You should have a script prepared when communicating with distressed homeowners:

Script when calling or knocking on the door of homeowners 30-60-90 days late on their mortgage payment.

Drawing from our experience with what has worked well for other agents and convinced in the “soft sell approach”, here is a script you can use when knocking on the doors of distressed homeowners reported 30-60-90 days late on our pre-screened mortgage late.

“Hi my name is _________ with ABC Real Estate. Recently, I have help several families in the neighborhood who were upside down in their mortgage resolve numerous financial issues concerning their home. Our records show your home is upside down, is there anything I can do to assist you about your home? Do you know anybody who could use my services? Here’s my card, don’t hesitate to call me if you have any questions”.

“Good morning. I’m ______ with ABC Real Estate. I specialize in assisting homeowners who may be facing difficult issues. Is having help delaying or stopping foreclosure a service that any of your neighbors or friends may want? You may know somebody”.

“I’m a neighborhood real estate and distressed homeowner expert. I offer ethical and compassionate solutions to problems with real estate loans. If you know anyone, co-worker, family member, friend, someone in the gym, that owes more on their house than what it’s worth or is having a hard time making their mortgage payment, please have them contact me”.

“May I give you my business card with my website. Or right now, answer any questions you may have”?
OR…”may I contact your friend, neighbor, etc directly”?

“It’s not about me, I hope you (or they) call me, Thanks for your time, Mr. Smith”.

At CDLData.com, we provide early, accurate and exclusive pre-foreclosure data on distressed homeowners before their hardship reaches any public file.

When you are face-to-face with a distressed homeowner, your goal is to make an emotional connection. In theater, all actors are scripted because they are trying to build emotional excitement with the audience. In the same way, you should have a script prepared instead of “winging it.” You have a small window of opportunity to introduce yourself as someone that genuinely cares about their plight. Many realtors and investors mistakenly blurt the first words out of their mouths in a pre-foreclosure deal and never recover.

Based on the feedback we’ve received from clients that deliver their message of hope and solutions in person, the soft sell approach works well. Armed with our early, accurate and exclusive pre foreclosure data, you will know exactly which homeowners in your area are falling behind on their mortgage payment. Yet you should not profess any inside knowledge that the homeowner is struggling to make their payment. Rather, you should present yourself as a neighborhood real estate expert that is canvassing the block. Here is some sample verbiage to use when delivering your message of hope and solutions in person, courtesy of Chris Sylvada, the founder of Simple Listing Solutions, a turn-key marketing system for REALTORS to position themselves as a neighborhood short sale expert:

“Hi, Mrs. Jones, my name is ________, I’m a local real estate expert, hopefully I’m not interrupting dinner, I’ll be real quick. I’m not sure if this applies to you, but I know you know someone. I provide ethical and compassionate solutions to problems with real estate loans. If you know someone that is struggling to make their house payments, or they owe more on their house than what it’s worth, I can help. So, I’ll let you go, just want to get this in your hands (pass a flyer or door hanger) – if you know a friend, family member, co-worker, neighbor, please tell them to go to the website on here, to learn more about some options they have to get from underneath their homes, help their family, and save their credit. Thanks for your time Mrs. Jones, enjoy the rest of your evening.”