Direct answer
Skip tracing finds an owner's phone number, email, or mailing address so you can contact them about a potential sale. Paid platforms charge per lookup or include contact enrichment in a plan. Before you pay, search mixed foreclosure inventory by ZIP, work the six public-record sourcing channels below, and score each address 0-100 so you reserve paid contact data for leads that pass a first screen.
The ZIP search returns mixed pre-foreclosure, auction, and REO inventory. Confirm the official record and score the address before paying to enrich the owner contact.
Open the full Foreclosure.com database
Free to search. No DistressedDealRadar account required. We may earn a referral fee.
Free PropStream alternatives
You can source and screen your first addresses without a property-data subscription. A paid platform can make sense later for bulk list pulls, saved searches, or a managed outreach pipeline. It is not a prerequisite for a careful first pass.
| Workflow | DistressedDealRadar first pass | PropStream workflow |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-foreclosure leads | Search mixed foreclosure inventory by ZIP, then verify the filing in the official local record. | PropStream includes pre-foreclosure filters in its subscription platform and advertises a free trial. |
| Comparable sales | Use recent sold listings and county records, then adjust the strongest comps in the free ARV Calculator. | PropStream includes a comps workflow in its subscription platform and advertises a free trial. |
| Skip tracing | Start with public ownership and mailing records before paying to enrich phone or email data. | PropStream access depends on the selected plan or Connect add-on; current plans package skip tracing differently. |
Product access changes. Source checked October 18, 2026: PropStream's official plan comparison, comps page, and skip-tracing page.
Check the official court, recorder, trustee, sheriff, or county sale source.
Stack tax, vacancy, code, landlord, and other verified distress signals.
Use the probate docket and public notices, then verify the authorized estate contact.
Compare the property address with the tax-mailing address in county records.
Pull the county delinquent roll and confirm the local sale or redemption process.
Check bank-owned and listed inventory after a foreclosure sale.
| Step | Free source | Pay only when needed |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm ownership | County assessor or recorder | Bulk ownership matching |
| Find a mailing address | Tax-mailing and recorded-document address | Address enrichment or verification |
| Qualify the property | Distress signals plus free score and calculators | Deeper data after the lead passes |
| Find phone or email | Public business or court records when lawfully available | Compliant contact enrichment |
You can often verify the owner name and mailing address through county assessor, recorder, court, probate, and tax records. Phone and email enrichment may still require a compliant paid service, especially for larger lists.
Pay after the address passes a first screen for ownership, property status, rough equity, distress signals, and deal math. That keeps bulk enrichment spend focused on leads you can actually pursue.
No. A public record does not grant permission to call, text, email, or mail without regard to applicable law. Use current federal, state, and local rules and honor opt-outs before outreach.