Doorlark
Short answer: circle prospecting means calling or knocking on the homes around a listing or a recent sale, with news the owner would want: what's for sale, what sold, or an invite to an open house. Before you call anyone, scrub your list against the National Do Not Call Registry, call only between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. their time, and keep your own do-not-call list. The scripts below are short on purpose, because people give you about ten seconds.
Do Not Call rules (check these first)
- Scrub against the National Do Not Call Registry at least every 31 days and take listed numbers off your call list. An agent calling a homeowner to get a listing or a buyer is a sales call under the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule.
- Exceptions: people you've done business with in the last 18 months, people who asked you about a property or your services in the last 3 months, and people who gave you written permission to call. Any of them can still tell you to stop.
- Keep an internal do-not-call list. When anyone asks you to stop calling, add them that day and never call again.
- Calling hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the time zone of the person you're calling.
- Live dialing only. Autodialers, prerecorded messages and texts to cell phones have extra federal rules. Many states add their own rules and registries too. Ask your broker what your brokerage requires.
Script 1: Just listed
Hi, is this [first name]? It's [Your name] with [Brokerage]. I'm calling a few neighbors because I just listed the home at [address] at $[price]. Have you been inside that one? [If yes or no] We're having an open house [day] from [time] to [time] if you want to see it. And if you know anyone who's been wanting to live around here, I'd love to hear from them. One more quick one: are you thinking about a move yourself in the next year or so?
Script 2: Just sold
Hi [first name], it's [Your name] with [Brokerage]. The home at [address] just closed, and I'm letting neighbors know since it affects what homes on your street are worth. [Only if the seller agreed and your MLS allows: It sold for $(price) in (X) days.] Would it help if I sent you a one-page update on what's sold near you this year? It takes me two minutes. What's the best email?
Script 3: Open house invite
Hi, I'm [Your name] with [Brokerage]. I'm holding [address] open on [day] from [time] to [time], and I wanted to invite the neighbors first. Here's a flyer with the details. Neighbors usually like seeing what the home down the street looks like inside. Should I put you down for a quick note after the open house on how it went?
Script 4: Market update
Hi [first name], it's [Your name] with [Brokerage]. I work in [neighborhood name], and I'm calling owners with a quick update: [X] homes sold within a mile of you in the last 90 days, and the median was $[price]. [Use real MLS numbers only.] If you ever want to know what yours would sell for, I can send a free estimate with the comps behind it. Want me to?
Handling the 4 answers you'll hear
| They say | You say |
|---|---|
| "Not interested." | "No problem. Would you like me to take you off my call list?" Then do it if they say yes. |
| "How did you get my number?" | Tell the truth: "From [the data service your brokerage uses]. I can take you off my list right now if you'd like." |
| "We're not moving." | "Makes sense. Most people I call aren't. Do you want the short sold update by email once a quarter, or should I leave you be?" |
| "What's my house worth?" | "I'd want to look at the recent sales before I guess. Can I send you a short comparison by tomorrow?" Then use the CMA template. |
Keep it fair-housing safe
Talk about homes, prices and sales, never about who lives in the area or who's moving in. Don't suggest a neighborhood is changing or that now is the time to sell before it does. That's blockbusting, and it's illegal under the Fair Housing Act. Call or knock on every home in the circle you picked, not just some of them.
Track what it's worth
Log your dials, conversations and appointments for four weeks. Then plug the appointments that turn into closings into the lead cost calculator (count your time and your list service as the cost), and use the net income calculator to see what each closing adds to your year.
General information, not legal advice. Do Not Call and telemarketing rules have state versions that can be stricter. Check with your broker before you start a calling campaign.
Sources
- eCFR, 16 CFR Part 310, Telemarketing Sales Rule (calling hours, Do Not Call, established business relationship)
- FTC, Q&A for telemarketers and sellers about the Do Not Call provisions
- HUD, Fair Housing Act overview
Checked Oct 29, 2026.
FAQ
What is circle prospecting in real estate?
Contacting the homeowners around a new listing or recent sale, by phone or at the door, with news they'd want, like the listing, the sale price or an open house invitation.
Can real estate agents call numbers on the Do Not Call list?
Not for sales calls, unless an exception applies, such as a transaction with that person in the last 18 months, an inquiry from them in the last 3 months, or their written permission. Scrub your list against the registry at least every 31 days and keep your own do-not-call list.
What time can I make prospecting calls?
Under the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule, between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the time zone of the person you're calling. Some states set narrower hours.
How many homes should I call around a listing?
There's no set number. Pick a circle you can finish within a few days, such as the closest 50 to 100 homes, so the news is still fresh when you call.