Question 1

How many for sale by owners eventually list with a real estate agent?

Accepted Answer

Steven Futch cites National Association of Realtors data showing 94% of for sale by owners list with a broker within 90 days. He says this means agents who stay in consistent contact know FSBO sellers will eventually list, even when the seller insists they’ll never hire an agent.

Question 2

How long does it typically take to convert a for sale by owner into a listing?

Accepted Answer

Futch says his average FSBO takes about six weeks to list, which means six consecutive weekly phone calls or visits. He says winning FSBO business comes down to being the last agent still following up, since most agents give up long before a seller is ready to commit.

Question 3

How much time should agents spend on lead generation and script practice each day?

Accepted Answer

Futch recommends a minimum of two hours a day of lead generation to stay competitive in most markets, plus at least 30 minutes a day practicing scripts, with a full hour being twice as effective. He says well-scripted salespeople consistently outperform agents who just improvise their calls.

Question 4

What should agents bring when door-knocking a for sale by owner?

Accepted Answer

Futch brings a four-part packet: current market statistics, his specific plan of action to sell the home, a list of past FSBO clients who agreed to list with him as references, and a copy of his own daily schedule to show he’s actively working the market every day.

Question 5

What’s the biggest reason agents lose control of a for sale by owner call?

Accepted Answer

Futch says most agents fear objections because they haven’t practiced handling them, so they get flustered and go off script — and once an agent is off script, the FSBO seller takes control of the conversation. Staying on a structured, question-based script keeps the agent driving toward the appointment.