At our recent Carrot Summit, we tried something we’ve never done before: live coaching on real seller calls.
Two rookie investors brought their recorded calls, and Steve Trang — one of the most respected sales trainers in real estate — broke them down, play-by-play.
- Call #1: Nick of We Buy 502 (Louisville, KY) — SEO lead from his Carrot site, divorce situation, multiple offers in play.
- Call #2: Sergio of Michigan Houses for Cash (Detroit, MI) — Facebook ad lead, owner-occupied, full remodel, “thinking about moving up north.”
We played each call, paused at the coachable moments, and let Steve dish out his decades of sales experience. No fluff, just practical feedback on what to say and the psychology behind it.
Below are 15 field-tested takeaways — each with a real quote from the call (what not to say) and Steve’s coaching.
Want to see the entire session? Watch the full YouTube Video below:
1) Open Like They Expected Your Call — Not Like a Telemarketer
Timestamp: ~3:40–4:33
Investor said: “Hi, is this Lindsay?”
Steve’s coaching:
“That telegraphs you don’t know them and triggers sales resistance. Call like they asked you to: ‘Hey Lindsay, this is Steve — you just filled out the web form.’”
Why it works: They did request contact. An assumptive, confident open positions you as the solution, not a cold caller.
Say this instead: “Hey Lindsay, this is Nick with WeBuy502 — you just filled out our form about Marian Dr. Got a minute?”
2) Set Expectations Early, Before You Talk Price
Timestamp: ~5:32–6:35
Investor said: Jumped straight into property details without a frame.
Steve’s coaching:
“Set the frame as early as possible. Get agreement that the call ends in a yes or no. If you wait until after price, it feels harsh.”
Why it works: Pre-suasion. You lower guardrails and keep control of the call path.
Say this instead: “Here’s the plan: I’ll ask a few questions, we’ll see if we’re a fit, and by the end it’ll be a yes or a no — fair?”
3) Ask One Question, Then Listen in Silence
Timestamp: ~7:41–8:12
Investor said: “What about the HVAC? Is it blowing cold air right now?”
Steve’s coaching:
“You asked two questions. Ask one open question and embrace the silence. That’s where the information comes out.”
Why it works: Stacked questions invite short answers. One open question + pause invites detail (and motivation).
Say this instead: “Tell me about the HVAC.” (then stop talking)
4) Don’t Explain How You Work Early On — Sellers Care About Outcomes
Timestamp: ~11:43–13:44
Investor said: “We can typically buy in a couple weeks… here’s how we…”
Steve’s coaching:
“No one cares about the how if the outcome is ‘I get money when I need it.’ Over-explaining inserts objections.”
Why it works: The logical brain justifies; the emotional brain decides. Keep them in the outcome.
Say this instead: “If we agree on numbers, we can have you funded on your timeline.”
5) Use Open-Ended Money Questions — Not Yes/No
Timestamp: ~14:11–15:30
Investor said: “Do you have a mortgage on the property?”
Steve’s coaching:
“Yes/no questions keep their guard up and invite half-truths. Ask, ‘How much do you still owe on the mortgage?’”
Why it works: Open questions get specifics you’ll use to structure terms and reframe later.
Say this instead: “I’m curious — how much do you still owe on the mortgage?”
6) Ditch Jargon (Equity, Escrow, Due Diligence)
Timestamp: ~15:56–17:21
Investor said: “You’ve got a little bit of equity…”
Steve’s coaching:
“Every confusing word raises their guard. Talk like you’re explaining it to a third-grader.”
Why it works: Clarity = safety. Safety = decisions.
Say this instead: “After the mortgage gets paid off, you two would split the leftover cash.”
7) Sell With Third-Party Stories — And Offer Cash In Your Hands, Not a “Cash Offer”
Timestamp: ~17:28–19:55
Investor said: “We can make a cash offer… we also do delayed possession.”
Steve’s coaching:
“Say ‘we can put cash in your hands’ (visual), and pitch features as a story: ‘Some owners we’ve helped stayed 2–3 weeks after closing — would that help you?’”
Why it works: Features feel generic. Stories let sellers see themselves in the solution.
Say this instead: “In similar situations, we’ve put cash in the seller’s hands first, then let them stay a couple weeks to find the next place. Would that make life easier for you?”
8) Negotiate “Walk-Away Cash”, Not House Values
Timestamp: Worth vs. walk-away ~20:37–22:10; offer framing ~27:06–29:26
Investor said:
- “What do you think the house is worth?”
- “In an ideal world, I’d be around 116…” (followed by justification)
Steve’s coaching:
“If you price against ‘what it’s worth,’ you’re now fighting Zillow/Realtor opinions. Ask what they need to walk away with. And don’t plant your flag. Float it: ‘What if I could do 116 — what would happen next?’”
Why it works: You reframe around their outcome (survival, fresh start) and keep room to trade terms.
Say this instead:
- “When you two split the proceeds, how much do you need in hand to move on comfortably?”
- “What if I could get you roughly 116 — what would the next step look like?”
Call #2 Takeaways
9) Skip the Filler “How Are You Doing?”
Timestamp: ~36:10–36:58
Investor said: “Hi, how are you?”
Steve’s coaching:
“Unless you genuinely care, ‘How are you?’ is just filler. Sellers hear it every time from salespeople. It comes across as disingenuous.”
Why it works: Predictable scripts = sales resistance. Authentic or nothing.
Say this instead: “Hey Sylvia, I probably caught you at a bad time — is now still okay to talk?”
10) Assume It’s a Bad Time — Don’t Ask for Permission to Talk
Timestamp: ~38:03–39:18
Investor said: “Is this a good time to talk?”
Steve’s coaching:
“Flip it. Assume it’s a bad time: ‘I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time.’ The natural reaction is ‘No, this is fine.’ Now you have permission to continue.”
Why it works: Negative assumptions lead to positive, clarifying responses. You control the frame.
Say this instead: “I probably caught you at a bad time, didn’t I?”
11) Capture & Reuse Seller’s Trust Cues
Timestamp: ~40:00–41:25
Investor said: “You guys had a good rating on Google.”
Steve’s coaching:
“Write that down. Bring it back later when they hesitate: ‘You told me you trusted us because of our ratings — does that still feel true?’”
Why it works: Sellers give you ammo — don’t let it slip. Trust cues are anchors you can loop back to.
Say this instead (later in call): “Earlier you mentioned you picked us because of our Google rating — is that still important to you?”
12) Dig Into the Real “Why” — Not Surface-Level Answers
Timestamp: ~44:00–45:55
Investor said: “I’ve been in this house 17 years. I just kind of want something new.”
Steve’s coaching:
“That’s surface. Dig deeper: ‘How long have you been thinking about moving? What stopped you before? Why now?’ Without the deeper ‘why,’ you’ll only negotiate on price.”
Why it works: Price-only negotiations crush margins. Motivation gives you leverage.
Say this instead: “You’ve wanted to move for a while — what’s really driving it now?”
13) Avoid Inserting New Objections Yourself
Timestamp: ~1:01:06–1:04:07
Investor said: “Sometimes we let another investor buy the house… would that be an issue?”
Steve’s coaching:
“Don’t raise wholesaler concerns yourself. Instead, ask: ‘When you hear wholesaler, what worries you most?’ Then solve that exact concern.”
Why it works: Explaining “we’re different” doesn’t land. Asking first lets you hit the right target.
Say this instead: “You’re more informed than most sellers — when you hear wholesaler, what concerns you most?”
14) Customize Timing Instead of Defaulting to 30 Days
Timestamp: ~1:05:02–1:06:02
Investor said: “Closings typically happen in 21–24 days, but I write 30 just in case.”
Steve’s coaching:
“Bounce it back: ‘When do you want the money by?’ Then set your contract to their date. Don’t guess — ask.”
Why it works: Timing is part of your leverage. Hit their exact target and you become the obvious choice.
Say this instead: “When would you like to have funds in hand? If I can guarantee that date, would that work?”
15) Shorten the Gap Between Emotion and Close
Timestamp: ~57:00–59:09
Investor said: “I’ll call you back in 30 minutes with an offer.”
Steve’s coaching:
“If they’re emotional now, negotiate now. Every hour you delay, motivation fades. If you must split it into two calls, lock in commitment: ‘If I call back at 2:30, are you 100% good to answer?’”
Why it works: Emotions drive decisions. Contracts should follow emotion, not logic.
Say this instead: “If I can make the numbers work, are you comfortable moving forward on this call?”
Steal-This Mini Script from Steve:
“Hey Lindsay, this is [Name] with — you just filled out our form about . Here’s the plan: I’ll ask a few questions, we’ll see if we’re a fit, and by the end it’ll be a yes or a no — fair?
Tell me about your timeline — what’s driving it? … (silence)
Got it. When you two split the proceeds, how much do you need in hand to move on comfortably?
Some owners we’ve helped stayed a couple weeks after closing while cash was already in their hands — would that help you?
If I could get you roughly [$ Price] and guarantee funds by [date], what would the next step look like?”
That’s a wrap! I hope you found that useful.
If you like Steve’s style, check out his training at https://objectionproofselling.com/.
If you have questions about Carrot, or want to know how we can help you generate more leads and close more deals, just reach out to us! We’d love to help.
See you at the next Carrot Summit!