05.8.2025 PropStream
Disclaimer: PropStream does not provide legal, financial, or real estate investment advice. This article is for informational purposes only. Always conduct your own due diligence before making investment decisions.
The U.S. real estate market in early 2026 remains complex. Inventory remains tight, home prices are still elevated, and while mortgage rates have stabilized slightly, buyer demand is still below pre-pandemic levels.
As a result, many investors and agents are shifting their strategy. Instead of chasing listed properties, they are focusing on off-market opportunities driven by real seller motivation. But not all motivated sellers look the same. Today, the strongest signals often come from ownership patterns, financial pressure, and failed selling attempts.
PropStream Product Specialist, Burton, shared his expert tips on identifying high-potential sellers, based on conversations he’s had with real investors. Based on these insights, here are five high-converting filters you can use in PropStream to pinpoint sellers who are most likely to take action.
About Burton:
Burton, PropStream’s Product Specialist, brings over 10 years of experience in the real estate technology industry, giving him a deep understanding of how data and tools translate into real-world results. He has attended countless industry events and hosted numerous webinars, staying closely connected to evolving trends and best practices. As PropStream’s go-to authority, Burton regularly advises users on how to effectively apply the platform in real-world scenarios.
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How to Use Filters in PropStream to Build Targeted Lists
Knowing which filters to use is important, but the real advantage comes from how you apply them inside PropStream. Once you understand the logic behind each filter, building targeted lists becomes a repeatable process.
From the quick explainer below, learn how easy it is to search with various filters and create lists in PropStream.
5 High-Converting PropStream Filter Combinations (Expert Picks)
1. Absentee Owner + Vacant
This is often a property that’s no longer serving its purpose.
The owner doesn’t live there, it’s sitting vacant, and expenses like taxes, maintenance, or potential code issues may still be adding up. Over time, what was once an asset can start to feel like a burden, especially if it’s not generating income.
PropStream Property Search results for Absentee Owner + Vacant listings in Miami, FL.
This combination also signals low involvement and little to no emotional attachment. Without a tenant or personal use, the property becomes easier to part with, and the longer it sits, the more likely the owner is to consider selling just to reduce ongoing costs and responsibility.
In many cases like this, a sale is less about getting top dollar and more about solving a problem. Sellers in this situation are often more flexible on price or terms if it means a faster, simpler transaction. This presents a strong opportunity for wholesalers, fix-and-flip investors, and buy-and-hold buyers seeking off-market deals.
Pro Tip: Focus on properties that have been vacant for 6-12+ months and are owned by out-of-state owners, as these tend to show stronger motivation and higher response rates.
2. Failed / Expired Listings
Failed/expired listings are properties that were recently listed on the market but didn’t sell. This could be due to pricing, property condition, timing, or lack of buyer demand. Even though the listing is no longer active, the original intent to sell is still there in most cases.
PropStream Property Search results for Expired / Failed listings in Dallas, TX.
Related read: Failed Listings vs Expired Listings: Are They the Same?
When you pursue owners of a failed or expired listing, you’re reaching sellers who have already raised their hands. The difference now is that their expectations may be shifting after a failed attempt, making them more open to alternative solutions.
This is less about convincing someone to sell and more about offering a better path forward. Sellers may be more flexible on pricing or terms if it means avoiding another failed listing cycle. This makes them strong candidates for wholesalers, agents, and investors looking for quicker conversions.
Pro Tip: Pursue properties that expired or were withdrawn within the last 30-90 days, as motivation is still fresh and response rates tend to be higher.
3. Tax Delinquent + High Equity
We have seen strong demand for tax-delinquent property listings over the past few months. These owners are behind on property taxes but still have significant equity in their home.
In today’s market, rising ownership costs and affordability pressure are making it harder for some homeowners to keep up, even if they’ve built value over time. This creates a situation where they are under financial strain but still have something to protect or leverage.
PropStream Property Search results for Tax Delinquent and High Equity listings in Chicago, IL.
This is one of the strongest motivation signals right now because it combines urgency with flexibility. Sellers are dealing with a real financial issue, but unlike foreclosure, they still have equity to work with, which makes them more open to solutions and faster decision-making.
Once you’ve identified these leads, you can use PropStream’s Click-to-Dial feature to call property owners directly from your list. Position yourself as someone offering a solution rather than just a buyer, focusing on helping them resolve a growing problem rather than pushing for a quick sale.
Pro Tip: Focus on properties that are 2+ years tax delinquent and have 40%+ equity, as these tend to indicate greater financial pressure and higher motivation.
4. Tired Landlords (Absentee Owner + Long Ownership + Rental Indicators)
These are long-term property owners who have likely been managing rentals for years. Over time, dealing with tenants, maintenance, rising costs, and regulations can become overwhelming.
PropStream Property Search results for Tired Landlords listings in Phoenix, AZ.
This filter captures ownership fatigue. The longer someone has held a rental, the more likely they are to consider exiting, especially if the property requires ongoing effort or repairs.
Prioritize landlords who have owned properties for 10-15+ years and have multiple rentals, without recent sales activity, or homes with limited equity growth despite market appreciation, which can signal deferred maintenance.
Pro Tip: Use the Comps Tool in PropStream to spot pricing gaps. If a property is significantly below comparable sales nearby, it’s often a strong indicator of condition issues and a potential opportunity.
5. Individual Owners With 2-5 Properties
These are small portfolio owners with some real estate experience, but not operating at a large scale. They often manage their properties themselves and may feel operational pressure as markets shift.
PropStream Property Search results for Individual Owners' listings in Dayton, OH.
Unlike institutional investors, small portfolio owners are more sensitive to market changes, rising costs, and time commitment. This makes them more open to selling one or more properties.
This is a relationship-driven opportunity. These owners understand real estate, so conversations should be more strategic and collaborative. In many cases, they may be open to selling part of their portfolio rather than everything at once.
Keep them in your network, even if they are not ready to sell today, as they can become valuable contacts, future sellers, or even repeat-deal partners over time.
Pro Tip: Look for owners with 2-5 properties owned over 5+ years, as they are more likely to have equity and be open to restructuring or offloading part of their portfolio.
Turn Your Lead Lists Into Real Conversations With PropStream
With PropStream’s enhanced skip tracing, Click-to-Dial, and Dialer Campaigns, reaching out to motivated sellers is easier than ever. Cold calling remains one of the highest-converting outreach methods, and these built-in features make it simple to go from identifying leads to starting real conversations without switching tools. Built to scale, they help you move faster, stay organized, and maintain consistent outreach as your pipeline grows.
Search, identify, and connect—in one convenient real estate platform.
Disclaimer: PropStream engages an independent third-party to perform skip tracing.
If you’re not sure where to start, PropStream Academy’s Outbound Marketing Pack is a great place to begin. This free, all-in-one course is designed to help you take action on your leads with confidence, especially if you’re new to outbound marketing.
The best part is you can follow along as you learn. By starting your 7-day free trial of PropStream, you can apply each step in real time—building lists, skip tracing leads, and reaching out as you progress through the course.
