KW Default Solutions
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When a homeowner is behind, there are real decisions to make. A good follow-up plan respects their pace and still keeps real deadlines in view.
We're KW Default Solutions (KWDS). We help Keller Williams agents get and handle default work, like short sales and bank-owned homes. We also train agents to do it.
What you'll be able to do: agree on a follow-up the homeowner actually wants, and write a note anyone on your team can use.
What "I need some time" can mean
When a homeowner says, "I need some time," it can mean a few things. They may need to talk with family, get advice, understand the numbers or end the conversation for now.
Don't treat every pause as an objection to overcome. Your next step is to find out whether they want another conversation and what would make it useful.
01Step 1: Ask what's still unresolved
Script: "What would you want to understand before deciding whether to sell"
The answer tells you more than a follow-up date on your calendar. Match your next step to it:
- If they want to keep the house: the useful next contact may be the servicer (the company that handles their loan payments) or a HUD-approved housing counselor. HUD is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- If they're unsure what they'd walk away with: explain what information you'd need to put together a closing estimate.
- If they have legal questions: point them to an attorney.
Don't ask for a personal hardship story just to keep the conversation going. Only gather what you need for the next step you agreed on, and handle it through your brokerage's approved process.
02Step 2: Agree on the next contact together
Ask whether they want you to follow up, how they'd like to be reached and when.
Script: "Would you like me to check back after you've spoken with your counselor, or would you rather reach out to me"
If they want you to check back, confirm when and how. If they don't want more contact, respect that and note it in your brokerage's system.
Follow current law, your brokerage's policy and any contact restrictions. These rules vary by state, and a polite script doesn't replace them.
Agreeing to talk about the house doesn't mean the homeowner agreed to your newsletter or automated texts. It also doesn't mean you can share their details with another business.
03Step 3: Keep real deadlines in view
Giving someone time doesn't mean ignoring a notice they've told you about. If the homeowner mentions a sale date or legal papers, calmly encourage them to get qualified help soon.
Don't make up your own countdown. And don't promise that waiting, listing or applying for help will pause the foreclosure process.
Script: "I respect that you need time. Because you mentioned a date on the notice, please have an attorney look at it soon. I can't tell you what that deadline means for your rights."
Share the right resource, and don't use the situation to push for a listing agreement.
04Step 4: Write a note anyone on your team can use
This example is fictional. The homeowner wants to talk with a housing counselor before discussing a sale. They ask for one phone call next Tuesday afternoon and don't want text messages.
A useful note for that file covers the five fields in the At a glance table below.
Skip labels like "hot lead, needs convincing." Update the note if the date or preference changes. Leave out personal details that don't help the work.
If no follow-up was agreed, write that down too. Silence isn't a reason to add more channels or have several people on your team call the same person.
At a glance
Follow-up note (fictional)
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05Step 5: Make the next conversation useful
Bring whatever you said you'd provide. Start the next contact by asking whether their goal has changed. Every homeowner's path can look different, so let their goal lead.
Script before you hang up: "Would another call from me be helpful, and if so, what should we cover"
Their answer gives you a follow-up plan built for this homeowner instead of a generic sequence.
Quick self-check
After your next conversation, look at your note. Does it show the homeowner's goal, the agreed next step, when, how and who's responsible? If something's missing, ask about it at the next contact you both agreed to.
Next step
If you're working with a homeowner who's behind and you're not sure how to follow up, reach out. We're happy to help. Contact the KWDS team