A for sale by owner (FSBO) seller has decided, at least for now, to sell without an agent. Most of them have a good reason: they want to keep the commission, they had a bad experience before, or they think the market will do the work. Calling them to say "you need an agent" rarely works. What works is a short, respectful call that asks about their plans, offers one useful thing, and earns a second conversation.
This guide gives you seven FSBO scripts you can copy, answers to the objections owners raise, a follow-up plan, the calling rules that apply to FSBO sellers, and a free FSBO calculator that shows how many listings your FSBO list can bring in a month.
Last checked November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice. Calling rules change and vary by state and province: check with your broker or a lawyer before a large calling campaign.
FSBO in numbers
- 5% of home sales. FSBO sales made up just 5% of home sales in the National Association of Realtors 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, a record low, and 91% of sellers used an agent. Source: NAR, November 2025.
- $360,000 vs $425,000. In the same report, the median FSBO home sold for $360,000, against $425,000 for agent-assisted sales. The homes are not identical, so treat the gap as a talking point, not a promise.
- What it means for you. FSBO lists are small, and many owners end up hiring an agent after a few weeks. Patience and a clean follow-up plan matter more than a clever opener.
Before you dial: a 5 minute prep
- Scrub the number against Do Not Call lists first. FSBO sellers get no exception (see the rules below).
- Read the owner's ad. Note the asking price, days on market, photos, showing times and how they describe the home.
- Pull two or three recent sales nearby. One honest fact about the market is the most useful thing you can bring.
- Pick one helpful offer. A seller paperwork checklist, a price check from recent sales, or tips for their open house.
- Decide your ask. On the first call, the goal is permission to follow up or a short visit, not a signed listing.
Seven FSBO scripts
Say who you are and why you are calling in the first ten seconds, ask a question, then listen. Change the words until they sound like you.
1. The first call
[Listen] That sounds like a good plan. How has it gone so far, have you had many showings?
[Listen] I put together a short list of what sold near you recently. Would it help if I sent it over, or dropped it off this week?
2. The helpful checklist
[If yes] Great. What is the best email for you? And would it be all right if I checked in once you have a few showings behind you?
3. The price check opener
[If yes] I can walk you through it in 15 minutes at the house. Does tomorrow evening or Saturday morning work better?
4. The open house offer
[Listen] And after the weekend, would you be open to a quick call about how it went?
5. After 30 days on the market
[If frustrated] That is common at this point. Would it be worth 20 minutes to look at what buyers in your price range are seeing right now? You decide what to do after that.
6. The voicemail
7. The follow-up text (only with consent)
Send texts only to owners who agreed to receive them, for example during your call. Marketing texts fall under the same TCPA consent rules as prerecorded calls.
Only say you have a buyer if you really do. A made up buyer is the fastest way to lose an owner's trust, and it can break your state's real estate license rules.
Answers to common FSBO objections
| They say | A short answer |
|---|---|
| "We do not want to pay a commission." | That makes sense, it is a big number. Would it help to see what homes near you sold for with and without an agent? Then you can judge if the fee would pay for itself. |
| "We are not working with agents." | Understood. I am not asking you to sign anything. Can I send you the recent sales nearby, and you keep it either way? |
| "We already have plenty of interest." | That is great news. When an offer comes in, would a second pair of eyes on the terms be useful? I am happy to look at it with you. |
| "Do you have a buyer?" | (Only if true) Yes, and here is what they are looking for. (If not) Not for your home today, and I will not pretend I do. What I can share is what buyers in your price range are seeing. |
| "Call me if it has not sold in a month." | I will. Can I put a note to call you on [date]? And if anything changes before then, here is my number. |
| "Stop calling me." | Of course, I will take your number off our list today. (Then do it, for every agent on the team.) |
More openers and objection answers are in our cold calling script templates, scripts for listings that did not sell are in our expired listing scripts, and neighbor calls are in our circle prospecting scripts.
A simple FSBO follow-up plan
Most owners are not ready on the first call. They often change their mind after a few quiet weeks, so the agent who stays politely in touch usually wins.
- Day 1: first call. If no answer, one voicemail.
- Day 3: second call at a different time of day, or drop off the checklist or recent sales.
- Day 7 and day 14: short check-ins, each with one new fact, for example a home that just sold nearby.
- Day 30: the 30 day call (script 5).
- Then every 2 to 4 weeks while the home is for sale: a short market update.
Set a callback for each step so nobody falls through the cracks, and stop at once if the owner asks.
Calling rules for FSBO sellers
In the United States, calling a FSBO seller to win their listing is a telemarketing call, even though they advertised their phone number. These are the rules that matter most.
- No exception for FSBO sellers. Advertising a home for sale does not give agents permission to call about listing it. If the number is on the National Do Not Call Registry and you have no business relationship with the owner, do not cold call it. Source: FTC, Q&A for telemarketers and sellers.
- A fresh copy of the registry. Your copy of the registry must be no more than 31 days old, and you must keep your own internal Do Not Call list.
- Business relationship. If the owner asked you a question or asked you to call, you can follow up for 3 months. A past client can be called for 18 months after the last transaction.
- Calling hours. Federal law allows sales calls from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the owner's time zone, and several states are stricter. Check any state with the free checker in our TCPA rules guide.
- Prerecorded messages and AI voices. Ringless voicemail and prerecorded or AI voice sales messages need prior written consent. A live agent on every answered call keeps you out of that category.
- Numbers on the registry. Mail, a door knock or a visit during their open house are the usual ways to reach these owners instead.
In Canada, the CRTC's National Do Not Call List applies to agents too: register with the list operator, use a copy no older than 31 days and keep your own internal list.
FSBO calculator
How many listings can your FSBO list bring in? Enter your own numbers. The default values are examples only: replace them with your real rates after a few weeks of calling.
FSBO lists are small, so every owner counts: try changing the number of attempts and the listing rate to see which one moves your results most. For the full picture across all your lists, see our real estate dialer guide and the cold calling statistics.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to call FSBO sellers?
Yes, if the number is not on the National Do Not Call Registry or your internal list, and you call during legal hours with a live agent. A FSBO ad does not count as permission, so numbers on the registry should not be cold called.
What is the best FSBO script?
The one that asks about the owner's plans before talking about yourself. Open with who you are, ask where they are moving, then offer one useful thing such as recent sales nearby. Script 1 above follows that pattern.
How often should I follow up with a FSBO?
About five touches in the first month (days 1, 3, 7, 14 and 30), then every 2 to 4 weeks while the home is for sale. Stop as soon as the owner asks you to.
Can I use these scripts in my training?
Yes. You are welcome to quote the scripts in your team training or share the calculator, as long as you link back to this page.
Spend your prospecting hour talking, not dialing
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