How To Use PropStream Data to Predict Which Properties Will Hit the Market Next

Disclaimer:  PropStream does not offer legal advice. This article is for informational purposes only. Do your own research and consult a legal professional before contacting motivated sellers.

By the time a property hits the MLS, you’re already competing with dozens of other potential buyers, which could drive up the purchase price. However, with the right data tools, you can anticipate when homes are likely to hit the market and make an offer beforehand. This can give you more time to negotiate an attractive deal at a lower price, protecting your profit margins.

The trick is knowing how to identify soon-to-be sellers. With PropStream, you can pinpoint high-quality prospects by layering search filters for property and owner characteristics that indicate selling motivation—all from data you already have access to. Read on to learn how!

Step 1: Start With Properties That Are Financially “Ready” to Sell

Most owners won’t sell their property unless it makes financial sense. For example, if they just bought their home, they may not have built enough equity to offset the transaction costs. In this case, selling could result in losing money on their investment. 

For this reason, start with owners who have meaningful equity. One way to determine this is to apply PropStream’s “High Equity” filter, which limits search results to property owners with:

• 50% or more equity
• Less than a 50% LTV (Loan-to-Value) Ratio
• $100,000+ in equity 

Alternatively, you could filter by ownership length, which is highly correlated with equity level. Those who’ve owned their home for 30+ years, for instance, are likely to have high equity or maybe even own their home outright.

Step 2: Narrow Down to Owners Showing Signs of Change

Once you’ve established financial readiness to sell, layer in behavioral and lifestyle signals. These may suggest an owner is considering selling, even if they haven’t taken any decisive steps in that direction. Here are some examples:

Absentee Ownership

When a property owner lives out of state, it may be harder to manage the property. They may need to hire a local property manager, which can cut into their profits and limit their control. Over time, these downsides can wear on the owner, who may consider selling as a result. 

Also Read: How To Find Absentee Owners

Long Ownership + Age or Lifestyle Mismatch

Homeowners who’ve owned their property for a long time and whose lifestyle is changing may consider selling. Think of empty nesters who need less space now that their kids are out of the house, or young families outgrowing their starter home.

Vacancy or Under-Use

Signs of vacancy or under-use may suggest the owner isn’t taking full advantage of their property. As a result, they may explore selling as a way to put their capital to better use.

Step 3: Look for Early Friction (Before Distress Hits the Market)

Next, look for early signs of financial pressure. This is different from late-stage problems like foreclosure and bankruptcy. Early signs of distress can include:

Tax delinquencies and liens. For homeowners behind on their property taxes or who’ve incurred liens for outstanding debts, selling can help them resolve their liabilities before the situation escalates.

Rising carrying costs on underused properties. When property expenses increase (e.g., utilities, property taxes, homeowners' insurance), homeowners may feel pressured to sell if they don’t experience an equivalent increase in the property’s value. 

Early indicators of foreclosure risk. Late payments on mortgages and other bills can signal financial trouble. To avoid the risk of foreclosure (and the resulting credit damage), some homeowners may be open to selling sooner rather than later.

Step 4: Combine Signals to Build a Short Predictive List

Now that you know what property and owner characteristics to look for, combine them into a single search to build a custom Lead List. This is the most important step.

After all, a single filter can’t predict a listing. However, a property search’s predictive power improves when multiple signals overlap. All else equal, smaller, cleaner lists tend to outperform large, generic ones. Here are some example filter combinations to consider:

• Long ownership + high equity + absentee
• Vacancy + equity + out-of-state owner
• Senior owner + multi-story home + long hold

Step 5: Review Property Context Before Outreach

With your custom Lead List criteria set, move from list-building to individual property review. In PropStream, open each property record to quickly assess ownership history, equity position, mortgage details, and recent sales activity nearby (comps).

Look for signals such as long-term ownership, recent loan activity, rising equity, or nearby homes selling at higher prices. This context helps you understand why an owner may be open to selling now and prepares you to approach outreach with relevant, informed talking points instead of a generic pitch.

Learn more about How To Run Comps in PropStream

Step 6: Reach Out Early and Thoughtfully

Once you’ve narrowed your leads to a short list, you can skip trace their contact information and begin outreach directly from PropStream. You can place one-off calls using Click-to-Dial, which lets you call a lead instantly from within PropStream using a built-in softphone, or launch a postcard or email marketing campaign without leaving the platform.

Whatever you do, avoid high-pressure sales tactics as they can be a major turn-off. Instead, focus on contacting a few high-quality leads at the right time. If they’re motivated to sell, you shouldn’t need to pressure them into doing it.

Why PropStream Works for Predictive Off-Market Investing

PropStream has everything you need to generate and contact off-market leads quickly. 

First, our reliable nationwide property and ownership data is regularly updated from MLSs, public records, and other proprietary sources. 

Secondly, the platform includes 165+ search filters and 20 dedicated Lead Lists that you can combine to craft highly tailored lists of motivated sellers. Stack as many as you want!

Finally, PropStream’s user interface is clean and easy to use, enabling streamlined workflows from lead generation to property research to prospect contact.

The Bottom Line

Ultimately, properties don’t hit the market randomly. They move toward selling when financial readiness and personal pressure align. Investors who learn to spot these signals with the right data tend to reach sellers earlier and protect their margins in the meantime.

So stop waiting for listings. Use PropStream to start identifying early seller signals and finding off-market opportunities before they hit the MLS.

*PropStream engages an independent third party to perform skip-tracing.