"I Already Have an Agent": The Second-Opinion Script

"I already have an agent" is one of the most common things a homeowner says on a prospecting call, and one of the least examined. Most agents hear it as a closed door, apologize and hang up. Some push past it and end up somewhere they shouldn't be.

The phrase covers several very different situations. Sometimes the owner has a signed listing agreement with another brokerage. More often, they have a cousin with a license, a friend in the business, or the agent whose listing just expired and who keeps texting about a relist. Each one calls for a different response, and one of them calls for no pitch at all.

This guide covers how to tell them apart, the second-opinion script for the cases where it fits, and where the ethical line sits.

Not legal advice. Check your state rules and your broker.

First, find out what "an agent" means

Before you say anything clever, ask one plain question:

"Totally respect that. Are you signed with them right now, or is it someone you're planning to use when you're ready?"

The answer sorts the call into one of three buckets.

They're under a current exclusive listing. Stop selling. Article 16 of the NAR Code of Ethics says REALTORS shall not take any action "inconsistent with exclusive representation or exclusive brokerage relationship agreements that other REALTORS have with clients," and Standard of Practice 16-4 says you "shall not solicit a listing which is currently listed exclusively with another broker" (NAR Code of Ethics). Thank them, wish them luck with the sale, and end the call. If your data shows the home as expired but the owner says they've already relisted, believe the owner and update your records. If a signed owner starts asking you about switching, keep it to a future agreement that begins after theirs ends, and talk to your broker before you go further.

They have someone in mind but nothing is signed. This is the most common case on expired, withdrawn and cancelled calls. A friend, a relative, or the previous agent has asked for another shot. There's no exclusive relationship to interfere with, and the owner is still choosing. The second-opinion script was built for this.

They're being polite. "I already have an agent" is sometimes a reflex that means "please get off my phone." You'll know because the details get vague when you ask who. Treat it like any other brush-off: keep it short, offer something useful, and leave the door open.

The second-opinion script

When the owner has someone in mind but hasn't signed, don't compete with that person. You're asking for a smaller thing: a second look.

"I understand, and I'm not calling to step on anyone's toes. A lot of owners like to get a second opinion before they commit, especially after the house didn't sell the first time. There's no obligation. Worst case, you get another professional's view on what the home is worth and why it didn't sell. Would you be open to that?"

Three things make this work.

It agrees before it asks. Pushing back on "I already have an agent" makes the owner defend their choice, and once they're defending it, they dig in. Agreeing first lowers the temperature and lets them keep listening.

It asks for a low-commitment yes. "Are you open to a second opinion?" is a much easier question to answer than "Can I come list your house?" Owners say yes to the small ask more readily, and it still gets you to the kitchen table.

It never criticizes the other agent. You don't know what happened on that listing, and the owner may like the person. Talking down about them makes you look worse, and the owner will repeat it.

If they hesitate, make it about their family

Some owners feel they owe the other agent. Gratitude is a good instinct, and it shouldn't decide a six-figure sale. You can say that gently:

"I totally respect that you want to be loyal. Can I ask you one thing? If it made more financial sense for you and your family, would you at least sit down with me for 15 minutes so you can compare?"

The question doesn't ask them to drop anyone. It asks whether they'd look at a better outcome if one existed, and most people will say yes to that.

Book a specific time

A second opinion with no date on it is a polite way of saying no. Close for a time:

"I'll keep it to 15 minutes, and I won't bring a contract. I'm in your area Thursday. Does 4:00 or 5:30 work better?"

Offering two specific times works better than "when works for you?" because it makes the yes concrete. Leaving the contract out also helps: it tells the owner you're there to give an opinion, which is what you asked for.

What to bring to a second-opinion meeting

A second opinion is only worth something if it's actually different. Show up with the work the first agent may not have done.

• A fresh CMA with recent comps that truly match the house and the reasoning written down. A CMA the seller can trust is the core of a second opinion, and a shareable link lets them look at it again after you leave.
• A read on why it didn't sell, from price history, days on market, photo quality and showing feedback. On an expired listing, this is usually the part the owner most wants to hear and the part nobody explained.
• A net sheet showing what they'd walk away with at a realistic price. The seller net sheet moves the conversation from "who's the agent" to "what happens to my money."
• A plan for the first week back on the market: photos, prep, pricing position and showings. If you can describe the relaunch in plain terms, the owner can compare it against what they had last time.

Don't run down the previous marketing even when it was weak. Describe what you'd do and let the owner draw the comparison.

The ethics line, in plain terms

The Code of Ethics draws a clear distinction you can use on every call.

• If the home is currently under an exclusive listing, don't solicit it. SoP 16-4 does let you ask the owner the expiration date and type of listing if the listing broker refuses to tell you, and discuss a future listing that takes effect after the current one expires. That's a narrow exception, so keep the call to those questions.
• If the owner contacts you first, SoP 16-6 says that when another REALTOR's client reaches out and you didn't start it, you may discuss terms for a future agreement, or one that starts when the current agreement expires.
• If the listing expired, was withdrawn or was cancelled and nothing is signed, the owner is free to choose, and a second-opinion call is ordinary prospecting. Your state rules and your brokerage policy still apply, and so do do-not-call rules. See cold calling and DNC rules before you dial.

Withdrawn listings deserve extra care. A withdrawn listing can still be under contract with the original brokerage, just off the market for now. Ask the question from the first section every time. The cancelled and withdrawn listings guide covers how they differ from expireds.

When the answer is still no

Some owners will stick with their person. That's fine. End well and stay useful:

"Makes sense, and I hope it goes smoothly. Would it be all right if I sent you a quick update when homes near you sell, so you have the numbers either way?"

If nothing is signed yet, a short market update every month or so is help the owner can use, and it keeps your name in front of them. If they've relisted with someone, don't send updates aimed at their listing. Log the call, note who they're using and the listing's end date, and set a reminder to call after it ends.

Practice before you need it

The second-opinion script reads simply but is hard to say well when an owner is already irritated. The pause after "I already have an agent" is where most agents lose the call, because they either apologize or argue.

AVEX roleplay lets you run that moment against a simulated homeowner and get a scored review. The scorer grades eight dimensions, including objection handling, tone and confidence, and whether you pushed for an appointment. It flags specific mistakes, such as disparaging the previous agent or giving up before making at least one appointment ask. Run it a few times before your next power hour, and the line will come out naturally when the real call happens. More on structured practice in roleplay for objections.