How to Approach Deadlines When You Have No Offers (Scripts + Strategy)
You've set a tender, Auction or deadline sale date. It's getting close, fast, and you've got no interest on the property. You're about to go and see the owners, and you've got nothing to show them.
This is one of the most nerve wracking situations we face as salespeople, and it's even worse for the owners. I've watched plenty of good agents clam up in this exact spot over the years. They go quiet, get nervous, and start hoping a buyer will magically appear at the last minute, or that a colleague will walk one in through the door. If you're hoping for salvation from someone else, you'll probably be waiting a long time.
So here's a practical plan for managing these situations as well as they can be managed.
Embrace this market, don't hide from it
Right now, across New Zealand and beyond, we're in a market where getting to deadline day with no offers is a regular occurrence. The agents who adapt to it best are the ones who'll come out on top.
This is a market where good agents stand out. It's not an order taking exercise anymore. It takes persistence, tenacity and some creativity in your marketing. Don't shy away from that. Lean into it. Having a quiet deadline doesn't mean the property isn't sellable. It means it's time to go to work.
Agent Monday is a kiwi-owned business helping real estate professionals create predictable growth with proven systems, scripts, and ready-to-use marketing content.
It starts well before deadline day
If you want owners who are still on your side and still keen to work with you by the time deadline day rolls around, the groundwork happens weeks earlier. Communication is everything.
If a listing is proving tricky and the enquiry isn't where you'd like it, get in early and tell the owners what you're doing about it:
"Hey, look, we're not getting as many hits online as we'd like, and we're not getting the open home visits we want. So here's what I'm going to do about it. I'm going to change the advert headline, change the main photo, and add in another flyer drop this week."
It doesn't have to be all of those things at once. Try one every couple of days. The point is to front-foot the conversation and show the owners you're working the problem before they have to ask you about it.
Small changes like a new headline or photo aren't a silver bullet. But they send the right message: that you're thinking about their property and trying hard. Don't shy away from telling owners the enquiry isn't where you'd hoped. People want honesty, but they also want a plan. Don't ring them with just the bad news. Bring a suggestion with it.
Meet early, and ask this one question
During the first two to three weeks on the market, get at least one in-person meeting or Zoom call in with your vendor, well before deadline day (preferably two). Ask them directly:
"Mr and Mrs Vendor, is there anything you'd like us to do differently? Anything you'd like us to change?"
It might be a photo they're not keen on, the way the sign is positioned, or the open home time. Nothing is too small to raise. Get it on the table early. If you leave it until deadline day with no offers, any frustration the owners are holding onto comes out at the worst possible moment, and justifiably so.
The countdown to deadline day
About five days out, start giving owners a clear, honest picture:
"We've had 33 groups through so far. Six showed some interest, but only two came back for a second visit, and both are still iffy on whether they'll offer. I'm doing everything I can to turn that interest into offers, but at this stage I don't have anyone saying they're definitely going to make one."
That's the tone you're after. Real, informative, but not raising expectations you can't back up.
A day or two out, follow up again:
"I've followed up with those groups. They're still unsure, still looking at other properties. I'm doing everything I can to get them over the line, but neither has committed yet."
Whatever the actual numbers are, report them straight. Let the owners know exactly what's happening and what you're doing about it.
A couple of hours before the deadline, check in one more time:
"Those two groups I mentioned, I've called them again. It sounds like they're not offering. We've followed up everyone else who's come through. We've still got a couple of hours, so someone could come out of the blue. I'll be by my phone and ready for anything. But right now there's nothing in the box (or no one registered to bid). If that changes, I'll let you know straight away. And either way, I'll see you at two o'clock."
Meet with them regardless
In person or by video, it doesn't matter, but you meet. This is one of the most important meetings in the entire listing process, because it determines whether the owners will continue to believe in your ability to get the job done.
When you sit down with them, lead with reassurance, not apology:
"Mr and Mrs Vendor, we are going to get your home sold. It's probably not going to be today, but we are going to get it sold. I'm confident of that. You've got a good property. This is going to happen for you."
Think about it from the owner's side. The main emotion they're feeling is rejection, the sense that the market hasn't loved their home the way they do. That's a real form of sadness. The best thing you can do is reassure them the property is sellable, that you haven't found the right buyer yet, and then move as quickly as you can into the plan.
And you'd better actually have a plan, because owners will get frustrated fast without one.
Deadlines with no offers are just one of the tricky moments you'll hit selling real estate. Agent Monday gives you guides and scripts for whatever comes next, plus ready-to-send content for your database. Have a browse at agentmonday.co.nz. First week's free.
Come with a plan, not just sympathy
Before you sit down with no offers, know what you're going to suggest. Does the property need a presentation change? Is that something these owners can do? What would it cost? Is there a problem with the property you can help remove?
And naturally, there's price. An attractive price generates enquiry. It's just a matter of finding the number that gets the market moving. A script that works well here:
"Mr and Mrs Vendor, here's what I'd suggest. Let's give it 48 hours. We'll put the property up 'By Negotiation' and see if anyone who showed interest during the process wants to make an offer outside the deadline. I'll go back to everyone and let them know it hasn't sold through this process, but they're welcome to negotiate. If we don't get anything in that 48 to 72 hour window, I'd suggest we put a price on the property and take that to the market."
Setting the price without giving away too much room
A lot of owners will want to set a high price with plenty of negotiating room built in, expecting buyers to come in low and meet somewhere in the middle. Worth heading off early:
"There's a lot of temptation to set a higher price with room to move. But unless the price is genuinely attractive, we won't get people through the door, and if we don't have people here, we can't sell them the property. Our recommendation is to make the price as enticing as possible. If buyers come in low, you don't have to accept. I'd far rather you had five offers you turned down than no action at all."
Once the owners agree on a number, set the next review date at the same time, not later:
"We're putting this price on now. If we haven't seen a real lift in enquiry, second visits or open home numbers in two to three weeks, we'll sit down and review it."
That way the expectation is set upfront: this price has a defined window to work, and if it doesn't, it's up for review. That one sentence saves a lot of awkward conversations later.
If there's a buyer sitting on the fence
If you've had visitors who liked the place but never quite got to an offer, it's worth trying one direct question before you write them off:
"Where would the price need to be to interest you?"
Once you have an answer, follow up with:
"Thank you for sharing that. It's a cool property, right? I'd be very happy to present an offer at that level to the owner on your behalf. What kind of conditions would you need?"
Even a low offer is worth having. It gives you a reason to go back to other buyers, creates a sense that others are interested, and most importantly, keeps your owners engaged in the process while you keep working.
Build yourself a listing checklist
When a deadline passes with no offers, self-doubt creeps in fast. Did I do everything I could have? Wrong photo? Wrong price? Should I have done more? The way to manage that is to have a checklist of everything you do on every listing, from the day it's signed right through to sale, and tick it off consistently.
Use the same checklist whether a property gets ten offers or none. If you've worked through it properly and a sale still isn't achieved, that's market driven, not you driven. Knowing you've followed your own process is what lets you walk into a no-offer deadline meeting with your head up.
To access my personal listing checklist, click here.
Keep communicating, even with nothing to report
In a quiet market, it's worth checking in with owners even when there's genuinely nothing new to say. A simple text is enough:
"Hey, just wanted to check in. Nothing to report today, but I'll let you know the moment the situation changes."
You don't need news to justify staying in touch. Communication itself is the message.
A quiet deadline isn't a verdict on you or the property. It's a market signal, and it's one you can work with. This kind of market, the one where it takes real effort to get a house sold, is exactly where good agents separate themselves from the rest. Lean into it.
Are you looking for a one-on-one coach? Or a trainer for your team? Use this link to book a free discovery call:
Have an epic long weekend!
Andrew Duncan
Founder, Agent Monday
