6 Ways to Get Real Estate Expired Listings in 2025

Data from late 2023 showed 7–8% of U.S. listings ended up unsold—that’s a lot of potential clients who might be hungry for a better agent.

But hey—fair warning—2025 is different from the past.

If you want to get results (and earn those expired listing deals), you’ll need to blend that classic hustle we all know—calls, mailers, maybe even face-to-face visits—with modern, digital prowess.

Let’s jump into six of my favorite ways to convert expired listings into new business.

I promise: with each method, I’ll share the best data and show you exactly how agents are winning in a shifting market.

1. Reboot the “Old School” Approach… With a Personal Touch

I know.

Cold calling and door-knocking might sound cliché.

You’ve probably tried it—or sworn it off—at least once.

But I gotta say: they still work, especially if you’re empathetic, consistent, and you do it better than the cookie-cutter scripts floating around online. The biggest mistake I see? Agents calling or knocking like they’re reading from a teleprompter: “Hi, I see your home has expired. Are you still looking to sell?” Yawn. Nobody wants another pitch.

Instead, start with empathy. Something like:

“Hey [Homeowner], I noticed your home dropped off the market. That’s gotta be frustrating—especially if you were counting on it to sell. Mind if I ask—what exactly were you hoping for when you listed?”

That one question can open a floodgate of honest feedback. Believe me, folks are annoyed, but they’re also longing to vent. Listen first and avoid pouncing on them with a hard sell. If you do that well, you’ll automatically stand out from the typical stampede of unfeeling, one-size-fits-all agents.

Take it Further

• Data Backs It Up: About 40–50% of expired listings will relist with a new agent, but that same bunch of sellers is notorious for ignoring calls after one too many “We can sell your house better!” scripts.
• Timing Is Key: Some folks want to relist immediately. Others need a few weeks or months to lick their wounds. Keep following up—most deals happen after the fourth or fifth contact.
• Pro Tip: This is literally from a friend of mine (Brad) who’s a top producer in Florida: He leaves a short, warm voicemail the morning the home expires, and that’s it for Day 1—he doesn’t pester them five times. He then calls again on Day 3. He says about 20% of his expired deals come from that second call, which is when they’ve finally checked all the other voicemails and realized they want a calmer, more genuine approach.

Door-Knocking Doesn’t Have to be Cringey

Some agents swear by physically knocking on doors.

I’ll be real with you: it takes courage, but it can pay off.

When you go, bring a mini “expired packet” (like a printed market analysis or a short flier titled “5 Reasons Homes Don’t Sell & How I Fix Them”). A friend of mine, Katie, once brought homemade cookies—no joke—and a letter.

She knocked, introduced herself gently, handed over the cookie tray, said something like:

“I know it’s weird to have agents pop up after your listing ended, but I love your neighborhood. If you decide you’re open to selling again, I’d love to explain how my approach differs from the last agent.”

They chatted for five minutes, and—after following up—she earned that listing, which sold in just 21 days. Moral of the story: a little thoughtfulness and personal courage can beat a bland phone call any day.

2. Get Expired Listings With Direct Mail

I’ll be the first to admit that direct mail has a stuffy reputation.

But it’s still golden if you do it with flair and consistency. You can’t just grab a “Dear Homeowner, Sorry your listing expired. Call me!” postcard and hope for the best. Throw in some creativity. Your first piece should be a personalized letter (hand-addressed!) sharing the top reasons why the home probably didn’t sell. 

“Expired? Don’t Give Up Yet. Let’s Talk About Why Your Home Really Didn’t Sell. It’s usually one of three reasons: the price didn’t reflect the market, it didn’t get enough exposure, or it wasn’t presented to buyers effectively. If you believe it’s #1, the solution is to lower the price.

If you think it’s #2 or #3, that’s where I can help.”

Why It Works

• It’s personal, not generic.
• It feels more like an educational resource than a marketing piece.
• Expired sellers—who are often jaded or even embarrassed—appreciate someone who acknowledges their frustration and provides a solution.

If they sense you’re truly committed to “Why it didn’t work and how to fix it,” you’ll get their attention—guaranteed.

One of my ListingLeads.com (we over several expired letter templates and sequences that crush) clients told me that he dropped 90 of these letters and got three listings out of it. Those listings netted him nearly $2 million in sales volume.

The moral: yes, you might invest a bit more time or money producing these next-level mailers, but the payoff can be huge.

3. Leverage Technology To Find Expired Listings

You’ve heard the old saying: time is money.

And if you’re still manually chasing leads for your expired listings, you may be burning both.

That’s where a powerhouse tech platform—like Mojo—steps in. Instead of juggling random spreadsheets, manual dialing, and guesswork, Mojo centralizes it all so you can systematically crush your expired prospecting.

Think of it as your personal command center for leads, calls, and follow-ups—minus the headaches.

Why Mojo Works So Well
Mojo’s new expired lead service (bundled with their signature dialer) taps into real-time data so you can grab fresh expired listings the moment they come off the market.

Then, you can sort, filter, and prioritize those leads based on price, location, or how “hot” they might be. Let’s say you’re targeting upper-end homes in a specific zip code—Mojo flags them.

And once you’ve built that list, you can rapidly call through it using a single or triple-line dialer (yes, triple-line—faster calls, more contacts). This is especially slick if you’re trying to beat your competition to the punch. Because, frankly, the first agent a seller talks to often wins.

But What About Data Quality?
Mojo doesn’t just regurgitate phone numbers from questionable sources. According to them, they’re filtering out bad data—like invalid numbers or lines that no longer exist—before you even see them. For you, that means fewer wasted dials and more actual conversations.

One Chicago agent I know swears by Mojo. His best tip? Pair Mojo’s calling power with a short, empathy-driven script (something like, “I’m sorry your listing didn’t sell—what do you think went wrong?”). It’s that classic approach, turbocharged by tech.

Keep Track of Everything—Automatically
Mojo also slashes your follow-up workload. When a homeowner says “Call me next week,” you can schedule it right inside the platform—and Mojo will remind you, so no lead slips through the cracks. Want to send emails or automated texts? Sync Mojo with your CRM. If you’re feeling extra bold, you can even integrate a personal video link into a follow-up email—like a short BombBomb clip offering a tailored market analysis. The bottom line: consistent, well-timed follow-up is often the difference between landing a listing or getting ghosted.

4. Email & Text Sequences (Because Expireds Need Time to Warm Up)

Most expired sellers are not going to say “Yes!” the first time you reach out.

They’ve been burned, and trust is low. That’s why I love email and text sequences.

Basic formula:

1. Day 1 Email – A gentle introduction, acknowledging you understand how frustrating the listing process can be. Include a link to a short blog post or a PDF resource explaining common reasons homes don’t sell (poor pricing strategy, inadequate marketing, etc.).
2. Day 3 Text – Something like: “Hi, this is [Your Name], the agent who emailed you about your expired home. Wanted to make sure you received my info. Let me know if you have any questions—no pressure.”
3. Day 7 Email – A success story of a home you sold that had expired with another agent. Include stats or a short testimonial.
4. Day 14 Email – Market update + a subtle offer to do a fresh Comparative Market Analysis.
5. Day 21 Call or Text – See if they’re ready yet.

Why does this matter?

Because some folks need that consistent drumbeat of value. They might mentally set a 30-day “cool-down” after their listing expires. And if you’re the agent who’s calmly delivering tips and insights through that entire cool-down period, guess who they’ll call when they’re ready to relist?

This. Works. Period.

5. Go Creative To Get Expired Listings

If you’re not afraid to stand out—and let’s face it, some markets are seriously overcrowded with agents chasing expired listings—try a more out-of-the-box approach. I call it “Creative Confidence.”

The “Guaranteed Sale” Pitch

Sure, you’ve heard about these “I’ll sell it, or I’ll buy it” programs.

It’s a tad risky if you don’t set boundaries, but it sure as heck grabs attention. One agent on Reddit talked about how they have an investor partner who backs up this guarantee. They tell the expired owner, “I’ll sell your home in 90 days or my partner will buy it—here’s the ballpark price.”

That price might be 5–10% below market, but for a seller who’s absolutely done playing games, this is enticing.

Why It Rocks

• You’re removing risk in the seller’s mind.
• You’re confident in your ability to market tough properties.

Caution: you must set clear terms in writing (like agreed-upon price and marketing approach).

If you can pull it off, though, it’s a major differentiator.

One agent who uses a similar offer says he grabbed a $740,000 listing within a week because the seller loved the “put your money where your mouth is” approach.

The Expired “Rescue” Packet

I touched on sending letter via mail, but let’s go bigger: craft it into something like a “Save My Listing” mini-book.

In it, break down exactly how you approach marketing differently—maybe you include high-end photography, targeted ads, open house strategies, etc. Also, talk about common pitfalls like poor communication or overpricing.

That’s always on top of an expired seller’s mind: “My last agent never told me these things.”

Get personal. Include pictures of your team (or you solo if that’s your style).

Pepper in short success anecdotes—like that time you re-staged a stale listing, re-launched it with new pictures, and sold it in 14 days. If you physically deliver this guide to their doorstep, you’ll be miles ahead of the agent who just emails a PDF. One agent I coached scored a million-dollar listing this way—he literally dropped off a “Save My Listing” binder and a few days later got the call.

Hitting the “Old” Expireds

Not all expireds are fresh. Some folks gave up six months or even a year ago, then pivoted to renting.

Agents rarely follow up with them because we assume they’re done.

Big mistake.

Let me tell you about how I’ve seen this pay off: a property that originally listed in 2022 at a sky-high price. It expired. The homeowner decided to rent it out for a year. Fast forward 12 months, their tenant leaves, and they’re considering selling again. If you’re the only agent who’s been checking in—maybe sending an occasional market update or holiday card—they might call you first.

• Worth Noting: The data for 2023–2024 revealed many sellers got spooked by rising mortgage rates, so they turned to renting. By 2025, a good percentage might jump back into the sales market. For you, that’s a golden second chance.

6. Use Personalized Video To Get Expireds

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from agents, “I hate calling. I hate door-knocking. It feels spammy.”

Fine. Then send a short personalized video.

Tools like Loom or even just your phone’s camera are enough to record a 30-second clip:

“Hi, [Name], I’m [Your Name], and I noticed your home at 123 Maple didn’t sell last month. I’m sorry to hear that. If you’re still interested in moving, I’d love to show you a new strategy—especially because I helped sell a similar property in your area that sat unsold for months. Let’s have a conversation about what went wrong for you and how we can fix it.”

Send that via email or text (or even DM if you can track them down on social).

Yes, it’s more effort than a generic message—but it’s also about 10 times more effective because they see your face, they hear your tone, and it’s undeniably personal. The best part?

Once you get comfortable doing it, you can knock out three or four unique videos in under 15 minutes.

Expired Listings Stats

Expired sellers love facts. They’re actively questioning: “Could it be the market? The agent? The price? All of the above?” So use data to differentiate yourself. Mention that approximately 7–8% of listings nationwide have ended without a sale in recent years (depending on location).

Show them how days on market in their zip code might have crept up from 30 days to 45 or more. Or if your region experienced a dip in expireds (maybe some markets improved in late 2024), show them that data—“Hey, in our neighborhood, expired listings actually dropped 8% last year, so if your home didn’t sell, there’s probably a specific reason we can fix.” The more precise you are, the more credibility you have.

Weaving those numbers into phone conversations or emails often flips the seller’s perspective. Instead of them thinking “We just couldn’t sell,” you guide them to “Actually, we might have made some missteps in the marketing, staging, or pricing strategy.” Data = clarity = trust. They realize you’re not blowing hot air; you’re paying attention to the real market conditions.

Are You Ready to Revitalize Those Expireds?

All of these strategies have one big thing in common: empathy combined with real value. Expired listings are not just about grabbing a new lead; they’re about solving a problem for someone who’s already frustrated. If you bring sincerity, data-driven insights, and a splash of creativity, you can absolutely differentiate yourself from all the other agents sending generic postcards or leaving bland voicemails.

And don’t forget to track what works. If you’re mailing 30 letters a month, see which ones elicit responses. Tweak as needed. If you’re running a social campaign, experiment with different headlines or short videos.

Rinse and repeat.

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