- ✓Calling a FSBO becomes more comfortable when the reason for the call is true and useful to the homeowner.
- ✓Having active buyers and having a buyer requesting a specific home are different facts, so describe the situation accurately.
- ✓Ask about the response, feedback, pricing concerns, timing, and future plans before offering services.
- ✓Accept a homeowner’s answer if the sale is going well, and respect a request for no further contact.
- ✓Prepare the call list, make notes after the conversation, and give the next call a specific purpose.
Someone I recently coached felt uneasy about calling homeowners who were selling without an agent.
They thought they needed to call with a buyer who wanted the house. Except there wasn’t a specific buyer asking to see the property.
They ran the approach by me, including some questions from the lending side.
My response was simple: tell the truth.
We had buyers. We had a pool of people looking for homes, with new conversations coming through Google Business and AI search. There was a legitimate reason to learn about the property and see whether the home fit someone’s needs.
We didn’t need to invent a buyer.
After changing the approach, the person called me back. The homeowner had expressed willingness to pay their full commission if they found a buyer.
No listing agreement. No closed transaction. But there was a conversation and a reason to stay in touch.
If you hate calling FSBOs, I understand
I’ve encountered training approaches built around saying something misleading to get through the door.
Call the owner. Say you have someone who wants the house. Get the appointment. Figure out the rest later.
If nobody has expressed interest in the home, you’re making up the reason for your call.
Of course you feel uncomfortable.
For the person I coached, the problem was having no honest conversation they felt comfortable starting. A different script helped because the reason for calling was real.
Before your next call, ask yourself:
Why would this homeowner want to keep talking to me?
“Because I want the listing” gives the homeowner no reason to stay on the phone.
What I mean by an honest buyer conversation
In our situation, we had a pool of buyers. I described roughly 25 preapproved buyers who were looking, along with new buyer conversations coming in.
Having buyers in your database and having someone request a showing at this specific house are different statements.
Your opening needs to reflect what you know.
For a Realtor with an active buyer pool, the explanation might sound like this:
“I work with buyers who are looking in this area. I wanted to understand your property better so I know whether there’s a fit. Has the response been what you expected?”
Use your actual situation. If you haven’t established whether a buyer’s needs match the home, say you’re evaluating a possible fit.
And if you don’t have buyers, choose another honest reason to call. Offer a resource you have or ask whether the homeowner is open to discussing how the sale is going.
You don’t need an invented showing request to have a useful conversation.
The bank scripts taught me what I didn’t want to sound like
When I worked at the bank, we were handed scripts focused on how good we were.
Our company. Our services. Our reasons you should choose us.
The client barely entered the conversation.
People are interested in what you’re going to help them accomplish. They don’t need a presentation about your company before you’ve asked about their situation.
The approach I learned was to reach the right person, ask questions, and find out where I was able to help.
Jeremy Miner’s NEPQ training helped me improve those questions. I also stopped relying on openings like “How are you doing today?” and follow-ups like “Just checking in.”
To my ear, those phrases sound like the start of another sales pitch.
I want the person to understand why I’m calling.
Ask about the sale before offering your services
Once you’ve introduced yourself and the homeowner is willing to talk, ask:
“How has the response compared with what you expected?”
Then listen.
If they’ve had showings but no offers:
“What feedback have you received?”
“What do you think has kept someone from making an offer?”
If they mention pricing concerns:
“What have you considered doing about the feedback?”
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You’re learning how they see the situation.
Don’t rush to tell them everything they’re doing wrong. And if they say the sale is going well, accept the answer.
Ask about their plans, too:
“Where are you hoping to move after you sell?”
“Is there a particular date you’re working toward?”
Their answers help you understand what matters. A seller with a relocation deadline needs a different conversation from someone testing a price.
You don’t have to force a listing appointment into every call.
What if they ask whether you want the listing?
Answer directly.
For a Realtor whose immediate purpose is buyer research:
“I’d be open to discussing representation if you wanted help. My reason for calling today is to learn about the property and see whether there’s a fit with the buyers I work with.”
If your purpose is to explore listing the home, say so:
“Yes, I’d be interested in discussing how I’d help if you decide to hire an agent. First, I wanted to understand how the sale has been going.”
An honest answer gives the homeowner a choice.
If they say they’re handling the sale themselves, ask whether there’s anything they’re still figuring out. If they don’t want help or further contact, respect the answer.
Expired listings need the same honesty
With an expired listing, first verify whether the homeowner has already relisted.
If they’re still considering a sale and willing to talk, ask:
“How did the experience compare with what you expected?”
“What feedback did you receive?”
“What would you want handled differently if you listed again?”
Find out whether they still want to move.
The previous listing ending doesn’t tell you what they want today. And blaming the previous agent won’t explain what happened.
If you offer an appointment, give the homeowner a specific reason to meet. Reviewing buyer feedback, competing homes, and a proposed plan is more useful than another presentation about your awards.
Put a call hour on your calendar
My goal is for Realtors to feel comfortable enough to make these conversations part of their day.
Set aside a call hour. Prepare the list before the hour starts.
Use your assistant or AI to organize property information and previous notes. Review the information and follow your brokerage’s process for checking listing status and calling eligibility.
Then make the calls.
After hanging up, dictate a brief recap into Otter. Capture what the homeowner wants, what you promised, and when you agreed to reconnect. Review the notes before saving them in your CRM.
Give the next call a purpose.
If they’re holding an open house Sunday, ask whether Tuesday would be a useful time to discuss how the open house went.
Now you have something specific to talk about.
The next home belongs in the conversation
When a seller plans to buy again, ask whether they’ve reviewed the expected proceeds and the payment on their next home.
For Middle Tennessee Realtors, this is where I’m able to help from the lending side. Send me the scenario before everyone commits to a moving timeline.
We’ll review the financing questions around the next purchase.
You don’t have to invent a buyer, memorize a speech, or convince every homeowner to list.
Start with a truthful reason for calling. Ask questions. See where you’re able to help.
Then put the next call hour on your calendar.
Resources
Otter.ai: https://otter.ai PropertyRadar: https://www.propertyradar.com Jeremy Miner’s NEPQ framework: https://www.7thlevel.com/nepq HighLevel CRM: https://www.gohighlevel.com/crm
Connect with Keith: https://keithgo.com
Companion podcast: “Calling FSBOs feels uncomfortable when your only plan is to ask for the listing.”
Sources
These links support the regulated, policy, or time-sensitive claims in this alert. Confirm current rules directly with the named source.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an honest reason to call a FSBO?
Use the real reason you have for calling. If you work with buyers in the area, you can say you want to understand whether the property could fit their needs. If you do not have buyers, offer a resource or ask whether the homeowner is open to talking about how the sale is going.
Can a Realtor say they have a buyer for a FSBO listing?
Only say a buyer wants the home when that is true. Having buyers in a database is different from having someone request a showing at that specific property. Describe what you actually know.
What questions should a Realtor ask a FSBO seller?
Ask how the response compares with expectations, what feedback they have received, what they think has kept someone from making an offer, and where they hope to move after the sale.
How should a Realtor respond if a FSBO seller asks about listing representation?
Answer directly. Explain whether you would be open to discussing representation, then state the real purpose of the current call. This gives the homeowner a clear choice without changing the reason you called.
How can a Realtor follow up after a FSBO conversation?
Make a brief recap of what the homeowner wants, what you promised, and when you agreed to reconnect. The next contact should have a specific purpose, such as discussing the result of an upcoming open house.
Keith has helped 2,980+ families close on homes across 12+ markets over 24+ years, with $310M+ in closed loans. He specializes in difficult files, listing-agent partnerships, and the kind of complex deals most lenders turn away.
He writes the Realtor Money Alerts to give agents the plays, programs, and systems that protect deals and generate more closings.
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