{"id":185021,"date":"2025-10-02T13:31:55","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T19:31:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/?p=185021"},"modified":"2025-10-02T13:32:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T19:32:28","slug":"why-search-for-property-owners-first-heres-five-reasons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/why-search-for-property-owners-first-heres-five-reasons","title":{"rendered":"Why Search For Property Owners First? Here’s Five Reasons"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This article is presented by <\/span>PropStream<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you remember the time when we would get deliveries of stacks of phone books at our front door? No? Is that me just showing my age? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Things have changed slightly in the world of real estate investing. The internet has undergone significant changes, but it can still be almost impossible to find the correct owner without the right tools. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, investors, agents, and service providers can access ownership details, contact information, and marketing tools, all in one platform. We can utilize <\/span>PropStream<\/span><\/a><\/strong> to demonstrate how easy it is to identify the owner of virtually any property and initiate a conversation immediately. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This type of information is valuable, regardless of your real estate investing <\/span>approach<\/span>.<\/span> Looking at a distressed property? Trying to find the owner of a vacation rental so you can help manage it? Do you see a <\/span>commercial<\/span><\/a> building that presents a prime opportunity for you? PropStream it. Let\u2019s show you how.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Look Up Property Owners?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Real estate professionals <\/span>search for owner information<\/span><\/a> for many reasons.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Investors searching for off-market deals and motivated sellers<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Identifying property owners helps investors approach owners of distressed or vacant properties and propose a sale before the property hits the market. It also allows wholesalers to match properties with investors.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Landlords or property managers looking to offer management <\/span>services<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many owners, especially absentee landlords, become overwhelmed by maintenance or tenant issues and may be open to a management partnership. Vacant vacation homes and inherited properties are prime examples of properties that owners may need help managing or selling.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agents seeking new listings<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Real estate agents often prospect for upcoming listings by contacting owners who may be interested in selling soon. <\/span>Skip tracing<\/span><\/a> provides phone numbers and email addresses to initiate conversations.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Loan originators and service providers offering financing or repairs<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Loan officers use owner data to target borrowers who may be candidates for refinancing, and contractors seek out owners who need roof repair, energy upgrades, or landscaping.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commercial property data<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Investors, brokers, and service providers often struggle to identify the actual owners of commercial buildings because they <\/span>are usually hidden<\/span> behind LLC names; accurate owner data helps evaluate debt and equity and reach the right decision-makers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of your goal, success hinges on obtaining reliable ownership information and consistently following up. Studies show that only <\/span>2% of sales<\/span><\/a> occur on the first contact, while 80% of sales require at least five follow-up calls. Unfortunately, 44% of salespeople <\/span>give up after one follow-up call<\/span><\/a>, and roughly half never follow up after the initial call.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This gap means that persistent investors who are willing to make multiple contacts can win deals others miss. PropStream simplifies the process of locating owners and following up, saving time while increasing opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting Up PropStream for Success<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

PropStream is a data platform that aggregates public records, MLS data, mortgage information, and marketing tools. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before searching for owners, register for an account (PropStream offers a free trial). Once inside the dashboard, follow these steps:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Define your target market:<\/span><\/strong> Search by county, city, ZIP code, or draw a custom polygon. Narrow down to neighborhoods, multiple ZIP codes, or specific corridors.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Apply filters, such as:<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n