The Triage Call: What to Say on Your First Call with a Seller

Most investors lose the deal on the first phone call, and they never find out why. They talk too much, they chase, they throw out a number too early, and the seller goes quiet.

This month I am teaching the Triage Call, which is the 5-question script my team and I use on the first call with every seller who reaches out. It works the same way a triage nurse works in an emergency room. The job of the call is to figure out, in about 20 minutes, who needs help right now, who can wait, and who is not a fit at all.

What we will cover

- Why the first call is for sorting sellers and not for buying the house, and why trying to close in 1 call usually backfires.

- The 5 questions in order: the property, the repairs, the timeframe, the mortgage, and the number the seller hopes to walk away with.

- How to tell whether a seller is motivated, using the 5 situations I look for (pre-foreclosure, inheritance, divorce, a tired landlord, or a health and safety issue) and the condition of the house in the seller's own eyes.

- How to lead the conversation with questions instead of talking more.

- Why I ask what the seller wants to walk away with instead of making an offer, and how that one question opens the door to buying on terms.

- The 3 possible results of every call, and what to do next with each one.

Who it is for

Every experience level is welcome. If you have never talked to a seller, you will leave with a script you can read word for word. If you talk to sellers every week, you will leave with a structure you can hand to someone on your team.

The details

Tuesday, October 27, 2026. Doors open at 5:30 PM and we start at 6:00 PM.

Tin Whiskey Southern Kitchen & Still, 3 Forrest Avenue, Cocoa, FL 32922.

It is $10 when you RSVP here and $20 at the door. One ticket covers 2 people, so bring a partner or a friend.

RSVP and your first drink is on me!

Please plan to order dinner or a drink while you are here, and take good care of your server.

About your host

I am Keith Gillispie. I am a Marine Corps veteran and a full-time real estate investor here on the Space Coast. I have done deals in 34 states, raised over $10M in private capital, and coached 1,200+ investors. Before I moved to Florida, I ran the largest REIA on Oahu. We meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month, and we pick back up in January.