Access Texas Pre-Foreclosure Property Records: A Guide for Real Estate Agents

Published Nov 8, 2024
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Have you ever considered researching properties in pre-foreclosure as an option to grow your business and offer your services to help people in distress? You should.

Pre-foreclosure listings are often overlooked, and it can be challenging to find the right words when engaging homeowners in financial distress. However, people in such situations will usually appreciate your guidance and expertise in offering solutions to help them recover their financial strength. But how do you find them? 

If you’re an agent in Texas, the county tax office can be an invaluable resource, providing records that show properties in the early stages of default. However, suppose you’re looking to streamline this process. In that case, an online lead service like KeyLeads can make all the difference, saving you time and offering quality pre-foreclosure leads with little effort.

In this article, we’ll break down how you can obtain pre-foreclosure records from Texas county tax offices, tips for maximizing the information, and why KeyLeads might be your new best friend in securing consistent, high-quality leads.

Why Pre-Foreclosure Leads are Key to Growing Your Real Estate Business

When a homeowner misses mortgage payments or falls into default, their property enters the pre-foreclosure stage. In Texas, there is a short period of time before their property goes into foreclosure when you can reach out to these homeowners and engage them about your services. 

If you reach out early enough to start building your relationship and earn their trust, you can help them out of their situation by listing their property, which would be mutually beneficial, and offer other solutions to help them regain financial stability. 

This relationship can help you build your reputation as a trustworthy agent in your target market and could also help you build a large referral business.  

 Quick Facts About Pre-Foreclosures in Texas:

  • Texas typically follows a non-judicial foreclosure process, meaning pre-foreclosure stages can move fast because lienholders are often not required to file a civil suit. Also, in circumstances that do require filing a civil suit, lienholders can file to expedite the process. (Source)
  • Pre-foreclosure records are usually accessible through public records at the county level. Here, you can check for properties with tax liens, unpaid bills, or other red flags and see their delinquent amount.
  • Privacy laws may limit contact information, but most counties’ basic property details and default status are public information. Make sure to familiarize yourself with Texas’ privacy laws before engaging. 
    • “The Texas privacy law also requires businesses to gain consent before processing sensitive personal data and provide notice if they sell sensitive or biometric data.” (Source)

Targeting pre-foreclosures can expand your business and client base before the property hits the public market. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Accessing Pre-Foreclosure Records in Texas 

Getting pre-foreclosure records is fairly straightforward if you know where to look. In most cases, it simply involves heading to your county’s tax office. But to get the best information, you need to understand a lot of information.

Let’s go step by step:

Step 1: Identify the Right County Office

  • The records you need in Texas are typically housed in the County Tax Office.
  • Start by locating the office and its website. 

Step 2: Accessing Records Online

  • Many Texas counties offer digital access to property records, which are fairly simple to access. Go to the county tax website and search for a property records section.
  • Some counties allow you to view publicly available property details, such as tax payment status and liens, without an account. In contrast, others may require a free account for additional details, and some may charge a small fee.

Step 3: Visit the Office in Person

  • In some instances, visiting the office in person is the best option. In most cases, you will need to bring identification and be ready to explain your interest in finding pre-foreclosure properties.
  • County staff can guide you to the necessary records or direct you to available computer systems for on-site search access.
  • Dallas County, for example, might be easier to contact over the phone for direction or access information in person. 

Step 4: Key Information to Look For

  • Default Status: A property in pre-foreclosure will generally have some notation of unpaid taxes, liens, or defaults. Look for terms like ‘delinquent,’ ‘in default,’ or ‘lien.’
  • Owner Contact Details: While some records may include owner addresses, personal contact information like phone numbers may not be accessible due to privacy laws, and you will need to confirm that they are not on a Do Not Call list.

Doing Your Own Research to Find Contact Information

Once you have the property details, your next step is to find reliable contact information for the property owner, which can be difficult sometimes. You’ll need to go beyond what’s in the county tax records to find accurate contact information.

Building on County Tax Data

  • Social Media: Believe it or not, social media can often be an effective tool for finding more information, especially for owners of residential properties. I’ve heard from real estate agents that sending ads through Instagram has helped find homeowners in pre-foreclosure, saving you some time in your research.
  • Professional Relationships: Attorneys and credit unions are often a good resource for real estate agents who want to help people out of pre-foreclosure circumstances and can help build your client base. 
  • Public Directories: You can often find contact information online by searching, but you will need to comply with privacy laws and DNC lists.

KeyLeads: Simplify Contact Research

If you’d like to reduce your research legwork, KeyLeads is a great tool for finding high-quality pre-foreclosure leads. 

Essentially, KeyLeads sends you 20 vetted and exclusive pre-foreclosure leads with verified full contact information. It’s a fairly straightforward process if you are interested in buying your leads to help you save time and focus more on building your relationships rather than research.

Why platforms like KeyLeads save time:

  • Verified Data: Unlike public records that can sometimes be incomplete or outdated, KeyLeads has a dedicated research team that uses multiple data points to provide up-to-date contact information.
  • Automated Delivery: You receive a steady stream of 20 leads every month in your target market without having to chase them down. Plus, if you have exhausted a particular area, they will expand your radius to guarantee you receive 20 leads at no additional cost.  
  • Integrations: They offer over 84 integrations so that all leads flow seamlessly into your existing CRM, helping you stay organized with almost no effort. 
  • ROI Focus: Because pre-foreclosure leads are valuable but time-intensive, using a service like KeyLeads allows you to maximize your ROI by focusing on higher-level engagement activities, leaving the research to the platform.

Manage Your Expectations in Engagement

Connecting with pre-foreclosure homeowners requires sensitivity and a strategic approach. When a distressed homeowner is ready to start making decisions, it’s best to lead with compassion and offer several options. 

Here’s how you can set realistic expectations for your outreach:

Setting Realistic Goals

  • Many homeowners in pre-foreclosure are reasonably overwhelmed and may not respond on the first contact attempt. While response rates can be lower with pre-foreclosure contacts, the key is consistent, considerate engagement across multiple channels
  • Expect to reach out several times in different ways before a response. Each time you reach out, create a different way to share valuable information they can use to help see a path forward, and trust your friendly guidance.

Building an Engagement Plan

  • Use Friendly, Empathetic Language: Start by empathizing with the homeowner’s situation and approach the conversation as a potential helper… not a salesperson. Make sure they know you are genuinely capable of being their lighthouse in a difficult time, guiding them out of the storm.
  • Create a Follow-Up Plan: Space out your follow-up attempts (once every week or two) to allow the homeowner time to consider their options. Persistence with respect can often turn non-responsive leads into clients. Plus, the more you educate them on the process and next steps, the more likely they will feel more in control of their decision-making and empowered to take you up on your help.

Final Thoughts

Pre-foreclosure leads offer unique opportunities for real estate agents looking to build their business and help homeowners at the same time. Helping people in often, sometimes their most stressful times will help you build long-term relationships with people. Also, it helps you establish your reputation as a go-to agent in your area that people can trust because you lead with care and compassion.

Remember, Texas county tax offices are your starting point for identifying these leads, and with careful research and a professional, considerate approach, you can secure valuable connections. However, if you prefer to save yourself time and have the ability to buy leads, KeyLeads provides an effective alternative that also helps you stay within privacy compliance.

By balancing traditional research methods with tools like KeyLeads, you will likely grow your business quickly with a steady pipeline of leads. I hope this helps you start finding pre-forclosure leads right away!