The first call has three jobs: confirm you are speaking with the right person and that they are willing to talk, check what the lead card said against what the seller says today, and end with one agreed next step. It is not the call where you make an offer, and it is not a test of persistence. If the seller asks you to stop contacting them, stop, record it and do not call again.
The script below is an original planning script. It has not been tested at scale, and no script guarantees contact, a contract or a seller’s motivation. Adapt the words to your own voice. Keep the structure.
Open before you dial
Goal: in ten to twenty minutes, know whether this lead earns a second conversation, and what that conversation is.
- The lead card or the record of what it showed. DrivenSellers’ description: Before purchase the card shows the grade, listed price, area, motivation, timeline, occupancy, repairs, listing status and equity; the seller name, phone and exact address unlock after purchase.
- Your lead decision scorecard notes for this lead: what matched, what was unknown, what was blocking.
- Your buy box, so you know what answers change the decision.
- Somewhere to write notes as you talk.
- Your own compliance checklist completed for this number.
Call order, eight beats
- Identify yourself and the reason for the call. Your name, your company if you have one, and why you are calling: they asked about selling a property.
- Confirm you have the right person and it is a good time. If not, ask when is better and how they prefer to be contacted.
- Confirm authority. Are they the owner, and is anyone else on title who needs to be part of the decision?
- Check the card. Repeat back two or three things the card said and ask whether they are still true.
- Learn the situation. Motivation, timing, property, money, in that order.
- Ask about their preferences. How they want to be contacted, and when.
- Agree one next step. A walk-through, a callback date, documents, or a respectful close.
- Write it down within ten minutes. Facts, unknowns, the next step and the date.
The script
Opening. “Hi, this is [your name] with [your company]. I’m calling because you asked about selling a property in [city]. Is this [seller’s first name]?”
Permission. “Is now an okay time for about ten minutes? If not, I’m happy to call back when it suits you.”
If they say no or ask you not to call: “Understood. I’ll take your number off my list. Sorry to bother you.” Then do exactly that, and record the request.
Authority. “Just so I’m talking to the right person, are you the owner? Is there anyone else on the title who’d be part of a decision to sell?”
Card check. “The information I have says [the property is vacant] and you were hoping to [sell within about two months]. Is that still right?”
Situation. Move through the question bank below. Listen more than you talk.
Preferences. “What’s the best way to reach you from here: a call, a text, or email? Are there times that don’t work?”
Only use a channel they have agreed to and your consent records support.
Next step. “Based on what you’ve said, the next thing that would help is [seeing the property / a short follow-up on Thursday once you’ve spoken with your brother]. Would [day and time] work?”
Close. “Thanks for your time. I’ll [do what you said] by [date].”
Question bank: what each answer changes
Pick the questions that close the gaps on your scorecard. You do not need all of them on one call.
Identity and authority
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Are you the owner of the property? | You need to be talking to the person who can sell. |
| Is anyone else on the title? | Co-owners, heirs or a spouse may need to agree; a deal with one owner can stall. |
| Are you handling this for someone else? | An executor, attorney-in-fact or family member may have authority, or may not. You will verify it later. |
Motivation
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What’s got you thinking about selling? | The card’s motivation field is a summary. The seller’s own words tell you what problem a sale solves. |
| What happens if it doesn’t sell? | Separates “would like to” from “needs to,” without pressure. |
| Have you looked at other ways to sell, like listing with an agent? | Tells you who else is in the conversation and what they compare you with. |
Timing
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| When would you ideally like this done? | Timelines on cards go stale. Today’s answer sets your follow-up plan. |
| Is there a date that’s driving that? | A move, a court date or a payment deadline is a fixed point; “sometime” is not. |
Property
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Who’s living there now? | Confirms occupancy and tells you about access and timing. |
| What work does it need, in your words? | The card says “repairs” in one word. This gets the detail you need to plan a walk-through. |
| Anything major: roof, foundation, water, electrical? | These are the items that change your numbers the most. |
Money
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is there a mortgage on the property? Roughly what’s owed? | Equity on a card is an estimate; the payoff decides what is possible. |
| Any liens, back taxes or other debts tied to the house? | These can block or delay a sale. You will confirm with a title search. |
| Do you have a number in mind? | Ask once and listen. Do not argue with it on the first call. |
Next step
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Would it help if I came to see it? | A walk-through is the next diligence step for most strategies. |
| Who else needs to be there? | Avoids a second trip because a co-owner was absent. |
| What would you need from me to feel comfortable? | Lets the seller tell you what is in the way. |
Lines that end the call or create liability
- Do not promise a price before you have seen the property and the numbers.
- Do not promise a closing date you cannot control.
- Do not give legal, tax or financial advice. Suggest they speak to their own professional.
- Do not describe yourself as something you are not, such as an agent if you are not licensed.
- Do not pressure. “I have to know today” is rarely true and usually ends the conversation.
The ten-minute write-up
Write these down within ten minutes, in your log or CRM:
- Who you spoke with and whether they confirmed ownership and authority.
- Which card fields the seller confirmed, and which they corrected.
- Motivation and timing in their words.
- Property and money facts, each marked “seller said” until verified.
- Contact preferences, including any request to stop.
- The agreed next step and its date.
- Remaining unknowns.
If the seller’s answers show the lead was materially different from what the card described, note exactly what differed and when you learned it. That record is what a credit request needs. See Request a lead credit.
Six ways a first call goes nowhere
- Skipping the permission question. A rushed call to a busy person is a lost call.
- Leading with an offer. You do not have the facts yet.
- Arguing with the timeline. Record it and plan the follow-up around it.
- Not recording a stop request. It is a compliance problem and a courtesy problem.
- No next step. “I’ll be in touch” is not a next step. A day and an action is.
- Treating “seller said” as verified. Mortgage balance, title and condition get checked later.
On the desk during the call
Keep the lead decision scorecard for this lead beside you on the call and update its “unknown” and “next action” columns as you go. Then plan the next contacts with the seven-day follow-up worksheet.
On a preview source, the fields you read before buying become the card-check questions. See which fields a DrivenSellers card showsFree account required to view available lead details. No card needed. We're the team behind DrivenSellers.