Most agents don’t lose listings to a better competitor. They lose them at the table, and they never know why.
Katie Chonos and Cristina Edelstein of Kerby and Cristina Real Estate Experts have sold over 368 listings using a structured, repeatable system. The result is not luck or personality. These top agents follow a three-phase framework that any serious agent can learn.
Here is how it works.
Before we get into the system, let’s name what’s actually going wrong for most agents at listing appointments.
The fix is structure. Here is the framework.
Skip connection and you feel pushy. Skip control and you don’t close.
Connection is not small talk. It is the foundation that makes everything else possible. Sellers hire agents they trust, not agents they think are the most qualified. Your job in the first phase is to earn that trust before your iPad ever opens.
Every strong listing appointment starts with an introductory call where you answer four critical questions about your seller:
If you walk in without these answers, you are guessing. Top producers never guess.
Before you say a single word, your sellers are already forming an opinion. These details matter more than agents realize:
Ask for the full tour and let them lead you. Find what matters to them by observing photos, personal projects, and pets. Laugh, relate, and connect before your presentation begins. This is where the real relationship starts.
Review their priorities back to them. Confirm what they said matters most. This step alone separates professional agents from average ones because it shows the seller you actually listened.
KEY INSIGHT “What matters most to you: speed or price?” If you don’t know their goal before your presentation starts, you cannot help them win. Understanding the answer changes everything about how you present your strategy.
Control does not mean domination. It means professional leadership. Your sellers want to be led by someone who has done this before. Uncertainty is contagious, and so is certainty.
Before your presentation begins, set the table:
“Let’s walk you through our marketing strategy, pricing strategy, and process and next steps. Does that sound good?”
That sentence does several things at once. It establishes your agenda. It signals that you have a plan. And it gets the first small yes before any real conversation begins.
Throughout the presentation, address their reactions in real time. Do not muscle through. Be a caring professional who adapts to the room.
This is where most agents stall out. They present beautifully and then wait. Top producers do not wait. They assume.
Assumptive language is not manipulation. It is a signal to your seller that you are experienced, that you are not auditioning, and that you fully expect this relationship to move forward. That framing removes hesitation before it forms.
The words you choose at the close matter significantly. Compare these:
“I hope we can work together…” |
“If we get to work together…” |
“I’d love to earn your business…” |
“When we list your home…” |
“When our stager comes through…” |
“As we prepare your home for market…” |
Every phrase on the right assumes the relationship already exists. That confidence is exactly what sellers need to feel before they sign.
Once your presentation is complete:
Even the best appointments hit resistance. Here is exactly how to handle it:
Seller says: “We want to think about it.”
Your response: “Totally fair. What specifically would you want to think through? Is it the pricing, the timing, or something else?”
Do not accept vague hesitation. Get specific. The real objection always lives underneath the surface, and your job is to find it. After you ask, pause. The silence is productive. Let it work for you.
Talent alone produces inconsistent results. It relies on good days and cannot be scaled or coached. A system plus talent produces repeatable results that work even under pressure, scale across every opportunity, and can be learned by every agent on your team.
Closing sellers at the table is a learnable skill. It is built on a three-phase system that creates trust, establishes leadership, and guides sellers to a confident yes without pressure or gimmicks.
Connect before you present. Control the agenda before your sellers do. Close with the assumption that you are already partners.
That is the system behind Cristina and Katie’s 368 listings sold. And it is what we teach every agent on our team.