Episode 772: Expired Listings After 6 Months? Sellers Are More Desperate Now - Your Daily Real Estate Podcast with Tristan Ahumada

Summary4 min read

Episode Overview

Title: Episode 772: Expired Listings After 6 Months? Sellers Are More Desperate Now
Host: Tristan Ahumada
Date: January 10, 2026
Main Theme:
In this brief, insightful episode, Tristan Ahumada addresses the often-overlooked opportunity of reconnecting with homeowners whose listings expired 6 to 12 months ago. Unlike newly expired listings, these homeowners are typically more motivated, approachable, and open to honest conversations. Tristan shares his proven approach—a personal letter—that prioritizes sincerity and clarity over salesy tactics, helping agents revive and win expired listings.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Overlooked Potential of Old Expired Listings

Common Agent Behavior:
- Most real estate agents forget about expired listings after 30 days, assuming another agent already got the client or that the seller has given up.
- Tristan observes this as a mistake:
  - Quote: “Most agents completely ignore expired listings after 30 days. How do I know? Well, I watch it happen, and so do you.” (00:00)
Seller Psychology:
- Sellers 6-12 months post-expiry are often:
  - More motivated due to life changes or continued needs
  - Kinder and less defensive, having processed the initial disappointment
- These sellers are awaiting a distinct, human approach instead of generic, high-pressure sales tactics.

2. Tristan’s Personal Expired Listing Letter: Human, Honest, Effective

Purpose:
- The letter aims to stand out by being authentic, empathetic, and non-pressuring.
Content of the Letter (Read verbatim by Tristan):
- Letter Highlights:
  - Empathizes with the seller’s past frustration and relief
  - Acknowledges life may not have changed to resolve their underlying need to move
  - Offers honest conversation, market updates, and a no-pressure approach (not a sales pitch)
  - Leaves the door open for the seller to ignore the letter if they have decided to stay
  - Focuses on community and helpfulness, not just business
- Direct Excerpt from the Letter:
  
  “I'm writing because I know that sometimes the need to move doesn't just go away, it just goes quiet. ... If you still have that nagging thought, I really should have moved, I'd like to offer you a different kind of conversation.” (01:00)
  “I'm not here to promise you a magic trick that the last agent missed, but after 22 years in the business, I've learned that honesty sells homes faster than hype ever will. I want to have a real talk with you about why it didn't sell, what the market is doing right now, and if it actually makes sense for you to try again. No sales pitch, no pressure to list, just clarity.” (02:00)
  “If you're happily staying put, toss this letter. I'm just a neighbor looking out for neighbors." (02:40)
Tip for Agents:
- The letter can and should be personalized (“tweak it here and there”).
- Consider adding details about your expertise (e.g., your process for homes that didn’t sell the first time, your expired listing strategy).

3. Personal Touch and Sincerity: The Game Changer

Tristan emphasizes the long-term benefits of infusing humanity into all real estate communication:
- “I do my best in a lot of the letters that I write, emails that I send out, communication that I have on social. ... I do my best to add that human element because I don’t think it’ll ever go away.” (03:20)
Agents are encouraged to focus on care and sincerity as foundational to lasting client relationships.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Initial Agent Mistakes:

“Most agents completely ignore expired listings after 30 days. ... They assume someone else already got them or the seller just gave up. But here's what they're missing...”
— Tristan Ahumada, (00:00)
On Seller Motivation and Mindset:

“Sellers whose homes expired six to 12 months ago are often more motivated than fresh expired. They're definitely kinder. They've had the time to process this disappointment.”
— Tristan Ahumada, (00:20)
On the Human Approach:

“I do my best to add that human element because I don't think it'll ever go away. ... People connect with you because of your sincerity, because of your care, because we're people...”
— Tristan Ahumada, (03:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:00 – 01:00: Why most agents ignore old expireds and why that’s a mistake
01:00 – 02:40: Tristan reads his “old expired” letter, emphasizing empathy and no-pressure approach
02:40 – 03:20: Guidance on personalizing the letter for your style and clientele
03:20 – End: Reflection on the importance of sincerity and human connection in real estate

Takeaways for Real Estate Professionals

Don’t ignore older expired listings—they can be your best prospects.
Use empathy-driven, honest, and non-“salesy” language in your outreach letters.
Personalize your message and let sincerity shine through all your communications.
Stay tuned for part two (next episode) for more outreach tactics.

To request the full sample letter, Tristan invites listeners to message him on Instagram.

Summary prepared for those who want actionable advice on reviving expired listings and building genuine client relationships in real estate.

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Transcript1 lines

[00:00]
A
Most agents completely ignore expired listings after 30 days. How do I know? Well, I watch it happen, and so do you. They assume someone else already got them or the seller just gave up. But here's what they're missing. Sellers whose homes expired six to 12 months ago are often more motivated than fresh expired. They're definitely kinder. They've had the time to process this disappointment. They watched the market shift, and many of them still need to sell. They're just waiting for an agent who approaches them differently than the dozens who bombarded them the day their listing got expired. So today, I'm going to give you the exact letter I used to reconnect with these forgotten sellers and why this simple piece of mail consistently generates opportunities for not only myself, but for the agents on my team. Let's get into this. I'm Tristan. This is your daily real estate. It's a podcast. It's a show. Five to ten minutes every single day. I've been in business now for 22 years. Lab coat agents, 12 years. I just started a brokerage called Y Realty, and I still have a small team out here in Los Angeles and Ventura County. I'm in it to help you grow. I'm in it for long term because I believe in this industry. So let's get into this letter now. I've got this letter if you need it. Message me. I'll gladly send this over to you. I'll tell you how to get a hold of me at the end of this. This is letter number one, because we're going over letter number two tomorrow. Here's how it sounds. Dear homeowner, it's been about a year since you tried to sell your home. I imagine that when the listing expired, you felt a mix of frustration and relief. Frustration in that the plans you made didn't happen and relief that the showings and the stress were finally over. Most agents assume you've moved on. I'm writing because I know that sometimes the need to move doesn't just go away, it just goes quiet. Life has a way of shifting. Maybe the house still feels too big. Maybe the commute is still too long. Maybe. Maybe you're still thinking about being closer to family. If you've made peace with staying, I am genuinely happy for you. But if you still have that nagging thought, I really should have moved, I'd like to offer you a different kind of conversation. I put a lot of time and effort into this, and I've changed it over the years. Okay, so here's the second part. I'M not here to promise you a magic trick that the last agent missed, but after 22 years in the business, I've learned that honesty sells homes faster than hype ever will. I want to have a real talk with you about why it didn't sell, what the market is doing right now, and if it actually makes sense for you to try again. No sales pitch, no pressure to list, just clarity. If you're still wondering what if, give me a call. Then put your phone number there, put your email, and if you're happily staying put, toss this letter. I'm just a neighbor looking out for neighbors Warmly, Tristan. Then it has my brokerage. The market looks very different today than it did 12 months ago. Even if you don't sell, I'm happy to give you an updated valuation so you at least know where you stand financially. And that's the end of the letter. I do my best in a lot of the letters that I write, emails that I send out, communication that I have on social. You watch this, even these, these videos. I do my best to add that human element because I don't think it'll ever go away. And I think people connect with you because of your sincerity, because of your care, because we're people and we want to know that we're dealing with somebody that cares. So remember that when you're reformatting this letter. This letter has worked for me. You can tweak it here and there. I know. I've tested out a few different ones where I also add that I'm an expert in homes that didn't sell the first time around, because we are. And so. Or I've got a plan. Here's my 11 step expired process. Right, whatever you want to call it. The point is, here's the letter. Message me on Instagram. I will send this over to you. This was episode 772, old expired letter number one. Have an awesome day.