Motivated Seller Script: Cold Calling Scripts That Earn a Yes Without a Pitch
Word-for-word openers, the objections you will actually hear, and the calling rules to clear first.
Austin Beveridge
Tennessee, Goliath Teammate
Key Takeaways
- A good motivated seller script does four things in under 20 seconds: says who you are, names the property, says you are interested in buying it, and asks one easy question, with no pitch and no number.
- Pew Research Center found in July 2020 that eight in ten U.S. adults do not generally answer a cellphone call from an unknown number and 67% skip the call but check voicemail, so write your voicemail as carefully as your opener.
- Keep openers about the property and let the seller raise the problem; public records can be wrong, and the person who answers may not know what the file says.
- The FCC's rule at 47 CFR 64.1200 bars telephone solicitations to residential subscribers before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. local time where the person is, and the FTC says sellers and telemarketers must synchronize their lists with the National Do Not Call Registry at least every 31 days.
- Goliath Data pulls probate, tax delinquency and pre-foreclosure signals into a list with each record's source attached, with plans from $1,499 a month.
This guide comes from Goliath Data, which sells property data, skip tracing and a built-in dialer. We read the rules and figures below at their sources on November 5, 2026, and they may change.
A good motivated seller script does four things in under 20 seconds: says who you are, names the property, says you are interested in buying it, and asks one easy question. No pitch and no number. When you call motivated sellers, your first job is to earn a second sentence.
The rest of this guide gives you the words, plus the compliance checks that come before the first dial.
Why does the opening of a motivated seller call carry so much weight?
Most calls never reach the script. Pew Research Center found that eight in ten U.S. adults said they do not generally answer a cellphone call from an unknown number, and 67% said they skip the call but check any voicemail left (Pew survey, July 2020). That survey is six years old, and we found no newer version of the question, so read it as direction rather than a current measure.
Two habits follow from it. Write a voicemail as carefully as your opener, because voicemail may be the only part anyone hears. And make sure the number you call is the owner's, since a polished script read to the wrong person is still a wrong number. Goliath's guide to valid phone numbers covers that part.
What is the core motivated seller script?
Learn the shape, then say it in your own voice.
Opener: "Hi, is this [Name]? This is [Your Name] with [Company]. I'm calling about your property on [Street]. I'm a local investor and I'd like to talk about possibly buying it. Did I catch you at a bad time?"
If they stay on, ask one question: "Have you given any thought to what you want to do with it?"
Then stop talking. Silence feels long on your end and normal on theirs. The answer tells you more than a list of five questions would.
Reflect what you heard: "So the house has been empty since your tenant left, and the upkeep is wearing on you. Did I get that right?"
Ask for a small next step: "Could I come see it Thursday, or would you rather start with a few questions by phone?"
If you assign contracts rather than buy and hold, say so before anyone signs: "I may buy this myself or assign my contract to another investor." That line costs you little and removes a nasty surprise later.
What should you say in each seller situation?
Your list tells you why you are calling, but it does not give you the right to narrate someone's hardship back to them. Public records can be wrong, and the person who answers may not know what the file says. Keep openers about the property and let them raise the problem.
Situation | What to say | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
Probate or inherited | "I understand the house on [Street] may have passed to your family. I'm sorry for your loss. I buy homes in the area. Is the family deciding what to do with it, or is it too soon?" | Calling within days of a death notice, or asking about the estate's money |
Tax delinquency | "I'm calling about [Street]. I buy houses nearby and wondered if selling is something you'd consider." | Quoting what they owe or implying you work with the county |
Pre-foreclosure | "I buy homes around [Street]. If you've been weighing your options on the property, I'm happy to talk through what a sale could look like." | Promising to stop a foreclosure or advising on the loan |
Tired landlord | "I'm calling about your rental on [Street]. Have you thought about selling it, or are you happy holding?" | Mentioning a specific eviction or tenant |
Vacant house | "It looks like [Street] may be empty right now. Do you have plans for it?" | Saying you have been watching the property |
Expired listing | "I saw [Street] came off the market. Are you still hoping to sell?" | Criticizing their agent, or calling while a listing agreement is still active |
The pre-foreclosure row matters more than it looks. ATTOM reported that lenders started foreclosure on 26,648 U.S. properties in July 2026. Those are real households under stress, and states may have their own rules for people who approach them. Ask a lawyer about yours before you run that list.
Voicemail, then text
Voicemail, 15 seconds: "Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] with [Company], about your property on [Street]. I'd like to talk about possibly buying it. No rush. I'm at [number], and if you'd rather I not call again, just tell me and I won't."
Say the number slowly. Leave it twice if the message allows.
Texting has its own consent questions, so read the compliance section before you send one.
How do you answer the objections motivated sellers raise?
"How did you get my number?" Tell the truth: "I found your property in public records and used a data service to find a contact number. If you'd like me to take it off my list, I'll do that now." Then do it.
"What's your offer?" "I don't want to throw out a number that means nothing. Can I ask about the condition and anything owed on it? Then I can give you a real one."
"You're going to lowball me." "I'll be straight with you: investors buy below full retail, because we take on repairs and risk. If an agent can net you more and you have the time, that may be the better road. I'd rather show you my math."
"I'm working with a realtor." "Then I'll leave you to it. Thanks for your time." If a listing agreement is in place, do not try to pry them away from it.
"Stop calling me." "Understood. I'll take you off my list." No rebuttal. Record it before you dial again.
Which calling rules apply to a motivated seller script?
None of this is legal advice. Does a cash offer on someone's house count as telemarketing? Put that to your lawyer, and until you have an answer, treat every call and text as covered.
- Hours: the FCC's rule, 47 CFR 64.1200, bars telephone solicitations to residential subscribers before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., local time where the person is.
- Do Not Call: the same rule covers numbers on the national registry. The FTC says sellers and telemarketers must synchronize their lists at least every 31 days, and violators may face fines of up to $53,088 per violation.
- Your own list: the FCC rule requires telemarketing callers to record a request not to be called and to keep their own do-not-call list.
- Who is calling: the rule requires the caller's name, the name of the person or entity on whose behalf the call is made, and a phone number or address where they can be reached.
- Autodialers and artificial voices: the rule requires prior express written consent for telemarketing calls to wireless numbers that use an autodialer or an artificial or prerecorded voice. Ask your lawyer how that applies to your dialer, your AI voice tool and your texts.
State rules can be stricter, so check yours. Goliath's own DNC flagging page calls its flag an informational courtesy rather than a compliance tool, so the registry subscription and the decision stay with you.
Where does Goliath Data fit?
A script only needs a phone and a pen. Software helps once you are working a list. Goliath pulls probate, tax delinquency and pre-foreclosure signals into a list with each record's source attached, and the CRM, dialer and texting live in the same place. Its published skip tracing figures are a 99% match rate and 85% accuracy, with no charge for misses. Plans start at $1,499 a month, a premium price that makes little sense if you make ten calls a week.
How should you practice a motivated seller script?
Read the opener aloud 20 times, then stop reading it. Record a few calls where that is legal and everyone has agreed, and listen for the spot where you start talking over them. Fix that first.
For a closer look at one list, try these cold calling steps for landlords. A script will not make anyone sell. It gets you a calm conversation with someone who might, and that is the whole job of the first call.