Step 1
Call one list with one reason
A cold call works best when the owner can tell in five seconds why you called. Pick one list per session and one reason for it: the neighbors around a home that just listed or sold, owners whose listing expired, or owners selling on their own. A list with a reason gives you a fact to open with. A list without one gives you a pitch.
You do
- Choosing the list, and the reason you're calling it
Hand off
- Pulling the recent sales near your listing, so every call has a fact to open with
Step 2
Check the list before you dial
Before a session, check every number against the National Do Not Call Registry and your state's list, and follow your brokerage's rules for calling. Take off anyone who asked you not to call again. This check is yours to own. If you're not sure what applies to you, ask your broker before you dial.
You do
- The Do Not Call check, and following your brokerage's rules
Hand off
- A note on each contact who asks not to be called again
Step 3
Open with the reason, then ask a question
Keep the opener short and true. For example: "Hi, this is [your name] with [your brokerage]. I'm calling a few neighbors on [street] because a home there just sold. Do you have a minute? If you ever sold, where would you go next?" Then listen. If they're open to it, offer a price range for their home and ask the best way to send it. If they're not, thank them and end the call.
You do
- The call, and how you answer what the owner says
Hand off
- A CMA for each owner who asks what their home would sell for
Step 4
Give a callback number that always gets answered
Most owners won't pick up on the first try, and the ones who call back do it when you're on another call or at a showing. Leave a voicemail with a number that always gets answered, and decide now who calls back each one. A callback that rings out undoes the work of the call that earned it.
You do
- Calling back each owner the same day
Hand off
- Answering the calls you miss, and posting a summary of each one where your team works
Step 5
Log every conversation before the next dial
Write down what you learned before you dial the next number: who you talked to, what they said about moving, and the next step with a date. A conversation you didn't log is a lead you'll call again as a stranger. Keep every one in your CRM with the list it came from, so you can see which list is worth calling again.
You do
- Deciding the next step for each owner
Hand off
- Adding each new contact to your CRM with the lead source, tags, and your call note
Set it up once
Send Reddy this message once, in your own words. Reddy saves it as a playbook and follows it each time that work comes up. You can read and change it in the Workspace.
When I send you a note from my cold calls, add the owner to Follow Up Boss with the list they came from as the lead source, tag them, and save my note on the contact. When an owner asks what their home would sell for, pull comps for the address and send me a CMA I can share.
Where Reddy fits
You make the cold calls; Reddy doesn't call homeowners or clients. It handles what happens around the calls. Give owners your Reddy line: every call rings your phone first, and Reddy answers the calls you miss, asks your own questions, keeps a record of what was said, and posts each call to the Slack channel you pick. On a call, it doesn't quote prices, commissions, or availability; it tells the caller you'll cover that.
Send Reddy an address and ask for comps, and it pulls recent comparable sales, gives an estimated value and a price range, and sends a client-ready CMA as a PDF. Tell it about a call, and it adds the person to Follow Up Boss with the lead source and tags and saves your note. The list, the Do Not Call check, and every conversation stay with you.
Questions agents ask
Does cold calling work in real estate?
It works when each call has a reason the owner can see, such as a sale on their street, and when you log and follow up every conversation. Track your own numbers for a month: dials, conversations, and appointments. Then keep the lists that bring appointments.
What should I say on a real estate cold call?
Say who you are, why you're calling that owner today, and ask one question. For example: a home on their street just sold, and if they ever sold, where would they go next? Then listen, and offer a price range for their home only if they want one.
Do I need to check the Do Not Call list before cold calling?
Yes. Check every number against the National Do Not Call Registry and your state's list before you dial, follow your brokerage's calling rules, and stop calling anyone who asks you to. Your broker can tell you what applies where you work.
When is the best time to cold call homeowners?
When owners are home and not at work. Try an early-evening window and a weekend-morning window for two weeks each, count the conversations each one brings, and keep the one that works for your list.
Can AI make cold calls for me?
Reddy doesn't call homeowners or clients, so the dialing stays with you. It answers the callbacks you miss on your Reddy line, posts each one to your team's Slack channel, makes a CMA for owners who ask, and keeps your CRM current from your call notes.