Somewhere in your database are buyers who hit pause this spring. The market they walked away from isn't the one they'd walk back into, and most of them haven't heard. This week, you're the one who tells them.
A lot of buyers hit pause this year for the same reason: competition, prices, or a headline that scared them off. But the market has shifted under their feet. In September, 20.8% of active listings nationally had a price reduction, the highest September share since 2018, and inventory was up 5.4% from a year earlier, according to Realtor.com.
More homes and more motivated sellers is exactly the news a paused buyer hasn't heard yet. Most of them won't go looking for it. They need someone to call.
Source: Realtor.com September 2026 Monthly Housing Trends Report. Local markets vary, so check your own MLS before you dial.
You don't need a new lead source. Go back through what you already have: your CRM, showing history, open house sign-ins, old text threads and anyone who asked "keep me posted" since January. Write down every buyer who went quiet. Then sort them into three groups:
Toured homes or wrote an offer, then stepped back. Call these first.
Got pre-approved or browsed seriously but never toured.
Early conversations only. A text may be the right first touch.
Your 10 calls this week come from the top of the Hot list, then Warm.
This isn't a sales call. It's a check-in with a reason. Lead with them, share one real observation about the market, and make the next step small.
"Hi Jordan, it's Sam. You were looking in the Maple Ridge area this spring and I've been thinking about you. Things have changed a bit since then. More sellers are negotiating and I'm seeing more price adjustments than I was in April. Is buying still on your radar, or has life taken you somewhere else?"
"Hi Jordan! Sam here. Thought of you this week. Sellers in Maple Ridge are a lot more flexible than they were in the spring. Still thinking about buying? Happy to send you a few homes that fit."
Skip the predictions. Don't promise prices will drop or that "now is the time." Share what you're seeing, then listen.
If a buyer is interested, the next step is usually a fresh conversation with a loan officer. A lot can change in six months, including their income, debts and the programs available to them. A refreshed pre-approval means they can move quickly if the right home shows up.
Offer a warm handoff: "Would it help if I connected you with my loan officer to see where you stand today? No pressure either way."
Stick to people you have an existing relationship with, and follow do-not-call and texting consent rules for anyone else.
Most agents chase new leads while their warmest ones go cold. A paused buyer already knows you, already trusts you, and already wanted a home. A personal call with a genuine reason is one of the most effective touches in real estate, and it costs you nothing but an afternoon.
Ten calls to buyers who already know you, with one honest reason to reconnect: the market moved.