Learning Center · How-To
Skip Tracing for Real Estate: How It Works and the Rules to Follow
By FlipProperties Editorial TeamPublished October 22, 2026Updated October 22, 2026PropStream figures checked October 2026
Skip tracing is how investors find a property owner's phone number and email address when all they have is a name and a property address. It turns a lead list into people you can actually reach. No provider finds a working number for everyone, and the moment you dial or text, federal calling rules apply, so this guide covers both.
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12¢
Per contact on PropStream Essentials
8 a.m.–9 p.m.
Federal calling window, owner's local time
31 days
How often to re-scrub against the Do Not Call Registry
What skip tracing is (and isn't)
Public records tell you who owns a property and where the tax bill goes. They usually don't tell you how to reach that person. Skip tracing fills the gap by matching the owner's name and addresses against data compiled from public and commercial sources, then returning likely phone numbers and email addresses.
Results are matches, not guarantees. Some numbers will be old, some will belong to relatives, and some owners won't be found at all. Treat every result as a lead to confirm, not a fact.
How to skip trace a lead list
- 01
Build and narrow the list first.
Skip tracing usually costs money per contact, so stack your filters (equity, ownership length and a motivation signal) before you trace. A smaller, better list costs less to trace.
- 02
Run the skip trace.
In PropStream, skip tracing is 12¢ per contact on the Essentials plan. On Pro and Elite, it's included through PropStream Connect, then 10¢ per contact after the included amount.
- 03
Scrub before you dial.
Check every number against the National Do Not Call Registry and any state do-not-call list that applies, and remove the matches. PropStream flags contacts on Do-Not-Call lists, but you're responsible for who you call.
- 04
Choose your channel.
Mail goes to the owner's tax-bill address and needs no phone number. Calls and texts reach owners faster but come with the rules below.
- 05
Track and re-scrub.
Keep a record of everyone who asks not to be contacted, and re-scrub your list against the registry at least every 31 days.
The calling and texting rules to know
| Rule | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Calling hours | No telephone solicitations before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., in the called person's local time. | FCC rule, 47 CFR 64.1200(c)(1) |
| National Do Not Call Registry | No telephone solicitations to numbers registered on the national registry. | 47 CFR 64.1200(c)(2) |
| Registry scrubbing | Telemarketers must check their call lists against the registry at least every 31 days. | FTC, Telemarketing Sales Rule |
| Autodialed or prerecorded calls to cell phones | Need the person's prior express consent. | 47 CFR 64.1200(a)(1) |
| Text messages | Count as calls under the same rule. | 47 CFR 64.1200(a)(9) |
| Penalties | Private lawsuits can seek $500 per violation, and up to three times that if the violation was willful. | 47 U.S.C. 227 |
One gray area: the FCC defines a telephone solicitation as a call that encourages someone to buy, rent or invest in property, goods or services. Whether a call offering to buy someone's house fits that definition isn't clearly settled, and some states have their own stricter rules. The safe approach is to scrub your list and follow the calling window anyway. This is general information, not legal advice; talk to an attorney about your state before you start a calling or texting campaign.
Is PropStream's skip tracing worth it?
It depends on your volume and plan. On Essentials, every contact costs 12¢, so tracing a 1,000-owner list costs about $120. On Pro and Elite, skip tracing is included through PropStream Connect up to an included amount, then 10¢ per contact. Results can include cell numbers, landlines and email addresses, with Do-Not-Call flags. Compare your cost per working contact, not just the price per contact, before you commit to any provider.
Source: propstream.com/pricing, checked October 21, 2026.
Where to go next
Related Guide
How to Stack Lists in PropStream
Narrow your list before you pay to trace it.
Related Guide
How to Find Motivated Sellers
The public-record signals worth tracing.
Related Guide
How to Export Lists from PropStream
Get your traced list into your dialer or CRM.
Related Hub
Senior Owners
How to reach long-time owners with care.
Glossary
Real Estate Glossary
Plain-English definitions for skip tracing, DNC scrubbing and the TCPA.
Learning Center
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Start the free 7-day trialSkip tracing questions
Skip tracing is finding a property owner's current phone numbers and email addresses from their name and addresses, using data compiled from public and commercial sources. Investors use it to reach the owners on a lead list.
It depends on the provider and plan. In PropStream, it's 12¢ per contact on Essentials, and included on Pro and Elite through PropStream Connect, then 10¢ per contact. Prices checked October 21, 2026.
Looking up contact information is generally legal. What you do next is regulated: calls and texts must follow federal rules like the calling window, the National Do Not Call Registry and consent rules for autodialed calls and texts to cell phones, plus any state rules. This isn't legal advice; check with an attorney for your state.
It isn't clearly settled whether a call offering to buy a home counts as a telephone solicitation. Scrubbing your list against the National Do Not Call Registry and any state lists, and honoring every request not to be contacted, is the safe approach.
Text messages count as calls under the FCC's rule, so autodialed texts to cell phones need the owner's prior express consent. Direct mail to the tax-bill address avoids those consent rules.
No provider finds a working number for everyone. Owners change numbers, use unlisted lines, or hold property through an LLC or trust. Try mail to the tax-bill address, or look up the LLC's registered agent with the state.