How to Contact Expired Listings: Best Strategies & Tips

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An expired real estate listing happens when a home doesn't sell before the listing contract ends. Essentially, the clock ran out, and the property is no longer active on the multiple listing service.

For real estate agents, these represent a massive opportunity. After all, you are engaging with homeowners who have already raised their hands to say, 'I want to sell.' So while they are often frustrated and tired of the process, that original motivation is usually still there. What they need is the right partner to get them across the finish line.

Connecting with these sellers requires a thoughtful, strategic approach. You aren't just another agent making a cold call; you are a problem solver offering a fresh perspective. You need to show them exactly why their home didn't sell the first time and how you will get different results.

Espresso Agent helps you bridge that gap. It is designed to help you quickly identify these leads and get in touch before the competition does. By providing accurate contact information and tools to manage your outreach, Espresso Agent empowers you to focus on building relationships and turning those “unsold” statuses into “sold” success stories.

Understanding the Expired Listing Seller Persona

When a home expires on the market, the seller usually isn’t in a great place. They began the process with hope and clear plans, but they ended up with no sale and no clear reason why. As a result, many people fall into familiar emotional patterns.

How Most Sellers with Expired Real Estate Listings Feel

Here’s what you are likely stepping into when you reach out:

• Frustrated or disappointed: The first attempt failed, and they don’t know what went wrong.
• Low trust in agents: Many feel their previous agent didn’t guide them well or left them in the dark.
• Tired of the whole process: The calls, showings, and prep work drained them the first time around.
• Uncertain about what to do next: Some want to relist, but they fear repeating the same experience.

Why Listings Often Expire

Most expired real estate listings fall into a few clear patterns, such as:

• Pricing that was too high for the market at that time.
• Weak marketing that didn’t highlight the home well.
• Little communication from the agent, leaving the seller unsure of progress.
• Limited exposure, so very few buyers even saw the listing.
• Timing issues, such as listing during a slow season or when rates shifted.

Challenges You Need to Be Ready For

As you reach out, keep in mind that:

• Some sellers may resist contact. They don’t want to feel pressured again.
• Many will be guarded. They don’t want a repeat of the first experience.
• A few may assume you are “just like the last agent.” Your first interaction should help break that idea.
• You need a calm approach. A steady tone, a simple explanation, and patience go a long way.

How to Get Expired Listings: Proven Outreach Strategies

Reaching out to sellers with expired real estate listings works best when you keep things clear, calm, and structured. A mix of channels helps you stand out and reach homeowners in the way they feel most comfortable. Here are the strongest methods agents use today.

Cold Calling

Cold calling is still one of the fastest ways to reach a homeowner with an expired list. When you approach the call with a friendly tone and a short, clear message, you often get a better response.

A few points to guide your calls:

• Call early in the morning or late in the afternoon when most people are free.
• Use a script as a guide, but keep your voice natural. Let it sound like a real conversation, not a pitch.
• Listen more than you speak, as sellers want someone who hears their concerns first.
• Keep your intro simple. A brief explanation of why you’re calling makes things easier for them.

Espresso Agent supports this with a built-in dialer and ready-to-use expired listing scripts, so you save time and stay organized.

Door Knocking

Door-to-door knocking works well for local expired listings, particularly when the property is located near your farming area.

To make the visit smoother:

• Bring a simple leave-behind, such as a quick market review or a short marketing outline.
• Dress in a clean and professional manner so that sellers feel at ease when you appear at their door.
• Keep the tone light and avoid sales tactics. A friendly start makes it easier to connect with the seller.
• Skip the long pitch that will not help; instead, keep the chat brief to build interest.

Direct Mail Campaigns

Direct mail provides a non-intrusive way to establish the first connection with an expired seller.

For best results:

• Send a personalized letter that explains what went wrong and how you can help fix it.
• Share a simple insight or two about their neighborhood or current buyer trends.
• Add a testimonial from someone you helped in a similar situation.
• Follow up with a call or visit after the letter has been received. 

Best Practices for Nurturing and Following Up with Expired Listing Leads

Once you make first contact, your follow-up determines how far the relationship goes. Sellers with expired real estate listings respond well to consistent and reliable communication, clear guidance, and a calm tone of voice. Most agents tend to give up too early, so staying present puts you ahead.

Here are simple ways to keep these leads warm without feeling pushy:

Stay Consistent With Your Follow-Up

Most sellers need a bit of time before they feel ready to relist, so your job is to stay visible without overdoing it. A short call, a quick email, or a small update can help them see that you’re reliable and focused on their needs.

Lead With a Clear Value Point

Instead of saying “I can sell your home,” show them something useful. This can be a quick market update, a fresh pricing check, or a simple review of what held the home back the first time. When you give value up front, sellers feel safer opening up.

Track Every Interaction

Use your CRM to log each call, note, and touchpoint. This keeps you organized and helps you follow their story with accuracy. When you remember what they told you last time, it shows them they’re not just another name on a list.

Build Trust Through Patience

Some sellers are still upset from the first experience, so they may be slow to respond. Stay calm through the process. A kind tone, a short message, or a gentle follow-up can shift their view of working with an agent again.

Don’t Take Rejection to Heart

Sellers with expired real estate listings often sound guarded at first. It’s not personal; it’s purely a result of their last attempt. But when you stay polite and keep your approach simple, you give them space to rethink and reconnect later.

How to Convert Expired Listings into Signed Clients

Once the seller starts to open up, your goal is to show them a clear path from disappointment to a fresh start. They want proof that things will be different this time, so your plan should feel practical, calm, and easy to follow. Here’s how you can move the seller toward a clear, confident yes

Offer a Free, No-Obligation Home Value Review

A current pricing review helps the seller understand where things stand right now. It gives you a chance to explain how the market has shifted and what a fair price looks like today. Sellers appreciate this because it feels helpful, not salesy.

Share a Simple, Professional Marketing Plan

A clean outline of your approach gives them confidence. This can include updated photos, stronger staging tips, online exposure, and a clearer communication routine. When they see your plan on paper, they can compare it to their last experience, and the contrast often speaks for itself.

Use Testimonials or Case Studies

Sellers with expired real estate listings respond well to proof. A short success story about someone in the same situation helps them see that you know how to fix what went wrong the first time. Even a single example builds more trust than a long explanation.

Position Yourself as a Guide

Avoid pushing for a signature right away. Instead, focus on showing them how you solve problems, how you communicate, and how you remove pressure from the process. Sellers who feel supported tend to choose the agent who made them feel safe, not the one who talked the loudest.

How Espresso Agent Helps You Convert More Expireds

Espresso Agent gives you tools that keep your follow-up sharp and consistent:

• Outreach sequences that help you stay present without sounding repetitive.
• Call history and engagement tracking so you always know where the conversation left off.
• Lead profiles that show key details, making your communication feel personal and thoughtful.

Why Espresso Agent Is the Best Tool for Expired Listing Prospecting

Expired listing prospecting works better when you have clear data and a clean workflow. Espresso Agent provides you with both, enabling you to reach homeowners early and stay organized throughout each stage.

Here’s what the platform brings to your daily routine:

Daily-Updated Expired Listing Data

Each morning, you get a fresh list of expired leads with accurate contact details and property information. This makes it easy to call sellers before other agents flood their phones.

Built-In Dialer and Prospecting Scripts

Our automated dialer lets you move from one call to the next without switching screens or losing momentum. Simple scripts help you stay direct and confident, even during tough conversations.

Automated Follow-Up Sequences

The system keeps your outreach consistent by sending timely follow-ups on your behalf. Sellers see your name more often, which increases the chance of a response.

CRM With Lead Tagging and Tracking

The Real Estate CRM keeps every note and call in one place. Lead tags help you group expireds, warm conversations, and sellers who need a second look. This structure saves time and keeps you sharp.

Video Email Tools for Personal Outreach

Short videos help you stand out in a crowded inbox. You can send a quick, friendly message that shows your face and tone, which builds trust faster than plain text.

Bonus Lead Sources for Long-Term Growth

Espresso Agent doesn’t stop at expired listings. You also gain access to FSBO, FRBO, and pre-foreclosure leads, providing you with additional opportunities to connect with sellers throughout the year.

Conclusion: Win More Listings by Mastering Expired Lead Outreach

Expired listings give real estate agents a strong chance to work with motivated homeowners who still want to move forward. When you understand their mindset and use a mix of calls, mail, email, and in-person outreach, you stand out from the usual agents who rush in without a plan.

A steady follow-up routine helps you build trust day by day. Add in a clear value point, a simple marketing outline, and real examples of past success, and sellers start to see you as the agent who can guide them through a smoother second attempt.

Espresso Agent makes this process easier. The platform provides you with fresh, expired leads, simple call tools, organized tracking, and video email features that help you connect in a more personal way.

If you feel ready to grow your listing pipeline and reach more sellers, explore our pricing plans.