Most agents think asking buyers, “Do you have a home to sell?” is the best way to get more listings.
It’s not.
It makes you sound like every other agent. And it’s why so many miss out on seller opportunities sitting right in front of them.
The best agents don’t ask for business like amateurs. They position themselves as the obvious choice, turning buyers into future sellers without ever asking directly. The ones who get this right win more listings, more referrals, and more repeat business.
And they do it without ever sounding pushy.
Today, I’m breaking down exactly how to do it.
Want to see these strategies in action? Join me for live role play inside BAMx where we break down real conversations. The next session is tomorrow, April 1, 2025. Don’t miss it—join BAMx now.
Two Conversations Agents Need to Have with Buyers
We’re heading into that time of year when the majority of listings for 2025 are being locked in. The conversations are happening now.
As you’re working with buyers on their home tours and during those early consultations, you’re earning the right to represent them as a buyer. But while you’re doing that, you need to be planting the seed that you’re a listing agent, too.
Now, we do need to get to a place where we’re comfortable asking for business. That’s non-negotiable. But we shouldn’t be walking around like a living commercial: “I also do listings. Do you have a home to sell?”
There’s a better way.
There’s a way to naturally weave in your listing expertise within the buyer journey, without sounding cliche, desperate, or like a rookie.
And it comes down to two conversations you should be having with every single buyer:
- Ranking Properties
- Gamifying Pricing Education
Conversation #1: Ranking Properties
If your buyer sees two properties, the conversation is simple:
“Which one had more of what you’re looking for?”
But when they’re on a tour of four, five, six homes, things start to blur. They forget what they saw at stop number one. They confuse details from houses two and four. That’s where ranking comes in.
At the end of every tour:
“Let’s rank these. How does home #3 compare to #1 and #2? Which one had more of what we want?”
This is exactly what top agents are doing: ranking homes in real time, every single time. This helps to:
- Keep your buyer engaged
- Build urgency if the right one pops up
- Let them feel progress—even if they haven’t found “the one” yet
If they do miss a house they were leaning toward, but take too long, you’re not to blame. You asked. You led. You helped them make decisions.
Conversation #2: Gamifying Pricing Education
The second conversation is all about helping buyers understand pricing, and doing it in a way that’s simple, memorable, and fun.
That starts from the very first interaction. It could be in a consultation, the driveway of a showing, or that first home tour.
You ask:
“Has anyone walked you through the only three ways a property can be priced?”
Almost no one will say yes. And even if they’ve heard something similar, nobody’s ever broken it down for them this way. Here’s the framework.
1. Aspirational Pricing
This is the one Sharran Srivatsaa coined perfectly. It’s what people used to call overpricing. But now, we label it as aspirational pricing, and we reserve it for very specific scenarios.
These are the one-of-one homes:
- Incredibly unique properties
- Ultra-luxury listings
- Homes with $3M in upgrades in a $350K town
In those cases, we advise our private clients to test the market, because there’s no solid comp to rely on. We’re looking for that one buyer.
And when you explain this to buyers, you’re doing two things:
- Educating them
- Signaling: “I work with luxury and high-end sellers who use this strategy.”
2. Comp-Based Pricing
This is how the bank protects itself during an appraisal.
We say:
“Hey, here’s what the appraiser would do. They would look at similar homes sold in the neighborhood. That’s how they come up with the price.”
It’s straightforward and safe.
Again, you’re the expert explaining the mechanics here, like you would to a seller.
3. Event-Based (Competitive) Pricing
Now, this one needs careful language. You don’t say, “We underprice the home.” That sounds risky to the buyer.
Instead, call it event-based or competitive pricing. You can describe it like this:
“This strategy creates a competitive environment. We price the home just below recent comps to make it feel like a deal. That attracts more buyers and often drives the final price above asking.”
You’ve probably seen this: a home listed at $499K sells for $535K. That’s this strategy in action.
And again, you’re signaling seller savvy when explaining this to your buyers.
Gamify the Process and Show You’re a Listing Pro
As you go from house to house with your buyers, ask:
“Which of the three pricing strategies do you think this seller used: aspirational, comp-based, or event-based?”
It keeps them engaged. It makes them smarter. It makes you look like a pro.
But more than anything, it shows that you:
- Know how sellers think
- Have listing strategies ready
- Work with a range of sellers at all levels
No more, “Do you have a home to sell?”
Now, you’re the obvious choice—without ever asking directly.
Want to practice this with me live? BAMx members get exclusive access to live role play sessions where we workshop these strategies together. The next session is TOMORROW, April 1, 2025. Don’t miss it.
