{"id":"ind-re-expired-listing-letter","audience":"real-estate","category":"writing-emails","technique":"tone","title":"Write an expired-listing letter that doesn't trash the last agent","free":false,"task":"You're writing to a homeowner whose listing just expired without selling. Keep it under 100 words, plain text: open with one specific fact from the listing history, make one concrete offer (a free pricing review), and never criticize the previous agent or their photos. No \"I'm sorry your home didn't sell\" opener and no pressure language. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.","materialLabel":"The listing history and your notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"MLS HISTORY - 27 Sable Ridge Dr, Westmoor (fictional)\nOwner: Charles Nakamura\nListed: June 2 at $625,000 with another brokerage\nPrice changes: July 15 to $609,000; Aug 30 to $595,000\nStatus: EXPIRED Nov 2 (153 days on market)\nShowings: 19 (per the public listing history)\nListing photos: 14, mostly taken at night (dark interiors)\n\nMY NOTES (Wendell Osei, Crestline Realty, fictional)\n- What I can offer: a free 30-minute pricing review using this month's sold comps, at his home or by phone.\n- Our team sold 3 homes on Sable Ridge this year (true, public).\n- Charles posted on a neighborhood forum that he's \"still planning to move in spring.\"\n- My direct line: 555-0129\n- Our holiday client party is Dec 12.","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":100},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for \"under 100 words\" and it often lands well over.","fix":"Cap each part instead: \"5 sentences, each under 18 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Opening with sympathy","why":"The AI's default is \"I'm sorry to see your home didn't sell,\" which every letter in his mailbox says.","fix":"Add: \"Open with one specific fact from the listing history.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Making a vague offer","why":"\"Let's chat about your options\" gives him nothing to say yes to.","fix":"Add: \"Offer a free 30-minute pricing review and give my number.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Trashing the competition","why":"The AI points out the dark photos or overpricing to look smart.","fix":"Add: \"Don't criticize the previous agent or guess why it didn't sell.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Ignoring where it will be pasted","why":"AI loves bold and headings, which show up as stray ** and # symbols in the letter.","fix":"Name the place and the format: \"For the letter. Plain text, no bold or headings.\"","checks":["plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Opens with a fact","patterns":["first sentence","open with","specific fact","153","days on market"]},{"label":"Makes one concrete offer","patterns":["pricing review","free","one offer"]},{"label":"Rules out criticism","patterns":["criticiz","previous agent","photos","don'?t (blame|trash)"]},{"label":"Bans pressure","patterns":["pressure","act now","no (urgency|pushy)"]},{"label":"Sets a word limit","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","word (limit|count)"]}],"hint":"Expired-listing owners get a pile of identical letters. Tell the AI to open with a fact, make one specific offer, and stay gracious about the last agent.","rubricLabels":["The first sentence states a specific fact from the listing history (153 days on market, two price changes, or the Nov 2 expiration), not an apology or a greeting line about being sorry","Makes one concrete offer, the free 30-minute pricing review using this month's sold comps, and gives the number 555-0129","Never criticizes or hints at faults in the previous agent's work (no comments on photos, pricing strategy, or marketing), doesn't guess why it didn't sell, and uses no pressure language ('act now', 'before it's too late')"]}