Access to homeowner information is a powerful tool for real estate investors. But knowing where to look and how to find homeowner information can be tricky.
Real estate investing can be done in a variety of ways, with numerous strategies for investors to choose from. In this article, we are going to talk about a major strategy pro real estate investors use: finding off market properties for sale using homeowner data. We’ll cover the best ways to get homeowner information and how to find out who owns a house in a few simple steps.
Why Do Real Estate Investors Need Homeowner Data?
Maybe you’ve heard that homeowner data is important for real estate investors, but you aren’t sure why.
While finding properties on popular websites or through a realtor is the most traditional and common way to find investment properties for sale, there are other options to consider.
Some of the best deals on the market are, well, not yet on the market!
Real estate investors who know this are constantly on the lookout for neglected or distressed properties that haven’t been listed yet, knowing the sellers might be motivated. If an investor can reach out and offer to take it off the owner’s hands, they might be able to get a great deal. After all, they are doing the homeowner a big favor.
Alternatively, some homeowners will sell for the right price, even when they haven’t considered doing so before.
This is where homeowner information comes in handy. Without it, an investor would not be able to strike a deal on that next great property.
How to Do a Property Owner Lookup: 3 Ways
Property Deeds
One way to find homeowner information by address is to search property deed records. You can usually accomplish this online if the property’s county has a Registry of Deeds website. Otherwise, check with the County Office.
Tax Records
An alternative method for gathering homeowner information is by looking up tax records. The county or town tax assessment office will have files you can look through for homeowner information. Or, sometimes the county has a website where you can access this information.
Related: How to Find Tax Delinquent Properties in Your Area
The drawback to these two methods is that:
- If there are no available websites, the process of manually searching files can be time-consuming and frustrating.
- Real estate investors must know the address of the property they want homeowner information for.
Mashboard
The third and most efficient method for collecting homeowner information solves the above two problems. Investors can save time by using Mashvisor’s tool for off market properties: Mashboard.
Our unique real estate investment software instantly connects investors to the homeowner information they need for specific properties. Even better, unlike the other two methods, Mashboard helps investors search for properties without an address.
Not only can investors search for homeowner information by address quickly and efficiently, but they can also access other off market properties they wouldn’t otherwise be aware of in an area. This means that real estate investors can find off market properties in other cities and states with one simple online tool.
How to Use Mashboard to Get Homeowner Information
So, how does it work?
First, an investor interested in using Mashboard must sign up for Mashvisor. By doing so, you will gain access to our other incredible tools, including:
Together, these four real estate investment tools make an essential set for all serious investors who want to purchase investment properties with the highest possible returns.
If you’re ready to jump in, start a 7-day free trial with Mashvisor now.
Create an Owner List
Once you have access to Mashvisor’s real estate investment software, head over to Mashboard and click on ‘Add Owner List.’
This is where you will conduct your property owner search, and you will be prompted to search via several filters. If you already know a property’s address, you can enter it. To search for properties without an address, you’ll need to utilize the other available filters, such as:
- State
- City
- Zip code
- Property type
- Year built
- Sale date
- Contact data
These filters allow you to narrow down the types of properties you want to find homeowner information for through both location and property specifics. The ‘contact data’ filter allows you to select the kind of contact information you’d like to get, such as name, address, email, and phone number.
Once all the necessary fields are filled out, you need only press ‘enter’ and receive the homeowner leads most relevant to your criteria.
Get In Touch with Homeowner Leads
You can choose to view your homeowner information right on Mashvisor’s website, or you have the option to download the information as a CSV report.
For your convenience, when viewing homeowner information directly on Mashvisor’s platform, it will give you the option to connect with homeowners without leaving the website. This is one of the many ways that Mashvisor streamlines investors’ processes, so they can make faster, smarter investing decisions.
Some of the options Mashvisor offers for connecting with homeowners include sending:
- Single emails
- SMS
- Email campaigns
This unique feature is ideal for creating an effective real estate investment strategy that converts homeowner leads into sellers. Gathering homeowner information is easy with Mashvisor’s tools, but you will need to develop an outreach strategy for converting your leads.
Tips for Talking to Homeowners
Off market properties are a great way for investors to score real estate deals, but acquiring them requires some negotiation skills and tact. Here are some helpful tips to turn leads into willing sellers:
- Be friendly and polite.
- Position yourself as someone willing to help relieve a burden (the property).
- Gently remind them of the hassle and stress of getting a property listed on the market. You can also mention the time and money involved in trying to sell a distressed property (they can sit on the market longer).
- Make good use of Mashboard’s email campaign feature for warming homeowners up to your offer.
- Be patient. Not every homeowner is going to want to sell right away (or at all). The important thing is to build a professional relationship so that if and when they do want to sell, you are the first name that comes to mind.
Related: How to Make an Unsolicited Offer to Purchase Property
As an investor, taking advantage of off market properties is an excellent addition to your strategy. That being said, Mashvisor offers the best real estate investment tools for finding those properties and accessing accurate homeowner information quickly.