Off-market prospecting for real estate agents
Agents prospect owners before the home reaches the MLS, to win the listing or find a buyer for an investor. Good sources are long-time owners, inherited homes, absentee owners and probate. LeadCounty has county records for these, but it has no MLS or expired-listing data.
Sources agents use
- Long-time owners in a farm area.
- Inherited homes and probate, with care and respect.
- Absentee owners.
- Expired and withdrawn listings, from the MLS, which LeadCounty does not have.
- For sale by owner.
Off-market leads vs pocket listings
A pocket listing is a listing kept private on purpose. Sources say that conflicts with the NAR Clear Cooperation Policy. Prospecting owners who have not listed does not. Check your local board rules and your brokerage policy.
Rules for calls and texts
The Do Not Call Registry and the TCPA apply to agents too, including for for-sale-by-owner contact. Scrub your list and use mail where you can. General information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state and change, so ask a local real estate attorney.
What LeadCounty adds
- Years owned, inheritance deeds and tax pressure as talking points.
- Weekly changes in a farm area.
- Letters and mail tracking.
- Not included: MLS, expired listings, a dialer.
Official sources and further reading
- 47 U.S.C. 227 (Telephone Consumer Protection Act)
- National Do Not Call Registry
- FTC: CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide for business
- ARELLO: state real estate regulatory agencies
Outside sites are run by their owners. General information, not legal or financial advice.
Questions
Can agents use off-market leads?
Yes. Prospecting owners who have not listed is allowed. Follow contact rules and your board's rules.
Does LeadCounty have expired listings?
No. That needs MLS data. It covers county records.
Do Do Not Call rules apply to agents?
Yes. Check the rules for for-sale-by-owner contact and your brokerage policy.
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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