What do you say when a seller calls?
Stop putting on the sales mask
A lot of people are perfectly comfortable talking about houses. Then they get to a seller appointment and turn into a different person. They start looking for the right line, the clever question, or the thing they're supposed to say next.
You're buying the house. That gives you a perfectly good reason to ask about it.
Are they living there or renting it out? What's been repaired? What still needs work? What do they want to happen next?
You want to know because you're considering buying a large asset. Ask like the actual buyer.
Start with the house when they call
The postcard already told them you're interested in buying. You can begin with the questions you need answered: who's living there, what condition it's in, and what the owner wants to happen.
If it's rented, ask about the rental situation. If they mention a repair, ask what happened and what has been done. Listen to the answer and follow it. You're finding out whether this is a house you should go see.
You don't need to deliver the whole offer over the phone. The first conversation gives you context for an appointment, where you can inspect the house and explain the numbers with something concrete in front of you.
Tell them what you're there to do
At the beginning of an appointment, I explain the plan. I'm going to walk through the house, build a scope of work, and see if I can make an offer we can agree on.
That's useful for both of us. The owner knows what to expect. I can assess the property and collect what I need without making the visit feel like a mysterious sales exercise.
If I'm taking photos or recording notes, I get their agreement. Then we walk the house.
Most of the appointment happens on the walkthrough
This is where you demonstrate your expertise. The owner sees you looking at the house and hears how you think about the work.
You can explain what you'd repair, what you'd investigate further, and where a project can get more involved than it first appears. A true story from a similar house can make that understandable.
I'm not inventing problems. I've opened up enough walls to know that construction can turn into more than a homeowner expects. The point is to help them understand what you are taking on when you buy.
That does more for your credibility than announcing how great an investor you are. They can see that you know what you're looking at.
Explain the backward math
I start with what I believe the house can be worth after the work. Then I work backward through the repairs and other costs, with room for the project to make business sense.
The walkthrough gives that conversation some substance. We've just looked at the house together. Now I can explain how the work connects to the offer.
The value proposition needs to be real too. If I can pay cash, close on a workable schedule, or make the sale simpler, those are useful things to discuss. They are useful because I can actually do them.
Authority comes from more than a script
In the video, I talk about your value proposition, rapport, and expertise working together. The owner needs to understand what you're offering and believe you're the person who can carry it through.
That's why the entire experience matters. Your postcard introduced you as a buyer. Your website and phone number made you reachable. Your conversation and walkthrough need to deliver on that introduction.
You don't have to act like a giant company. You do have to be credible as the person buying the house.
Practice until you can stay present
Authenticity takes preparation. A camera seems easy to talk to until you're staring into the lens. A seller appointment can feel the same way: suddenly the conversation matters and the words don't come out how you expected.
So we practice the walkthrough, the explanations, and the stories. We work on how to discuss a decision today when there is a real reason for timing to matter. The stories have to be true before you ever get to the house.
That is part of the work we do in Deal 90. You're getting comfortable enough with the process that you can pay attention to the person in front of you.
The goal is simple: understand the house, make an offer you can support, and reach an agreement that works.
Next: Homebase or Deal 90?
Keep going through the Homebase breakdown.
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