How to get an absentee owner list
An absentee owner is an owner whose mailing address differs from the property address. You can build the list by comparing the two addresses in the county assessor's roll. Across the 99 counties LeadCounty covers, 25.3% of properties are absentee-owned. The list is long, so narrow it with a second signal.
What absentee owner means
The county assessor or auditor keeps one property address and one mailing address for each parcel. If they are different houses, the owner does not live there. They may rent it out, hold it empty, or live in another city or state. An out-of-state owner is the same idea with a stronger distance.
How to build the list yourself
- Get the county's owner and parcel file from the assessor, auditor or appraisal district. Many counties sell or share it as a spreadsheet.
- Compare the site address with the mailing address. Match street number, street name and ZIP.
- Remove owners that are banks, government, churches or builders if you want people.
- Handle exceptions: PO boxes, c/o addresses and mailing to a lawyer or manager are not always absentee owners.
Why the raw list is not enough
About one property in four is absentee-owned, so a full list is too big to work. Many absentee owners are healthy landlords or second-home owners with no reason to sell. A second signal separates them: tax delinquent, owned a long time, an open code case, or an eviction.
Good stacks to try
- Absentee owner + tax delinquent: out-of-town owners behind on tax.
- Absentee owner + owned 15+ years: long-held rentals with equity. About 23.6% of properties are held that long.
- Absentee owner + open code case: owners facing city repair orders from far away.
- Out-of-state owner + inheritance deed: heirs who moved away.
Using the list
Mail to the owner's mailing address, not the property. Say who you are and offer a simple way to reply. Check your state's rules before calls or texts.
Official sources and further reading
- USA.gov: find local government offices
- International Association of Assessing Officers
- USPS ZIP Code lookup
Outside sites are run by their owners. General information, not legal or financial advice.
Questions
What percent of properties are absentee-owned?
In the counties LeadCounty covers, 25.3%. It is higher in places with many rentals and second homes.
Is an absentee owner list free?
You can build one from the county's own owner file. Some counties charge for the file. A data provider saves the work of matching addresses county by county.
Are absentee owners motivated sellers?
Not by themselves. Distance and other signals together are what help.
What is the difference between absentee and out-of-state?
Absentee means the owner's mailing address is not the property. Out-of-state means the mailing state is different from the property's state.
How we make these guides
Written by the LeadCounty editorial and data team from official county, court and state sources and our own weekly counts. We name the office behind every number, say what we cannot see, and fix mistakes when you tell us. See our editorial standards and methodology. General information, not legal or financial advice. Refreshed weekly.
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