There are two instances where cold canvassing can work in your favor: expired and FSBO listings.
For Bob Leonard, CRS, with RE/MAX Associates in San Antonio, Texas, reaching out to homeowners whose listing has expired is one of his most effective prospecting strategies. “Being the second agent comes with advantages,” Leonard says. “The seller has already gone through the bruises and bumps—and if they’re truly interested in selling, they’re now ready to get serious.”
A For Sale By Owner (FSBO) listing can be an easy win—if you have a few pertinent statistics in your back pocket. For example, a discouraged homeowner who’s grown tired of the DIY approach would be interested to hear how the FSBO approach fares: According to the NAR 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, less than 10 percent of FSBOs actually sell, and according to Realtor.com, more than 90 percent of FSBO listings eventually end up with a real estate agent. The ace up your sleeve? According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2015 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, a typical FSBO home sold for $210,000 compared to $249,000 for agent-assisted home sales.
