How to use skip tracing to find property owners
Have you ever searched for a school friend on Facebook or asked around for a lost neighbor? If yes then, same as everyone else, you have skip traced before without ever realizing it and probably know more about it than you think.
Of course, skip tracing in real estate is more complicated and advanced than what we do in our daily lives. If you find a property that you are interested in buying but can’t find the owner, skip tracing is the best tool at your disposal to locate them.
What is skip tracing in real estate?
“Skip” in skip tracing refers to a person who has skipped and cannot be found anywhere. Skip tracing is a set of tactics that real estate investors use to trace a person of interest by using the little information they have. You can start skip-tracing a person even if you only have their name and at the end of it, you will have their contact information, current place of residence, and even where they work.
Here are the different tactics used in real estate skip tracing to find a property owner.
- Finding the name of the property owner
To start your skip-tracing journey, you need a name. If you come across a property and even without asking around, you cannot find the name of the owner, there are other ways to find it.
Here is what you can do:
- Check public records
- Look for property deeds
- Check pre-foreclosure lists
- Use real estate search platforms
Once you find the name of the property owner, you can move on to the next step.
Use batch skip tracing websites
Batch skip tracing is when you are tracking down a bunch of property owners at the same time. You can use the services of a credible skip-tracing website by just providing them with a name or the information you have. These websites offer you affordable rates and only charge you when you get the results you wanted.
Search on social media platforms
Skip tracing websites check for the person on all the social media platforms and then move on to other things. If you want, you can also use social media platforms and look for any profiles created in the name of the person you are trying to find. If you find them, you can text them or look at their profile bio to find a phone number or an address.
Google it
When you Google the name of the person of interest, it runs a superficial search on all the social media networks, websites, directories, and yellow as well as White pages. If you are lucky, you may find something.
Local skip tracing is also an option
Local skip tracing also known as offline skip tracing is utilizing the services of a private investigator to ask around about the property owner in the vicinity of the property, last known address or place of work. To do this, you might be required by the state to hire a licensed investigator which can cost you a lot.
Which tactic should you use?
Doing it yourself or hiring a private investigator takes up a lot of time and money and may not even bring back the results you want. This is why using a website for skip tracing is the best option for you as it is quick, affordable, and looks through all the possible places where the property owner can be found.
