through. Unlike a phone call, video lets potential clients see and hear you without feeling pressured to respond immediately.
You don’t need a polished production to do this. Simple, direct-to-camera videos where you introduce yourself, share quick insights, and explain your approach can go a long way. Send them by text or email to create a more personal connection.
7. Run online advertising campaigns
Make your real estate ads specific and address the issues your audience cares about (like owners of expired land listings). Tell them you’re a top-notch agent who can sell their property, and show them that you genuinely care.
It’s a good idea to create an ad that leads potential sellers to a tailored real estate landing page where you can offer something valuable, like a list of common reasons homes fail to sell, in exchange for their contact details.
44 Clever Examples of Real Estate Ads (+ Why They Work)
8. Send personalized mailers to expired listing leads
Direct mail has been a go-to strategy for agents for a long time and is still super effective today. Plus, it’s affordable, with postcards costing 8 to 73 cents each. You can try out many different designs and messages to determine what grabs expired listing owners’ attention the best.
If you want to quickly create a bunch of top-notch mailers to help you seize those expired listings, try ProspectsPLUS!. They’ve got tons of templates ready — plus, you can even have them handle the mailing for you. In fact, it’s one of our top picks for the best real estate direct mail companies.
9. Offer complimentary marketing consultations
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Cost:
Free
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Time commitment:
1-2 hours per consultation
When a homeowner’s listing expires, they feel frustrated and burned out. To win them over, show them a solid marketing strategy for their home. Explain what went wrong before and how you can do it right.
During your pitch, clearly outline your plan, focusing on practical sales approaches and home features that were overlooked before. Discuss the marketing tools and strategies that have worked for you and throw in some numbers from your past successes. Prove that you’re committed to selling their expired listing, and you’ll likely convince them to give it another shot with you.
Why target expired listings: Benefits
Expired listings give you access to sellers who are still interested in moving but didn’t get the results they wanted the first time around. Some benefits of targeting expired listings include the following:
- Motivated sellers: Homeowners with expired listings are often more eager to sell, which could make them more open to negotiation and possibly willing to accept lower offers.
- Less competition: Expired listings may have fewer competing buyers, giving you a better shot at getting the property.
- Opportunity for renegotiation: Sellers of expired listings might be more open to renegotiating terms, especially if their property has been on the market for a while.
- Potential for better deals: Expired listings offer a chance to find good deals, as sellers may be more willing to entertain offers they previously wouldn’t have considered.
- Access to inventory: Targeting expired listings can give you access to new housing inventory that may not be readily available.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is the best source for finding expired listings?
The MLS is usually the best place to start since it gives you up-to-date information on properties that didn’t sell. However, if you want to dig deeper or find off-market opportunities, you may also try lead gen platforms or check public records.
How do you handle expired listings?
These homeowners are often frustrated and disappointed, so approach them with empathy. You must show them what went wrong and how you can help them sell their property.
What happens when listings expire?
When a listing expires, it simply means the home didn’t sell during the listing period. The seller can relist with the same agent, find a new one, or take the house off the market.
Your take
Expired listings are a goldmine! You can find success by relisting expired properties to grow your business and boost your income. Have you ever worked with expired listing leads? Share your experience in the comments!
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