Buying Leads Is Killing Your Bottom Line: How To Start Generating Your Own Leads Today

It's the age-old question that realtors, investors, lenders, and home services companies ask themselves daily.

One that you've undoubtedly asked yourself about in the last week.

'Should I be buying my leads or generating my own?'

The decision to buy leads or build your own lead lists is the single most defining factor in your lead generation strategy, and it can make a big difference in your bottom line.

Outsourcing your lead generation might seem convenient, but it often comes at a high cost — financially and in missed opportunities. 

Why? Purchased leads often lack the same level of exclusivity as the leads you generate on your own, which makes them less relevant and more difficult to follow up on effectively.

In fact, about 79% of marketing leads never convert into sales, often due to ineffective lead nurturing​.

On the other hand, when you handle lead generation in-house, you can typically create 50% more leads that are genuinely interested and ready to buy — and it costs about 33% less compared to outsourcing. 

In this guide, we'll explore:

• Buy vs. Build: Which Strategy Boosts Your Bottom Line?

• How You Can Use Public Records To Build Your Ideal Lists

• The Lead Lists You Need To Build To Grow + Scale Your Business

Buy vs. Build: Which Strategy Boosts Your Bottom Line?

When getting leads for your business, you have two main options: buying pre-made lists or building your own. 

Buying lists is quick and convenient, but they may not always fit your needs. 

Buying Lists From Lists Brokers Is Expensive

For starters, these lists are often expensive, and the high cost can quickly drain your marketing budget. 

If you buy lists from list brokers, you are likely significantly overpaying - things like the brokers' premiums, etc.

Instead of investing in generic lists from list brokers, which might not deliver the desired results, you should use that money to enhance other areas of your strategy, like optimizing campaigns, improving creative content, and investing in phone + text message marketing. 

Data Accuracy + Relevancy is Unreliable

Another issue? Data accuracy. Many of these lists are outdated, containing invalid contact information like old email addresses or disconnected phone numbers. 

This means you could end up wasting time and resources on leads that are no longer relevant. 

Competition is also a significant drawback. Since bought lists are typically sold to multiple buyers, you're not dealing with exclusive leads. 

This means you're competing with other businesses for the same prospects, which can dilute your efforts and decrease your chances of making a meaningful connection.

Purchased lists lack the specificity and relevance needed for a successful marketing campaign. They're often too generic and don't include crucial details such as recent property transactions or homeowner intent. 

This lack of tailored information can lead to low engagement rates and diminished ROI, as your messages may not resonate with the right audience.

You Don't Have Control Over Your Data

What's more? Buying lists limits your control over data quality and flexibility. 

You're reliant on the vendor's data collection methods and update frequency, which may not align with your standards. 

This lack of control can hinder your ability to adapt your strategies based on real-time data, leaving your campaigns less effective and responsive.

This is where building your own lists comes into play. 

Building Your Own Lists Gives You Control Over Your Lead Generation

Though more time-consuming, building your own lists delivers highly targeted and relevant leads — something that's impossible when you buy lead lists.

By building your own lists, you can meticulously tailor your outreach to high-potential prospects by layering in the exact financial, demographic, and situational criteria, narrowing down to precisely the types of leads your business needs to grow.

This nuanced understanding can help you identify leads that are genuinely engaged or ready to take action — insights that pre-made lists, with their generic data, may overlook. 

What's more? This precise targeting can help you avoid wasting resources on leads that don't match your ideal customer profile by cutting out less relevant or outdated contacts.

You're Able to Adapt + Adjust In Real-Time

Better yet, building your own lists allows you to adapt and respond to changing market dynamics in real-time.

As you gather and analyze data, you can quickly adjust your criteria and update your lists to reflect new trends, emerging opportunities, or shifts in consumer behavior.

For instance, if interest rates drop a percent or two overnight, you can layer interest rate data into your lists to target new re-fi prospects. 

This agility ensures that your marketing campaigns remain relevant and practical, addressing current demands and opportunities that might not be captured in static, pre-made lists.

This tailored approach means your strategies are always sharp, your resources are dialed in, and your ROI is on point. 

In the end, it's about maximizing success by making your outreach work smarter, not harder.

What if I'm Stuck Buying Lists?

However, if you do decide to buy lists, integrate them with PropertyRadar to strike a balance between personalization and efficiency. 

Why? Because PropertyRadar gives you access to exclusive leads unavailable to the general market. 

How You Can Use Public Records To Build Your Ideal Lists

Unlike standard lead lists, PropertyRadar allows you to target specific properties and owners based on unique criteria. 

How? Through public records.

Public Records Are Your Secret Weapon For Lead Generation

Public records provide in-depth information on individuals and properties, including deep owner details, transaction histories, and hundreds of other situational + demographic data.

This valuable information helps you find the best properties to invest in, off-market sellers, re-fi prospects, and more.

It also lets you adjust your marketing efforts to attract potential buyers and get new leads more effectively.

The best part? Public records are easily accessible.

You can find them in local government offices or their online portals, generally at the county level.

Getting the Most Out Of The Lists You've Built

However, leveraging data-driven platforms like PropertyRadar can significantly enhance lead-generation efforts by providing precise, actionable insights.

PropertyRadar leverages a vast array of public records, including data on over 150 million properties, 250 million people, and over 1 billion phone numbers and emails. 

This information is neatly organized in a powerful, intuitive database accessible through desktop and mobile apps.

With PropertyRadar, you can filter leads based on specific criteria such as property type, ownership details, equity levels, and even recent sales activity. 

This level of customization means you're not just pulling generic lists — you're crafting exclusive lists tailored to your unique needs. 

For example, suppose you're targeting homeowners interested in home improvement services. In that case, you can create a list of properties that haven't been updated in years or recently undergone an ownership change.

The platform's advanced data tools also allow you to further segment and refine your lists by integrating behavioral and geographic data.

By continuously updating your lists with real-time data from PropertyRadar, you ensure that your leads remain fresh, accurate, and relevant — giving you a competitive edge.

The Lead Lists You Need To Build To Grow + Scale Your Business

Improve your investment strategy with focused lead lists that deliver results.

How? By focusing on key groups such as wholesalers, property flippers, and land investors, you can tailor your approach to meet their unique needs. 

This method reveals the best opportunities and significantly enhances your chances of closing successful deals. 

We'll provide a detailed breakdown of these categories, offering a clear, actionable view of each group's investment style.

Top Leads for Wholesalers 

• Motivated Sellers: Segment leads experiencing financial distress, such as foreclosure or bankruptcy. These individuals are often eager to sell quickly, making them prime candidates for wholesaling deals. Use PropertyRadar data on property tax delinquencies, mortgage defaults, and other indicators of financial trouble to identify these prospects.

• High-Equity Homeowners: Segment leads who own their properties outright or have significant equity. These homeowners may be more willing to negotiate wholesale deals since they have less financial pressure to achieve a high sale price. Use PropertyRadar to identify homes with low mortgage balances relative to their market value.

• Landlords with Troubled Rentals: Focus on landlords experiencing difficulties with their rental properties, such as high vacancy rates or problematic tenants. These landlords may want to wholesaling their properties to reduce their management burdens. Look for rental properties with frequent tenant turnover or reports of management issues.

Essential Leads for Property Flippers

• Distressed Properties: Identify homes in poor condition or those needing significant repairs. These properties are ideal for flipping due to their potential for value improvement. Use PropertyRadar to find properties with code violations, deferred maintenance, or long-term vacancies.

• Foreclosures and Bank-Owned Properties: Target properties that have been foreclosed on or are owned by banks. These properties are often sold at a discount, providing a good opportunity for flipping. Look for auction notices, foreclosure filings, and bank-owned property listings.

• Renovation-Ready Homes: Seek out properties that have been recently renovated or are in areas with high renovation activity. These homes might require less initial work and offer quicker returns. Use neighborhood comparables and renovation project data to identify these opportunities.

• High-Value Neighborhoods: Target properties in neighborhoods known for high resale values and strong market demand. Flipping homes in these areas can yield higher profits. Use demographic and market trend PropertyRadar data to locate these high-value neighborhoods.

Prime Leads for Land Investors

• Vacant Lots: Focus on properties that are currently undeveloped or have been vacant for a long time. These lots can often be acquired at lower prices and have potential for future development. 

• Foreclosed Land: Target land that has been foreclosed on or is owned by banks. Foreclosed land can often be purchased at a discount. Look for foreclosure notices and bank-owned land listings.

• Opportunity Zones: Identify land in designated Opportunity Zones, which offer tax incentives for development and investment. These areas are often ripe for investment due to their potential for growth and development. Use geographic and economic data to locate Opportunity Zones.

• Agricultural Land: Look for land currently used for farming or agriculture that might be repurposed or developed. Agricultural land can offer unique investment opportunities, especially near urban expansion areas. Use agricultural property listings and land use data to locate these opportunities.

Ready to tap into the power of PropertyRadar's exclusive lead lists? 

With PropertyRadar, you can generate high-quality leads to target the right properties, reach the right people, and take action at the right time to boost your profitability.

Get a free PropertyRadar trial and unlock the power of 150 million properties to find your next leads today.