11 Proven Strategies to Get More Real Estate Seller Leads

My grandpa always told me, “To be successful in real estate, you have to have seller leads. Buyers are your money now, but sellers are your future income.” And he was right—having a steady stream of seller leads is key to growing a thriving real estate business. But as you know, finding and converting those leads isn’t always straightforward. I’ll explore proven strategies to help you determine how to get seller leads and keep your business strong now and in the future.

Why Seller Leads Matter for Your Business

Real estate seller leads are an important part of building a strong real estate business. When you secure a seller, you’re not just handling a single transaction—you’re setting yourself up to manage the process, attract potential buyers, and increase your market presence.

 Listings give you visibility—allowing you to showcase your expertise and often lead to more opportunities. Focusing on how to get seller leads in real estate and converting them into listings will help create a more consistent flow of business, making your career more stable and allowing you to grow your reputation as a top agent.

Strategy 1: Find & Target Potential Sellers With Lead Generation Tools

Using advanced lead generation tools to find and target potential sellers can really streamline how you get listing leads. With predictive analytics and AI-driven platforms, you will pinpoint homeowners who might be thinking about selling—even before they make a decision. These tools analyze things like online activity, property history, and market trends, helping you focus on the most promising leads. It’s a smart way to work more efficiently, saving you time and increasing your chances of connecting with motivated sellers and landing those listings.

Strategy 2: Drive Traffic to Home Valuation Landing Pages

Every homeowner wants to know how much their investment is worth, and that’s even more true in a volatile market. Driving traffic to home valuation landing pages is still one of the best ways to generate real estate seller leads online. The only problem is that getting a low price on pay-per-click ads and designing landing pages that actually convert can be very difficult. Most real estate agents don’t have the time or tech skills to do it. 

Luckily, there is a much easier way to get seller leads from home valuation landing pages: You can “rent” your ZIP code on homevalues.com from Market Leader and start getting seller leads right away.

Strategy 3: Learn How to Work Expired Listings

A seasoned agent once told me, “Success often comes to those who are willing to give things another shot.” Sellers whose listings have expired are often frustrated but still really want to sell. They’re looking for a fresh perspective and a proactive agent who can get the job done. By approaching these sellers with a solid plan and a renewed sense of commitment, you can turn expired listings into a rich source of seller leads.

Of course, like all cold outreach, winging it is probably not a good idea. You likely won’t be the only agent trying to contact these owners; they’ll have objections lined up for you. That’s why you’ll need a lead source and auto dialer like REDX’s Power Dialer, and you need to practice tried-and-true expired listing scripts including objection handlers if you want a shot at actually converting them.

Strategy 4: Join a Team With Well-known Listing Agents

When you started out in real estate, you may have thought of yourself as a lone wolf, enjoying working without a boss telling you what to do when. But joining a team led by experienced listing agents will give you insights and the direct experience to start working seller leads faster. Sure, you could figure it out on your own, but if you want a head start and get seller leads for real estate agents, joining a team is one of the best ways to get your foot in the door.

Strategy 5: Help Distressed Homeowners

Even in a strong market, homeowners always fall behind on payments, and with rate hikes in recent years, this is likely to increase. While some may recover, many will need to sell to avoid foreclosure. Understanding how to assist these homeowners during a difficult time is essential, as market conditions can change rapidly. If anything, knowing how to help distressed homeowners is another great tool to add to your agent toolkit.

Here are a few tips to help you start learning how to handle the challenges of assisting distressed property owners: 

• Educate yourself on the foreclosure process and homeowner options.
• Offer free consultations to distressed homeowners.
• Explore solutions like loan modifications, short sales, or selling to avoid foreclosure.
• Connect homeowners with local resources and legal aid.
• Use Foreclosure.com to identify distressed properties and offer targeted assistance.
• Build trust through genuine support during tough times.

Strategy 6: Find Real Estate Seller Leads in Your CRM

If you’re not working your sphere of influence, you are leaving seller leads on the table. Period. According to the National Association of Realtors, 65% of all sellers find their agent through a referral. Since you’ve already got some sort of relationship with the people in your sphere, skip the cold outreach tactics and start straight in on strengthening your existing relationship and nudging people toward becoming clients.

To really tap into your sphere of influence, keep in touch regularly with personalized messages, share useful content on social media, and engage with your contacts. Hosting events or simply checking in with a call can strengthen relationships. Don’t be shy about asking for referrals either!

Strategy 7: Create an Action Plan for Lead Nurturing & Automate It

Since even the hottest seller leads can take months to convert, successful listing agents create action plans to nurture leads for the long haul. Once they have a plan that works, they automate as much as they can. This makes your leads feel like you are devoting time, energy, and interest to their needs even when you’re busy drumming up new business.

Lead Nurturing Action Plan

• Sort your leads: Break down your leads into groups—those ready to act now, those who need some warming up, and those who might take a while.
• Automate your emails: Set up email sequences that match where each group is in the process, sending them market tips, updates, and personalized notes.
• Check-in regularly: Schedule follow-ups based on their interest level—weekly for the most interested, biweekly for those warming up, and monthly for the cooler ones.
• Be a social butterfly: Stay connected by engaging with your leads on social media—comment, like, and send them direct messages.
• Add a personal touch: Don’t forget to send a quick, personalized message on special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries.
• Review and tweak your plan: Keep an eye on how your plan is working and make adjustments when needed to keep things fresh and effective.

Using an affordable customer relationship management (CRM) system like LionDesk, you can easily automate market analysis drips, birthday and holiday texts, meeting invites, and more. LionDesk also has an AI assistant, auto dialer, and click-to-call features, so you won’t get bogged down with busy work.

Strategy 8: Convert Rental Leads Into Seller Leads

When looking at how to get real estate seller leads, a less obvious approach is turning rental leads into seller leads. This strategy hinges on timing and building solid relationships with renters who may eventually transition to selling. Renters often become buyers and eventually sellers, so staying connected is vital. Start by understanding their long-term goals—are they looking to buy soon or just browsing? 

Keep them engaged with relevant content, like market updates or tips on transitioning from renting to owning. When the time is right, you’ll be their go-to resource, making it easier to guide them from renting to buying and, ultimately, to selling their property through you.

Strategy 9: Cold Call Potential Sellers

Even though many people shy away from cold calls, they’re one of the most effective ways to connect with potential sellers. A quick chat can be more memorable and impactful than a dozen emails or postcards. That’s why it’s essential to include regular phone calls in your real estate seller lead generation and nurturing strategy. Set aside time each day for cold calls and make it a habit to check in with past clients. This simple step can make a big difference in converting seller leads.

Strategy 10: Build & Nurture Local Business Relationships

Building and nurturing relationships with local business owners and service providers is a powerful way to generate more seller leads. Position yourself as the go-to person who knows everyone in town, and you’ll naturally attract more referrals. Local business owners are key because they’re usually well-connected and can introduce you to people who are new to the area as well as those who could become clients in the future. 

Strategy 11: Develop Relationships With Investors

You should try developing relationships with local investors and house flippers. They may need a reliable listing agent, which could secure you a steady stream of listings. Additionally, consider using circle prospecting by reaching out to homeowners in neighborhoods where these investors are active. By leveraging your local expertise and marketing skills, along with strategic circle prospecting, you can become their preferred agent for selling properties and uncover more potential leads in the area.

How Are Seller Leads Different from Buyer Leads?

Seller leads and buyer leads may seem similar, but they require different approaches. With seller leads, you’re dealing with homeowners who are emotionally invested in their property and are often more cautious about the selling process. They want an agent who can maximize their sale price, handle negotiations skillfully, and provide a seamless experience. On the other hand, buyers are usually focused on finding their dream home, often needing more guidance through the process. 

Let’s take a closer look at the key differences between buyer and seller leads so you can adjust your approach for each type of conversation.

Key Differences Between Buyer and Seller Leads
Factor	Buyers	Sellers
Motivation	Finding the perfect home within budget	Selling their home for the maximum price
Emotional Investment	Excited about the future potential the property brings	Often have strong ties to the property and have trouble letting go
Communication Needs	Guidance through the selection and negotiation process	Clear, strategic advice on pricing, marketing, and timing
Agent Expectations	An agent who understands their current needs and preferences	An agent with a proven track record and strong negotiation skills

Now that you know the differences, make sure you connect with each client in the way that will resonate most with them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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Bringing It All Together

Successfully generating seller leads is about combining smart strategies with genuine relationship-building. By using the right tools, staying engaged with your network, and understanding what sellers need, you can create a steady flow of leads that keeps your business thriving. 

Do you have a great strategy for getting seller leads that we missed? Let us know in the comment section.