Skip Tracing Challenges — LLCs, Probate, and Hard-to-Find Owners

Huntsville, Alabama
Wholesaling
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Skip Tracing Challenges — LLCs, Probate, and Hard-to-Find Owners

Cameron Woodward
New to Real Estate · Huntsville AL · Member since 2023 · 19 posts · 25 votes

Just wanted to share a little progress and get some insight from those with more experience.

I've been learning about wholesaling and creative finance through the SubTo community and recently started putting more of what I've learned into action.

I've been researching properties around Huntsville and North Alabama and have narrowed my list down to 143 properties. I've also been working through skip tracing and verifying ownership information.

One thing I've realized is how much digging actually goes into this 😂. I've come across properties owned by LLCs, churches, and estates going through probate, along with owners who only have landlines. Some properties have required additional research just to figure out who actually owns them.

I also own a moving company, so I've had opportunities to meet people involved in real estate, but I'm still learning the investing side of things.

Still working toward my first wholesale deal, but it's been interesting seeing how much research goes into finding and evaluating potential opportunities.

For those who have experience wholesaling, how do you approach researching properties with complicated ownership situations? Do you spend time digging into those leads or prioritize properties with straightforward ownership information?

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Dan Worth
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County · Member since 2026 · 67 posts · 24 votes
1w

@Cameron Woodward I'd split the 143 into two piles: individual owners you can skip trace normally, and the complicated ones. For LLCs, the Secretary of State business search usually lists the registered agent and organizer, which is often enough to reach the person who decides, and for churches a call to the office works fine. Probate filings are public at the county probate court, and the petition names the personal representative, who is the one who can actually sign. Those messy-ownership leads take more digging, but they're also the ones most wholesalers skip, so I'd work a small batch of them each week instead of choosing all or nothing.

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  • James BennettPro Member
    Investor · Western North Carolina · Member since 2025 · 12 posts · 8 votes
    1w

    I use BatchData to help sort all of that out. Comes with a small price, but very helpful. Happy to jump on a quick call to discuss if it would be helpful. Best to you!

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    • Cameron Woodward
      OP
      New to Real Estate · Huntsville AL · Member since 2023 · 19 posts · 25 votes
      8h

      I could definitely use the advice, @James Bennett! I'll shoot you a message so we can set up a time to talk. I'll also look into BatchData. I've never heard of it before, so I appreciate you putting me on to it!

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  • Dan Worth
    Pittsburgh, Allegheny County · Member since 2026 · 67 posts · 24 votes
    1w

    @Cameron Woodward I'd split the 143 into two piles: individual owners you can skip trace normally, and the complicated ones. For LLCs, the Secretary of State business search usually lists the registered agent and organizer, which is often enough to reach the person who decides, and for churches a call to the office works fine. Probate filings are public at the county probate court, and the petition names the personal representative, who is the one who can actually sign. Those messy-ownership leads take more digging, but they're also the ones most wholesalers skip, so I'd work a small batch of them each week instead of choosing all or nothing.

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    • Cameron Woodward
      OP
      New to Real Estate · Huntsville AL · Member since 2023 · 19 posts · 25 votes
      8h

      Thank you for the information, @Dan Worth@Dan Worth! So would you recommend leaving probate leads alone for now if they're that difficult to work with? And I definitely agree I could do a better job of separating my list into different categories to keep everything more organized.

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  • Mark Andales
    Technology · Member since 2026 · 43 posts · 6 votes
    1w

    Hey Cameron! Yeah, complicated ownership situations can turn what looks like a manageable list into quite a bit of research.

    One thing I'd pay attention to is the difference between finding someone to contact and confirming whether that person actually has the authority to sell the property.

    For example, an LLC's registered agent might be a useful starting point, but that doesn't automatically mean they're authorized to sell the property. And with probate cases, even if you've identified the personal representative, there could still be additional requirements before the real estate can be sold.

    I'd probably keep those two things separate when reviewing your leads: whether you've identified a potential contact and whether the selling authority still needs to be verified.

    That way, you can keep researching the more complicated properties without assuming that finding the right phone number means the ownership side is completely sorted out.

    Especially with 143 properties on your list, I think that distinction could save you quite a bit of time as you get closer to an actual transaction.

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    • Cameron Woodward
      OP
      New to Real Estate · Huntsville AL · Member since 2023 · 19 posts · 25 votes
      8h

      Thank you for the advice @Mark Andales ! One more question. Some of the leads I've skip traced have a DNC (Do Not Call) flag on their numbers. Should I avoid calling those leads and try a different approach, like sending letters or door knocking? I'm curious how others handle situations like this.

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    • Mark Andales
      Technology · Member since 2026 · 43 posts · 6 votes
      6h

      Hey Cameron, good question! Personally, if a number comes back flagged as DNC, I'd leave it off the calling list unless there's a clearly established legal basis to contact it. I wouldn't use texting as a workaround either.

      A straightforward letter might be a better approach in that situation. It gives the owner an opportunity to respond if they're interested without putting them on the spot. Door knocking is another possibility, but I'd be more cautious with that since local solicitation rules and no-soliciting restrictions can vary.

      One other thing I'd keep in mind, especially with those complicated ownership records, is that skip tracing doesn't necessarily confirm you've reached the person authorized to sell. I'd want to make sure the mailing address and intended recipient are reasonably accurate before reaching out.

      And of course, I'd check the applicable outreach rules before proceeding. I'd rather lose a potential lead than create an unnecessary compliance issue.

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  • Jeff Fisher
    Wholesaler · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2014 · 11 posts · 0 votes
    1h

    Good question, and that mix is normal once you get past the easy single owner houses.

    What works for me is splitting the list into two piles before I spend real time on it. Pile one is clean owners with a good wireless number, those get worked first because speed matters. Pile two is the messy ownership stuff, LLCs, trusts, estates, churches. I do not throw those away though. Some of my best deals came from that pile because most wholesalers skip it and there is way less competition.

    For LLCs, look up the entity with the secretary of state and trace the registered agent and the managers or members, then trace those people as individuals. For estates and probate, check the county probate filings if they are online, the personal representative is usually the person who can actually talk about selling. If it is landline only, I will still try mail first, a simple letter to the property owner at the mailing address on the tax record. It is slower but it reaches people the phone data misses.

    On the DNC question you added today, if a number comes back flagged DNC I leave that number alone and do not call or text it. I shift that owner to mail, or work a different contact for the same owner if there is a separate non flagged wireless. Not worth the risk or the headache, and there are plenty of owners to work.

    So my rule is work the clean pile fast, then chip away at the messy pile a little each week instead of letting it stall the whole list. 143 is a good sized list to learn that rhythm on.

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