The Complete Guide to Skip Tracing for Real Estate Investors

What is Skip Tracing?

Skip tracing is the process of locating individuals who are difficult to find, typically property owners who have moved or are avoiding contact. For real estate investors, effective skip tracing is crucial for reaching motivated sellers and closing deals.

Why Skip Tracing Matters

When investing in foreclosures or distressed properties, you often need to contact owners who:

Have moved away from the property
Changed their contact information
Are avoiding creditors or legal notices
Don't regularly check mail at the property address

Without accurate contact information, even the best deal opportunity is worthless.

Traditional Skip Tracing Methods

Public Records Research

Start with readily available public information:

County Recorder's Office: Property deeds, mortgages, and legal documents
Voter Registration: Current addresses for registered voters
Court Records: Divorce, probate, and civil case filings
Business Records: LLC and corporate ownership documents

Online Database Services

Several commercial services provide skip tracing data:

TLOxp: Comprehensive people search with property ties
Accurint: LexisNexis database for legal professionals
Melissa Data: Property and occupant information
BeenVerified: Consumer-friendly people search

These services typically cost $0.10-0.25 per search and provide phone numbers, emails, relatives, and previous addresses.

The MagicList Advantage

While traditional skip tracing requires manual research and paid database lookups, MagicList includes free skip tracing for all foreclosure leads. Every property in your MagicList comes with:

Verified phone numbers
Email addresses
Current mailing addresses
Property occupancy status
Relative contact information

This eliminates the typical $0.10-0.25 per lead cost and saves hours of manual research time.

Cost Savings Example

Let's say you evaluate 100 properties per month:

Traditional Method: 100 leads × $0.20 = $20/month
Plus Research Time: 100 leads × 10 minutes = 16+ hours
MagicList: $0 additional cost, instant contact data

Over a year, that's $240 and 200+ hours saved—time you can spend making offers and closing deals.

Best Practices for Contacting Owners

Once you have contact information:

1. Multi-Channel Approach

Don't rely on just one method:

Call: Multiple attempts at different times
Text: Brief, professional introduction
Email: Detailed information and resources
Mail: Yellow letters or postcards
Door Knock: When appropriate and safe

2. Compliance and Ethics

Always follow regulations:

TCPA: Telephone Consumer Protection Act compliance
CAN-SPAM: Email marketing rules
Fair Debt: Not a collection call—you're offering to help
Do Not Call: Respect DNC registrations

3. Effective Messaging

Focus on solutions, not problems:

"I saw you might be facing foreclosure—I'd like to discuss options"
"I buy houses for cash and can close quickly"
"Let's explore ways to avoid foreclosure and protect your credit"

Advanced Skip Tracing Techniques

For hard-to-find owners:

Social Media Investigation

Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram profiles
Friends and family connections
Employment information
Current location check-ins

Neighbor Contact

Ask neighbors for forwarding information
Check neighborhood Facebook groups
Contact HOA or property management

Relative Research

Find parents, siblings, children through genealogy sites
Contact relatives who may know current location
Check for common property ownership

Conclusion

Skip tracing is an essential skill for real estate investors, but it doesn't have to be time-consuming or expensive. With MagicList's included skip tracing data, you get instant access to verified contact information for every foreclosure opportunity.

Focus your energy on making offers and closing deals, not tracking down phone numbers.