I was trying to find the owner of a vacant property for two years. Then one day I see a Realtors sign on the lawn. How do they do it. Please reply if you can . Thank you. Chris Shaw
That agent may have used tools like the tax records, skip tracing and databases like PropStream, PropWire and the MLS to track down the owner. Sometimes the owner also reaches out to an agent directly or responds to marketing. Consistent follow up usually wins.
That agent may have used tools like the tax records, skip tracing and databases like PropStream, PropWire and the MLS to track down the owner. Sometimes the owner also reaches out to an agent directly or responds to marketing. Consistent follow up usually wins.
@Christopher Shaw - I agree with Janice. Likely a data source she mentioned and then just trying various contact information with phone numbers and emails. Even with skip tracing to get contact information I think about 20-30% of the time the information is correct, so it's definitely a numbers game with trial and error. Good Luck!
Great question! You asked how to find the owner of a vacant property so you can talk to them about buying it.
The first way is to look up the property on the local tax assessor's site online and see where the tax bill is sent. Many times this is the owner.
Sometimes the property is owned by an LLC and the tax assessor should give the address of the LLC or the registered agent for the LLC.
You can also look up the LLC on the corporation's site for your State and see if it gives you more information on how to contact the owner of the LLC.
Finally, you can try to get the phone numbers associated with the owners of the property and call them if they are not on the national Do Not Call List.
Not too different in most cases. Realtors may have access to tools the general public doesn't use as often, like the MLS and paid databases such as PropStream, but the core process is still pretty straightforward.
It usually comes down to identifying absentee or vacant owners through public records or data platforms, then consistently reaching out. The real difference is not just access; it’s volume and consistency. Agents are constantly running searches, pulling lists, and contacting owners at scale.
On top of that, they’re focused on communication and positioning. It’s about clearly conveying value to the owner and helping them see why working with them could be beneficial whether that’s selling a vacant property, avoiding carrying costs, or dealing with a problem asset.
So while the tools help, the real edge is persistence, organization, and the ability to effectively communicate a solution to the property owner.