The Complete Guide to Skip Tracing for Real Estate

Think you know what skip tracing is? 

If you think skip tracing is just a feature that matches a phone number or email address to home or property owner… then think again.     

Consider this: If you use a tool to “skip trace” phones and emails, you haven’t actually located the owner or contacted them yet. Skip tracing is what you have to do if the prospect doesn’t answer your call, or when there’s no number for the prospect at all but you want to pursue the opportunity.  

In the Complete Guide to Skip Tracing, we'll cover everything you need to know to locate and connect with hard-to-find home and property owners—beyond the phone number and email address. We'll cover:  

• The big picture: What is skip tracing?  
• Where it comes from: The history of skip tracing 
• 6 Things to Know About Real Estate Skip Tracing
• And, of course: How and why to skip trace a property owner 
• Plus: How do you know if a deal is worth it?  
• Skip tracing with PropertyRadar  
• PropertyRadar's Skip Tracing Checklist  

Let's start with the big picture… 

What is skip tracing?  

Skip tracing is the process of finding and contacting a person who is difficult to find or avoiding conventional means of outreach. Basic skip tracing relies on phone and email databases, often provided by tools online. However, more advanced skip tracing, for when an opportunity is worth the extra effort, often relies on more nuanced techniques such as online searches, credit reports, and criminal background checks to find and connect with home and property owners.

The history of skip tracing  

For many real estate-focused businesses, skip tracing has become a sought-after tool, but it's often mistaken for what's more commonly called match-append. Match-append is simply the process of finding a person or property in an existing database and then appending data like phone and email. 

However, to fully appreciate and leverage skip tracing for growing a small local business, it's essential to understand what skip tracing really is… 

The term skip tracing originated from the financial services and bail bonds industries. For those businesses, skip tracing was the job of finding somebody who's skipped out on a debt or a bail bond.  

This process wasn't about finding a phone number or email address. In fact, they likely already have that information, but the person wasn't answering or responding. Tracking down the person who skipped out became a series of investigative, often creative, tactics.  

Skip tracing in real estate 

Flash forward to today, and many services advertise phone and email append features as skip tracing. While finding phone numbers and emails (match append) is used in skip tracing, it's really just more than finding their contact information.   

In fact, to make this even easier for small property-centric small businesses who need to contact hard-to-find home and property owners, the best services (yes, like PropertyRadar) have already done the match-append of phones and emails to that first part of skip tracing is built-in.  

There's an important distinction: skip tracing using the available phone and email does not technically merit advanced skip tracing. It's only when you're unable to connect with the person using that information, or there's no information available, that other skip tracing techniques become appropriate—but it's where the best deals often come from.  

Even with PropertyRadar, with built-in match-append and free phone numbers and email addresses included each month, there will always be owners that you can't connect with. This is especially true for vacant properties and other properties in distress.  

Most importantly, if you're a real estate investor and have a property you really want, skip tracing can help you get in touch with the owner to facilitate a deal. More advanced skip tracing techniques are required in these cases. To help those who understand that the best deals often come from skip tracing, here's the advanced guide for skip tracing property and homeowners beyond phone numbers and email addresses:  

6 Things to Know About Real Estate Skip Tracing

1. Skip tracing often requires a variety of different resources

Skip tracing typically involves using a variety of different sources to find information on property owners and gives you a more complete picture of someone's current location and contact information. It's worth noting that no single source of information is likely to provide all of the information needed for successful skip tracing. Let's look at a few of the most common skip tracing tools:

Public Records

Public records data can include voter registration lists, property records, and court records. These records can provide information about a person's name, address, phone number, and other personal details.

Social Media 

Many people use social media to connect with friends and family, which can be a valuable source of information for skip tracers. By searching for the person on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, skip tracers may be able to find current contact information and clues about the person's whereabouts.

Skip Tracing Databases

Several databases specialize in skip tracing. These databases may contain information about a person's employment history, credit history, and other personal details. Some databases may require a subscription, while others may be available for a fee.

Online Directories 

Many online directories can be helpful in skip tracing, such as White Pages, Yellow Pages, and other people search websites. These directories may contain contact information for individuals and businesses.

Other Sources 

Skip tracers may also use other sources of information, such as utility, phone, and postal records, to gather information about a person's whereabouts.

2. Skip tracing is regulated by privacy laws

Real estate investors must understand and follow these laws when conducting skip trace searches. In general, it's illegal to use specific methods or sources of information for skip tracing purposes. A few examples of prohibited activities include:

Hacking into someone's computer or accessing their personal information without their permission.

Using someone's personal information for commercial gain without their consent.

Misrepresenting your identity or purpose when contacting someone or requesting information.

Using information from credit reports or other financial records without a legitimate purpose.

Using false or misleading statements to obtain personal information.

3. Using multiple sources can lead to better success while skip tracing 

​​Using multiple sources when skip tracing can help real estate investors more accurately and efficiently locate the owners of properties they are interested in. Here are a few reasons why it is beneficial to use multiple sources when skip tracing:

Increased accuracy

Using multiple sources, investors can verify and cross-reference information about the person they are trying to locate. Verifying information in multiple places can help ensure that the data they have on a person is accurate and up-to-date.

Better chances of success 

Skip tracing can be time-consuming, and it's only sometimes successful when done correctly. However, by using multiple sources, investors can increase their chances of finding the information they need and successfully locating the person they are searching for.

Greater efficiency

Using multiple sources can also help investors save time by allowing them to quickly and easily access a wide range of information. In addition, this can help locate the person they are searching for more efficiently.

Enhanced privacy protection 

Using multiple sources can also help protect the privacy of the person being searched for. By using a variety of resources, investors can minimize the amount of personal information they need to request from any one source.

4. If you're using available phone numbers and email addresses, it's not really "advanced" skip tracing

Today, several services will advertise "append" features as true "skip tracing". These append features enable you to unlock readily available phone numbers and emails on records for which you have incomplete data. 

While finding emails and phone numbers technically qualifies as "skip tracing", it's important to remember that this isn't considered "advanced skip tracing". Advanced skip tracing comes into play when you cannot connect to a lead using easily accessible personal information. 

Using tactics such as contacting a known relative, running a background check, looking for other known addresses associated with the lead, browsing local arrest records, and even hiring a private investigator are all considered "advanced skip tracing". While they may be much more time-consuming or expensive, often the best deals come from advanced skip tracing methods. 

5. Batch skip tracing can save time and money - but it comes with some drawbacks

Batch skip tracing is a process in which a large group of individuals is simultaneously searched for, rather than searching for each person one-by-one. Batch skip tracing can be helpful for real estate investors looking to locate a large list of property owners or potential tenants with incomplete data at once. 

However, while this method has several pros, there are also some potential drawbacks to investors who use batch skip tracing.

One of the main pros of batch skip tracing for real estate investors is that it allows them to save time and resources. Skip tracing can be expensive depending on the service, so rather than searching for each individual separately, batch skip tracing allows investors to locate multiple people at once, which can be a more efficient and cost-effective approach.

While batch skip tracing can save time and money, it's also important for investors to consider the cons. One potential drawback is that the search results may not be as accurate as those obtained through individual skip tracing. 

The inaccuracy often stems because the search results are based on automated algorithms and may not consider all the important nuances and details when searching for a specific person. 

Additionally, batch skip tracing may be less effective at finding people who are particularly difficult to locate. Individual skip tracing techniques, such as contacting known relatives, may be more effective in these cases, as they allow for more customization and flexibility in the search process.

6. When skip tracing, it's about quality, not quantity

When evaluating skip tracing services, it is important to prioritize quality over quantity. While some providers may have high match rates, their results may be inaccurate. When skip tracing, it's better to have a lower match rate with accurate results than a high match rate with incorrect or outdated information.

It is worth noting that it's common for skip tracing services to have a certain percentage of inaccurate phone numbers. However, a match rate of above 70% in the cold-calling industry is considered very high quality. PropertyRadar customers have reported that our data has an accuracy rate of 80% or better (remember, no skip tracing service can have a 100% accurate match rate).

How to skip trace a home or property owner  

1. Try the phone number and email addresses. If the person picks up the phone or answers their email, you won't need to continue with the more intensive skip tracing techniques. 
2. Check the mailing address. While the owner may not be at the property address, they may be at the mailing address. 
3. Check for a forwarding address with the USPS
4. If you think the owner may be at the mailing address but is simply not answering, try working with a delivery service like UPS or FedEx. Many people will open, read, and respond to a FedEx or UPS when they won't respond to regular mail. There is a different intent behind these services that prompt people to engage the mail and deliveries sent by them.
5. Start looking for other addresses associated with that person.
6. Run a quick Google search. Depending on what you find, you should take other steps to contact relatives and neighbors or track down the person. 
7. Search the person on social media, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms. Social media can also be used to look for friends, relatives, and neighbors. If you find people that that person knew, politely contact them to inquire about the homeowner. 
8. Reach out to neighbors. Knocking on doors or calling neighbors might help you find information about the person you're trying to get in touch with. 
9. Check with relatives. Can you find the mother, father, siblings, or adult children? You may be able to tell them that you're interested in the property and get some helpful information. Ancestry.com and other genealogy sites can be really useful when trying to trace family trees. 
10. Run a background check. One of the reasons the owner may not be available is that they may be in jail. If they are in prison, you can usually write to inmates after finding out what facility they're in. 
11. Hire a private investigator. Private investigators have access to specialized skip tracing services like TLO and Accurint, which are only available to authorized users. Through those they can often access credit reports and other secure databases that may uncover different addresses or relationships you otherwise would not have access to. 

Note: Is the property owned by an LLC or corporation? Start with this article. After finding the principal behind the company, come back to this article to skip trace owners that may be difficult to find.  

When should you skip trace a home or property owner?  

Clearly, skip tracing can take immense time and effort. If you're a real estate agent calling on foreclosures, making 20 calls per day, you probably do not want to spend the time skip tracing.  

However, professional investors know that the owners you can't find easily are the best opportunities — and are worth five times as much time and effort as the ones where you can easily find the phone and email information.  

For experienced investors, the real value is when there is no phone and email. On the other hand, amateur investors who cannot easily find the owner are more likely to give up.  

If it takes FedEx, private investigators, and other extreme measures to find the owner, then it's very likely that you will be the only one talking to them if you do eventually find them. In these cases, they are also very likely in a situation that makes them a motivated seller. You could have a higher chance of getting the owner to agree to a sale to help resolve a difficult financial or similar situation.  

Perhaps you're an agent and your client has their eyes on a specific property, or you're an investor who wants a critical asset, then the opportunity merits going the extra mile to try and find the owner. 

Skip tracing with PropertyRadar  

PropertyRadar uses many techniques that offer a better match rate than other companies in real estate that use third-party phone and email match-append.  

With PropertyRadar, phone and email are built in. This gives you a huge advantage because you can leverage our multi-step process to find the best match. You can also deploy the site's Trust Breaker, which finds the individuals behind trusts that other services don’t successfully find matches for.  

You'll also be able to access neighbors' contact information, allowing you to easily reach out to people who may be able to give you new leads and information without having to leave your current location or drive to the neighborhood. In addition, you can use PropertyRadar's lookup tool to access the phone numbers and email addresses of relatives and neighbors.  

PropertyRadar also shows other addresses associated with each person and a full list of other properties owned by the individual.  

Using PropertyRadar in combination with other tools can also be helpful. For example, you might run a Google search and find out that the person you were looking for has passed away. By reviewing their obituary, you may find the people that survived them. You can then use PropertyRadar's search tool to find the contact information of the people that survived the deceased owner, who are likely now in control of the property. Then, you can get in touch with them and begin negotiating a deal.  

PropertyRadar outperforms other competing services. 

PropertyRadar's phone and email skip tracing (match-append) is built in.  

Our tests with major mortgage companies have exceeded other vendors. We've had large call centers, compare our services to other top-tier providers, and have found that we get a better first-party contact rate. PropertyRadar's first-party contact rates are higher than the rest, meaning that PropertyRadar is best equipped to put you in touch with the right person.   

Skip tracing is about quality, not quantity  

When comparing skip tracing services, you may see that certain providers have very high match rates. However, half of the phone numbers may be wrong. When investing time in skip tracing, it's important to prioritize quality over quantity.  

It's better to have a lower match rate with most numbers being accurate than a high match rate with bad results.  

While our clients tell us that we have the best first-party contact rate, you should not expect every phone number in any service to be correct. Anything above 70% is considered very high quality in the cold calling industry. Our customers have found our data to be 80% or better.    

The Ultimate Skip Tracing Checklist  

• Determine whether the property is owned by an LLC or an individual 
• Call phone numbers  
• Send emails 
• Check and try the mailing address 
• Check the forwarding address 
• Leverage UPS or FedEx 
• Look for other addresses 
• Google search the person 
• Look up the person on social media 
• Search for friends and family on social media  
• Reach out to neighbors 
• Contact family members 
• Try genealogy websites  
• Hire a private investigator 

FAQ: Using Skip Tracing with PropertyRadar

1. What makes PropertyRadar's skip tracing tool different?

PropertyRadar integrates skip tracing directly into its platform, combining property data with detailed owner insights. This means you get access to accurate contact information and filter and segment data to precisely target the property owners most relevant to your needs. PropertyRadar’s tool is built specifically for real estate investors, ensuring data relevancy and high-quality leads.

2. How does PropertyRadar help streamline my skip tracing process?

PropertyRadar offers a comprehensive platform that not only provides skip tracing but also integrates property insights, owner data, and market analytics. This allows you to execute targeted campaigns, automating the identification of distressed properties, owners behind on taxes, or absentee landlords. With these tools, you save time and increase the likelihood of success in reaching motivated sellers.

3. Can I integrate PropertyRadar's skip tracing tool with other real estate tools?

Yes, PropertyRadar offers integrations with popular CRM systems and marketing platforms, allowing you to import the contact information of property owners directly into your workflows. This seamless integration improves efficiency and ensures that you can immediately act on the data you’ve collected.

4. What kind of information can I gather through skip tracing on PropertyRadar?

Through PropertyRadar's skip tracing tool, you can access phone numbers, email addresses, mailing addresses, and other contact information that helps you reach property owners. The platform also provides detailed property history and ownership insights, giving you a complete picture of the property and the individual you’re trying to contact.