Open the call
The lead came from?
The House
Stay curious — ask like you'd live there:
📝 Capture the condition — a few words is enough
Motivation
1Open the door
2Be human — share before you dig
whatever they said — relate to it, then let them keep talking
3Dig — the pain lives under the reason
Works for any reason they give. One at a time — let the answer breathe:
Tell me more about that.
How long has that been going on?
When do you want to move?
What happens if it doesn't sell as fast as you'd like?
Two moves that keep them talking:
Mirror — repeat their last few words as a question: "…two payments?"
Label — say what you hear: "Sounds like the timing's the real headache."
4Capture both
The reason is NOT the pain point. You're not done until you have both.
ReasonMoving out of state
PainMoving in with an elderly parent
ReasonGot married — don't need two homes
PainCan't (or won't) keep paying two mortgages
The Numbers
You're gathering, not negotiating. Two numbers decide the route.
First — the debt (it belongs to the house, not to them)
Is there debt on the house, or is it paid for?
OK, great! About how much is owed on it?
$
And about how much are the payments?
$
/ month
Does that payment include your taxes and insurance too?
And I assume the payments are up to date with the bank — not behind or anything?
Assume the positive — never "are your payments current?"
Then — the price
And what are you asking for it?
$
Optional discovery — good conversation, not required
“What do you think it would appraise for?” · “How did you arrive at that price?” — use if you feel the need; nothing to write down.
The route
For your eyes only — never said aloud
Waiting on the numbers…
Get the debt answer and the asking price — the route reveals itself.
The route decides this screen
Deal Module
Finish The Numbers first — the right module loads itself from the debt and the asking price.
Free & clear · a cash sale with a delay
Seller Financing
1The opener ask
If I paid you a great price, paid your closing costs and mine, and closed on your own timeframe — are you in a position to take monthly payments till I paid you off in full?
They're open. Take it straight down to the BIG 3 — that's the conclusion of this conversation.
Confirm it first: "So you're saying the only way you'd sell is if you get all cash now?"
That won't work for us — honest exit, or consider Wholesale if the situation fits. Otherwise head to the Conclusion.
The door's still open — keep the conversation going with the angles below.
2The conversation — closing skills
When they ask…
tap what you just heardEvery question gets a response — then a redirect back to the BIG 3, wrapped in a hypothetical: "If I was to…" Small commitments lead to big commitments.
Respond
"Well — you'll be selling the house now, for your asking price or pretty darn close to it. We'll agree on a monthly payment we send you every month, and before you know it, we send you the big check for the rest. And we're responsible for the maintenance, repairs, taxes and insurance — you'd be selling the house and moving on with your life."
Pivot → Big 1"If I was to buy it from you — what would you be asking for the house?"jump to the BIG 3 ↓
This IS Big 3 — answer with it
"We usually buy with nothing down — but if we had to put something down, what's the least you would take?"
$
auto-arms the BIG 3 press belowRespond — turn it into their number
"Most folks give us a long time because they like the money they get every month. Some folks need something faster. What's the most amount of time you can give us?" — and if they lowball the years: "OOOOH — I don't remember the last time I did one less than 3 to 5 years." (laugh)
Respond — of course it's real
"Of course — especially when the banks are acting crazy and aren't lending money, or when buyers in the market want a million-dollar house for a hundred grand. Retail buyers pile on demands and nitpick every inspection."
Pivot → Big 2"If I want to buy it from you — what's the least you would take every month till I cashed you out in full?"jump to the BIG 3 ↓
Respond — reasonable, and premature
"Totally fair to want to vet us. We're not at the paperwork stage yet — we don't even know if the house is a fit. As soon as we come up with some numbers, you'll see all of it, and your attorney's welcome to go through everything."
Pivot → Big 1"If I was to buy it from you — what would be the least you would take for the house?"jump to the BIG 3 ↓
The win-win, one angle at a time — pick what the moment needs:
3The trade — "If I… would you…"
If I was to get my partner to [give them X]… would you [move on Z]?
Example"If I was to talk my partner into giving you $5,000 down — would you be able to move forward and get the ball rolling?"
Example"If I was to make this work at your asking price — would you extend the time a little longer, so it's a win for you and a win for us?"
Endless variations — it's always a trade: your give for their move. Read the conversation, don't memorize scenarios.
4The conclusion — the BIG 3
Big 1
What's the least you will take for the house?
then press: "Is that the best you can do?"
$
Big 2
What's the least you will take every month till we cash you out in full?
$
/ month
Big 3
We usually buy with nothing down. OK?
Say: "Well, we usually buy with nothing down — but if we had to put something down, what's the least you would take?" …then wait.
$
Now the press: "We usually buy with zero down and you want $X. How close to ZERO can we get?" (laugh)
$
Seller said a definite NO to everything and insists on cash upfront? Consider Wholesale →
Low equity · payment relief is the pain
Subject-To — the clean exit
A traditional sale bleeds this seller dry. Selling for what they owe skips all of it.
The Ask
Would you be open to selling it for what you owe on it, if we took over the payments?
Ask it, then be quiet.
GREAT! The explain: "We can come see the house and likely buy it — close whenever you want, we pay the closing costs, we close with the attorney. We take over the debt, so your loan stays on the house and in your name. The attorney handles all the paperwork, and payments start when you and I agree."
Then the close: "How soon would you like to move forward once we come see it and agree on the finals?"
🔓 Unlocked — only because they said no
The possibility, never a promise: "IF the numbers work out, we're sometimes willing and able to give you some money at closing for your equity — my partner approves any actual figure."
Then gather: "So if we take over your debt and pay all the closing costs — what's the least you could accept for your equity?"
$
gather it — the partner judges it
Their win, when it fits: they walk away clean — no out-of-pocket, no inspections, no dead buyer financing. The payment stress becomes our responsibility.
When they hit you with…
tap what you just heardHonest, disarming — humor welcome
"You can log into your bank app any time and watch the balance drop. We put repair money INTO the house — if we stopped paying we'd lose double. Worst case — god forbid my partner and I are on the same plane and it goes down — you get the house back with free repairs, free payments made, and free appreciation." (laugh)
Keep it simple — the script
"We come see the house and likely buy it, close whenever you want, we pay closing costs, close with the attorney. We take over the debt, the attorney handles the paperwork, payments start when we both agree."
Seller said a definite NO to everything and insists on cash upfront? Consider Wholesale →
Real equity · they're counting, not scared
Wraparound — their equity, kept
No 6% commission, we pay closing costs, their timeline. The bigger payout comes when we resell.
The Script
Great — the way it usually works is: we buy the house from you, take over the current debt — so your current loan stays on the house and in your name — and then pay you the equity you have coming when we resell it down the line. OK?
Say it, then stop. "OK?" is the question.
Great → set the appointment. Head to the Conclusion and lock the visit or walkthrough date.
The pivot: "Got it — so if we're willing to take over the debt, pay the closing costs — there's no 6% commission — and we close on your timeline… what's the least you could take NOW and the rest later?"
$
gather it — never counter it
The fit check, honestly: this seller needs a clean, easy exit — the out-of-state heir, the newlyweds with two mortgages. Full-retail-in-two-days sellers are NOT our client — if they need top dollar right now, say so.
When they hit you with…
tap what you just heardHonest gist → their hope → partner
"That depends on how we shape it — some want more now, some want more later. What were you hoping to walk away with up front? My partner signs off on the final structure."
The see-saw — balance, never a flat no
"Usually it's a balance — more up front means lighter monthly, and the other way around. What matters more to you?" (down OR monthly, or small-and-small — never good-and-good)
Seller said a definite NO to everything and insists on cash upfront? Consider Wholesale →
Last resort — never the lead offer
Wholesale — the cash exit
You're here because creative got a definite NO and they insist on cash upfront. Their number is the gate.
Gate check: did you actually offer creative first? If not, go back — this is the option of last resort.
Which situation is this?
The Gate
If we made it dead simple — cash, as-is, no repairs — what's the least you'd take for it?
You never offer a price. Ever.
The joke first: "Ha — honestly, I want it for free and you'd love a million for it. How close to free can you get?"
The reset — words only, this is the ceiling: "I don't want to insult you — but if I had to guess sight-unseen, it'd probably come in around half of what you're asking, and my partner approves any final number anyway. That's why your number matters more than mine."
Never a dollar figure. Never visible math.
Never a dollar figure. Never visible math.
The honest explain — this transparency IS the pitch: "If the number makes sense, we can get you an agreement at that price. We've got friends and a buyers list in the area — we share it with them. If they buy it, great: we close quickly and both make some money. Meanwhile we run the budget on the house. If the numbers work, we close; if they don't, we won't. Sound good?"
Move to the close: get the email — the agreement sends after partner sign-off on the price.
When they hit you with…
tap what you just heardAcknowledge honestly — that's our house
"That's usually where we come in. Depends on the numbers — what's the least that would actually work for you?"
Your verdict on this seller?
Every seller is one of two people. Calling it correctly — either way — is a successful call.
The pivot: did they agree to creative financing?
Where did the conversation land?
Proof required — property visit
Lock it before hanging up: "Does Tuesday at 4 work for us to come see it?"
Proof required — agreement & walkthrough
Move to the close, get the email, send the agreement — contingent on the walkthrough, said plainly.
Proof required — the appointment and its purpose
Say it like an appointment: "So Thursday at 6, after you've talked with your brother — I'll call you then and we'll decide together."
Which kind of suspect?
Proof required — the honest reason
Inside your OfferTermz CRM? Set Sam Followup AI on this lead — today's suspect is next year's prospect, and Sam will tell you the moment they ever respond.
Proof required — the honest reason
Inside your OfferTermz CRM? Set Sam Followup AI on this lead — today's suspect is next year's prospect.
A clean, honest no is a successful call. We talk to the many to find the few.