Real estate scripts are an important tool for realtors who leverage cold calling for prospect outreach. But how do you actually do it well?
Cold calling is one of the most popular lead-generation strategies in the real estate world. Different realtors have different experiences with this strategy. Some will swear it’s the most effective lead-generation strategy, while others say it isn’t worth the frustration or anxiety.
Table of Contents
- What Are Real Estate Scripts for Buyers?
- Tips for Writing Effective Real Estate Scripts
- Real Estate Scripts for Cold Calling
- Using Mashboard to Qualify Real Estate Leads
Granted, real estate cold calling can be quite time-consuming and costly. But we believe it can transform your business if you do it the right way.
Successful cold calling in real estate comes down to targeting, preparation, and delivery. This is where cold-calling scripts come in.
We’ve compiled this comprehensive guide to help you understand how you can craft winning real estate scripts and take your business to the next level.
Related: 7 Characteristics of the Most Successful Real Estate Agents
What Are Real Estate Scripts for Buyers?
A real estate script is a pre-written dialogue to guide you through cold-calling potential clients. Real estate email scripts for buyers help realtors generate quality leads, build trust with prospects, and encourage the leads to sign up for your services.
A cold calling script helps you jot down everything you need to say. You write it down to ensure you cover all the vital aspects of your pitch.
These scripts are also important in helping you nurture different client groups.
For example, if you’re talking to first-time homebuyers, your real estate calling script can outline what steps you’ll take to walk them through the overwhelming process of buying a home for the first time.
Similarly, if you’re talking to an experienced investor, you can use your script to explain how your services will help them invest in lucrative markets and profitable rental properties.
So, what’s the perfect real estate calling script structure?
There’s no one-size-fits-all perfect script structure. Your structure depends on your target client and what you’re trying to achieve. But we have a few to offer you some inspiration.
Advantages of Real Estate Scripts
There are many benefits of using real estate scripts PDF when qualifying prospective buyers. They include:
Sound Better
Nothing rubs a prospect the wrong way more than sounding unprofessional and robotic. You come off like an amateur sales rep or a telemarketer.
But real estate scripts help you sound professional, confident, and like an expert. While a script helps you know what to say, it also allows you to choose your own words to avoid sounding like you’re reading word for word.
You end up sounding like you didn’t even use a script in the first place. You come off as more polished, better prepared, and knowledgeable.
Better Impression
Sounding better gives your prospect a better impression of you. Also, you know you have a limited amount of time to make a good impression when cold calling over the phone.
As such, you improve your ability to establish a good rapport and flow of conversations within the first few seconds, making a good impression.
Boosts Productiveness
There are many goals of a cold call. Within a few seconds, you’re expected to ask questions, gather crucial information, and share some key points to trigger the prospect’s interest.
A real estate script will help you execute and accomplish your goals with one call. Without a cold call script, you may find yourself skipping a few steps that are crucial in helping you achieve your goals.
Better Results
A better impression and increased efficiency will lead to better results for you and your real estate team. Real estate scripts will help you get the most out of every interaction, whether you’re trying to generate more leads, close deals, or get more meetings.
Reduced Anxiety
Conducting cold calls isn’t an easy job. Any experienced real estate agent will tell you that cold calling comes with some level of anxiety. It is because you never know what direction the conversation will take. There’s also the possibility of facing outright rejection or hostile prospects.
One of the most important benefits of using real estate scripts is helping you decrease cold call anxiety and reduce stress before making the calls. A script will convert your anxiety into confidence since you have a clear plan of what to say and do.
It will, in turn, improve the mental aspect of cold calling and motivate you to make cold calls regularly.
Tips for Writing Effective Real Estate Scripts
Before you start writing real estate scripts, here are some things you need to keep in mind for maximum results:
Tip #1. Language
Pay close attention to the language you use in real estate scripts. Be courteous and respectful. Avoid industry jargon, awkward phrasing, and long-winded sentences.
You want to use your language to pique a prospect’s interest. This is particularly true for passive prospects who may not be sure they want to buy a property just yet.
Finally, be as authentic as possible.
Tip #2. Get the Name Right
Getting the prospect’s name right is important whether you’re making a pitch or following up on a warm lead. It will show that you’ve done your due diligence and will leave a positive impression.
If the prospect’s name is uniquely spelled, search online and see whether you can find any pronunciation guides. If you can’t find any guides, make sure you bring it up in the opening statement. Being honest and telling them you haven’t heard of that name before is a great way to build rapport and win points.
Tip #3. Don’t Sell
Don’t use the high-pressure sales tactics of a telemarketer over the phone. The primary purpose of your real estate buyer scripts is to qualify leads. And if you’re talking to an unqualified lead, all you need to do is build a rapport with them so that when they are ready to purchase, you will be the first person that comes to mind.
Tip #4. Ask Probing Questions
To demonstrate empathy and build a relationship, ask relevant questions about your prospect and their needs. The aim of real estate scripts is to identify a need, not to sell something over the phone. Experiment with different approaches to asking questions and see what works best.
Tip #5. Listen
As a real estate agent, it can be tempting to do the talking for a large part of the call. After all, you’re basically selling your services. But this isn’t the right approach. Cold calls aren’t one-sided conversations.
Any effective conversation should be two-way. Make sure your real estate scripts don’t have any long monologues. When you ask a question, be ready to listen keenly to the prospect’s response. The answers that come forth will be very helpful for qualifying your prospect.
Tip #6. Simple and Direct
Use a simple and direct approach when writing your real estate scripts. You must have one specific goal in mind for each conversation. Are you looking for a referral or qualifying a prospect? Perhaps you want a real estate appointment setter script? Stick to one objective and draft your script accordingly.
Tip #7. Consistency
Your first few phone calls may be a disaster. Don’t lose hope. Commit to calling a specific number of prospects every day. Review your results and make the necessary improvements to your real estate scripts.
Related: 6 Ways to Use ChatGPT for Real Estate Investing
Real Estate Scripts for Cold Calling
At this point, you already know what real estate scripts are and how you can benefit from using them. But you may not understand how you can actually put these scripts into action.
Below are some examples of effective scripts that you can use as templates during your next cold-calling session. To help us, we’ve created a persona of Joe, who works for 3 Stones Real Estate.
The Initial Cold Call Script
Let’s start with a script for the initial cold call to a buyer. This step is important since the first call determines your success and the kind of relationship you build with the buyer.
“Hello! I’m Joe, and I’m glad to finally reach you. I’m a real estate expert working with 3 Stones Real Estate. Is now a good time to talk?”
You can stay quiet for a while and let the potential client speak. Showing the buyer that you acknowledge they might be busy is a great way to build a robust relationship.
What your client says will give you the next course of action to take. They might say something like, “I’m not interested right now, but I’ll keep your number and reach out in case I need your services in the future.”
If they give you an objection, be sure to steer the conversion with empathy:
- “Sure, I understand you’re low on time, [buyer’s name], so I’ll cut to the chase.”
- “I understand your frustration [buyer’s name]. The market has been quite unpredictable of late. Is it okay if we talk once things return to normal?”
- “I understand you’re busy and can’t talk right now, [buyer’s name]. Did I get that right?”
This real estate agent introduction script is perfect for understanding your buyer, listening to their pain points, and getting your foot in the door. If they don’t hang up or dismiss you, be sure to arrange some time to call back and have a comprehensive conversation on how you can help them with their investment.
Measuring Interest Script
You can also measure a prospect’s interest and see whether they might be interested in buying a property.
You can say something like:
“Hi, I’m Joe with 3 Stones Real Estate. Are you looking for a property to buy?”
If they confirm, you can go ahead and say:
“Great! The reason I’m calling is I have some homes that might fit your search criteria. Would you be interested in buying if I had someone lined up to sell?”
By telling the buyer that you have an interested seller, you’re creating a sense of urgency. You could even convince the buyer if you explain that the client is willing to sell below the market price.
If they show some interest, you could use appointment setting scripts real estate and take them to view the property.
Some prospects may tell you that they’re not interested in buying at the moment. In this case, pass on your contact details and tell them how they can get in touch with you should they get interested in the near future.
Remember, a cold lead is better than no lead at all.
Community Champion Script
As a real estate agent, you must seek to position yourself as a community champion. It helps you build trust between you and your prospects.
Here’s the script that helps you do so:
“Hi, [Buyer’s Name], I’m Joe from 3 Stones Real Estate. I am reaching out since I’ve been living in [neighborhood name] for about 20 years and I really love this place. As a new agent specializing in the local area, I would like to know if I can help you find an ideal investment property within the next 30 days. Would you be open for a meeting to discuss more?”
This script goes directly to the point. Even if the prospect might not be looking for an investment property currently, you’re likely to strike up a conversation about the neighborhood.
Besides, even if they aren’t looking for a property right now, they’re likely to know someone who is. This script can help you gain a great referral.
This script is important since it humanizes you as an agent and helps you connect with the buyer through a sense of community.
Open House Invitation Script
Sometimes, you may already have a seller willing to host an open house to get more interested buyers. In this case, you can use the following script to invite your prospects to the open house:
“Hello, I’m Joe with 3 Stones Real Estate. I wanted to let you know about an open house we’re hosting on behalf of the [property owner’s name] family over on [property address] on [day] from [start time] to [end time]. Do you know this address? I would like to invite you to come over and take a look. [You can mention any refreshments or special treatments for attendees].”
Depending on how they respond, you can ask the following questions to keep the conversation going:
- Are you aware of anyone who’d like to move into this area? What are they looking for in their ideal home?
- When might you be ready to move on your own? (if they’re interested)
- It looks like our next step is setting aside some time to meet and look at the best way to make it happen for you. Which would be the best time to meet? Monday 4.00 pm or Tuesday 10.00 am?
- How long have you stayed here? What attracted you to this neighborhood?
- If you were to move to another neighborhood, where would that be? And how soon would you like to move?
- Awesome! I’m looking forward to seeing you at the open house on [address] at [date & time]
This is an excellent opportunity to not only get your name out there but also get in front of prospects. Inviting them to an open house gives you a chance to meet the interested buyer in person and have them see you in your element.
Responding to an Online Query Script
If your business’ website and landing pages are doing their job, you should have a few prospects filling the forms with their details to get property listings, home valuations, and free helpful content. But now that you have their contact details, what do you do with them?
“Hello, I’m Joe from 3 Stones Real Estate. I got your details from the form you filled out online requesting [listing/neighborhood/valuation information]. Do you remember filling out this form? Is now a good time to talk?
I called to confirm whether you’ve received the information you requested, introduce myself, and respond to any other queries you might have. I have been an agent in [market] for [X years]. Last year alone, I helped [X] buyers find their dream homes, many of which are in your area of interest. That specific market has some very interesting features.
I know a few sellers in [area of buyer’s interest] who are interested in listing their properties soon. Would you be interested in seeing them or meeting to discuss what you might be looking for in a property?”
This script is helpful, professional, and straight to the point. If a prospect is just starting their investing journey, they’re going to get hooked on your communication style.
This script isn’t necessarily a cold call since the buyer has already made a move to show interest. It’s more of a warm call. But treating it as a cold call will set you up for success.
Voicemail Script
Sometimes, your phone call may go to voicemail. For some, this may look like a missed opportunity. But it’s the opposite.
Consider voicemail an opportunity for you to get a warm lead. If you leave a good voicemail, your next call will be from someone already familiar with your game, not a complete stranger.
The key is not to give too much information in the voicemail. You want to intrigue the prospect without taking too much of their time.
The best approach with voicemail scripts involves including additional information about the buyer or their area.
Here’s an effective voicemail script you can use when cold-calling prospects:
“Hello [buyer’s name], I’m Joe from 3 Stones Real Estate. I’m calling because we recently listed some properties in your neighborhood at affordable prices, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’ll contact you again in a week, or you can reach me at [your contact details]. I look forward to hearing from you soon.”
If this is your second call and it goes to voicemail, use the following script:
“Hello [buyer’s name], this is [your name]. We spoke last week, and you mentioned [prospect request]. I was just following up to see how things went. I hope to hear from you soon.”
Another secret with voicemails is to keep them short and sweet. The perfect voicemail message is between eight and 14 seconds long. You can give it some room to deliver your message but keep it less than 30 seconds.
Establish who you are and communicate why you’re calling, but don’t include your pitch. You can reserve the pitch for your next conversation when they call back, or you follow up.
Reconnecting with Past Clients Script
Real estate is a relationship game. Many of your deals will come from your sphere of influence. When one of your past clients has a great experience with you, they’ll spread the word to their family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. Sometimes, you might reach out to them to ask for a referral.
Here is an easy-to-use script when contacting your past clients:
“Hi [former client’s name], it’s [your name]. How’s everything with your new home? [client responds] That’s great to hear. I was wondering if you’d happen to know someone who’s looking to buy in the neighborhood soon?”
If they know someone looking to buy in the market, here’s how you can respond:
“Great, I’d appreciate it if you could provide me with their contact details. I’d love to connect with them and see if I can help them with their purchase. How does that sound?”
If they don’t know anyone, respond with:
“No problem. I’m happy to reconnect with you. Let’s keep in touch. Looking forward to talking to you again.”
Since this is a former client you’re dealing with, it might be tempting to send a simple text. But unless you’ve already established that the client prefers texting over calls, make the call. Don’t sacrifice the personal connection that calls offer you.
Also, texts may not necessarily make the quality impression you’re looking for.
Using Mashboard to Qualify Real Estate Leads
To avoid wasting time on unqualified buyers, make use of technology. Mashboard is a great tool that can help you qualify buyer leads within minutes. Its AI lead qualification feature uses predictive analytics to accurately qualify real estate leads.
Related: How to Use Airbnb Predictive Analytics to Earn a High ROI
Once you’ve added the name of a lead on Mashboard, you will immediately access all the data you require, including budget, financing, and more. With the lead likelihood algorithm, real estate agents will be shown a score that determines if a lead is prepared to purchase an income property.
This kind of technology will help you tweak your real estate scripts as well as be more selective in who you’re calling. It’s the easiest and fastest way to qualify buyer leads.
Sign up on Mashvisor today to access your 7-day free trial and start using the Mashboard tool.
Conclusion
Learning how to qualify buyers is very important for success in the real estate business. Successful real estate agents have mastered the art of cold-calling to qualify leads. You can create your own real estate scripts or customize a script template using the above tips.
With enough practice in delivery, you will become good at it. And don’t forget to take advantage of tools for real estate agents like Mashboard for qualifying leads.
Book your demo today to see what Mashvisor tools can do for you.