Before you dial
- Have the three numbers in front of you: list price, down payment, balloon.
- You are calling the agent, not the seller. Never go around them. Their commission is the reason this works.
- Talk slower than feels natural. The structure is unfamiliar. Speed reads as a pitch.
- Do not use the word "creative." Say "seller financing" or just describe the terms.
Opening
YouHi [AGENT], this is [YOUR NAME]. You replied to my note about [ADDRESS]. Is now still a decent time?
YouQuick context so I do not waste your afternoon: we buy rentals, we pay full asking price, and we do it on terms instead of through a bank. Has your seller looked at anything structured like that before?
That last question does the work. Their answer tells you whether you are explaining the concept from scratch or just confirming details.
The offer, said out loud
YouHere is the shape of it. We pay the full [LIST PRICE]. At closing your seller gets [DOWN PAYMENT] in cash, and your commission comes out of that same down payment, so you are paid in full at the table like any other deal. We cover closing costs. The remaining [BALLOON] is paid in one balloon payment six years out.
YouAnd from the day we close, your seller has no responsibilities on the property. No tenants, no repairs, no taxes, no calls.
The four questions you will actually get
"So my seller does not get all their money at closing?"
YouCorrect. They get [DOWN PAYMENT] at closing and the balance in six years. What they are trading that wait for is full asking price and walking away from the property entirely. If your seller needs every dollar on day one, we are not the right buyer, and I would rather know that now than waste your time.
Say the last sentence. Giving them a clean way to disqualify you is what makes the rest credible.
"How do I know you will actually pay the balloon?"
YouFair question. It is secured by the property. If we ever failed to pay, your seller takes it back and keeps everything paid to that point. We also close through a licensed title company, so nothing about this is a handshake.
"Is your buyer qualified?"
YouThere is no lender to qualify with, which is the point. The down payment is our own funds and title will verify them before closing. That is usually a faster path to a closing table than a mortgage approval.
"What is your commission situation?"
YouYou keep the whole thing. We are not bringing a buyer's agent, so there is no split, and it is paid at closing out of the down payment.
Closing the call
You are not asking for a decision. You are asking for the offer to be presented.
YouAll I am asking is that you take it to your seller alongside whatever else is on the table. If it is not for them, no hard feelings. If it is, I can have paperwork over the same day.
YouWhen do you expect to speak with them next?
End on that question, not on "let me know." A date gives you a reason to follow up that is theirs rather than yours.
Three things that lose the call
- Talking past the agreement. When they say yes, stop selling and set the next step.
- Explaining the whole structure unprompted. Answer what they asked and nothing more. Volunteered detail reads as nervousness.
- Pretending it fits every seller. It does not. Saying so is what separates you from the other calls they get.
After the call
Send a two-line email the same day with the three numbers and nothing else, in the same thread as your LOI. The agent will forward that email to the seller. Write it so it can be forwarded without editing.