Skip Tracing for Real Estate: Everything Investors Need to Know

What Is Skip Tracing?

Skip tracing is the process of finding a person's current contact information — phone numbers, email addresses, and mailing addresses — when that information isn't readily available. The term comes from debt collectors who would "trace" people who "skipped" town to avoid paying debts.

In real estate, skip tracing means finding the owner of a property and their current contact details so you can reach out about purchasing their property.

Why Do Real Estate Investors Need Skip Tracing?

When you identify a property you want to buy — maybe it's vacant, tax delinquent, or has an absentee owner — you need a way to contact the owner. Public property records tell you who owns it, but often the only contact information is a mailing address that may be outdated.

Skip tracing fills this gap by providing:

Phone numbers (mobile, landline, or both)
Email addresses
Current mailing address (if they've moved)
Additional identifying information (age, relatives, etc.)

How Does Skip Tracing Work?

Skip tracing services aggregate data from multiple sources:

Public records — Court records, voter registration, property deeds, marriage licenses
Credit bureau data — Address history, employer information (used within legal bounds)
Utility records — Phone company records, cable/internet registrations
Social media — Public profiles and associated contact information
Data brokers — Companies that compile consumer data from thousands of sources

When you submit a name and address for skip tracing, the service cross-references these databases to find the most current contact information.

Skip Tracing Methods for Real Estate

1. Integrated Data Platforms (Best Option)

Platforms like PropContact include skip tracing data built into every property export. When you pull a list of properties, each record already includes:

Up to 3 phone numbers with type classification (mobile/landline)
Do Not Call (DNC) status for each number
Phone activity and usage data
Up to 3 email addresses
Owner demographics (income, occupation, etc.)

This is the most efficient approach because you get property data and contact information in a single step.

2. Standalone Skip Tracing Services

Some companies offer skip tracing as a standalone service. You upload a list of names and addresses, and they return contact information. This requires an extra step but can be useful if you already have a list from another source.

3. Manual Skip Tracing

You can find some contact information for free using:

Social media (Facebook, LinkedIn)
Google searches
White pages directories
County recorder websites
Voter registration records

Manual skip tracing is free but takes 10-30 minutes per person. It's not practical for lists of more than a few dozen leads.

Skip Tracing Best Practices

Compliance - Respect DNC lists — Check if phone numbers are on the Do Not Call registry before cold calling - Follow TCPA rules — The Telephone Consumer Protection Act regulates how you can contact people - Be transparent — When you reach someone, clearly state who you are and why you're calling - Honor opt-outs — If someone asks you to stop calling, remove them immediately

Data Quality - Use recent data — Contact information goes stale quickly. People change phones and move - Verify phone types — Mobile numbers are better for texting, landlines for calls - Check activity status — Some services indicate whether a phone number is currently active - Try multiple numbers — Having 2-3 phone numbers per person dramatically increases your contact rate

Outreach Strategy - Call at appropriate times — Generally 9 AM to 7 PM local time - Have a script ready — Know what you'll say when someone answers - Leave voicemails — Keep them short (under 30 seconds) and include your callback number - Follow up — Most deals require 5-7 contact attempts - Track your results — Note which leads you've contacted and their response

What Does Skip Tracing Cost?

Pricing varies widely:

Integrated platforms (like PropContact): Typically 1-5 cents per record, bundled with property data
Standalone services: Usually 5-15 cents per record
Premium services: 15-50 cents per record with higher match rates
Manual research: Free but costs your time (30+ minutes per lead)

Conclusion

Skip tracing is essential for real estate investors who want to reach property owners directly. The most efficient approach is using an integrated platform like PropContact that includes skip tracing data in every property export — you get property details, owner information, and contact data all in one CSV. This eliminates the extra step of uploading lists to a separate skip tracing service and ensures your data is fresh and comprehensive.