***This article was originally written in 2022, but has been updated for 2023 to reflect new solution providers***
Agents, These Are The Best Resources For Real Estate Targeted Mailing Lists in 2022
Direct mailing should be part of every real estate agent’s marketing plan. However, there’s no need to spend hours combing through country records and MLS systems to put together a mailing list. Today, there are plenty of services that will do the hard work of data segmentation for you. With that in mind, below is a roundup of the four best resources for real estate mailing list providers in 2022. Read over our review of each service to get a sense of which one might be the best fit for you.
1. ATTOM List – Best Overall
Powered by property data from ATTOM, ATTOM’s real estate marketing list is thought by many to be the most thorough targeted marketing list provider on the market. Currently, the service boasts that it can provide users with data on over 100 million properties and 99% of all parcels nationwide while giving customers the ability to suppress previously purchased data/lists.
Key Features
- Enhanced data attributes: ATTOM provides users with the ability to build targeted marketing lists from an impressively-large variety of data attributes. To date, they offer over 400 unique property attributes in addition to detailed loan data, loan-to-value information, and property status data.
- Location-based search options: In addition to offering a wide selection of data, ATTOM also allows users to filter their data in unique ways. In particular, they offer a series of location-based options, including the ability to create a search based on custom-drawn boundaries and to utilize a radius search that’s run off of the user’s desired quantity of records rather than distance.
Plans and Pricing
- ATTOM uses a fully-customizable pricing model. ATTOM List does not currently offer a selection of pricing plans. Instead, their pricing model utilizes a base, per-lead charge with some enhanced datasets available for purchase at an additional fee.
Pros
- Wide selection of data. In addition to the standard data points that are provided by most of its competitors, ATTOM offers additional selection options, such as the ability to zero in on cash buyers or filter selections by the amount of bedrooms or bathrooms that a property has to offer.
- Individualized pricing. Some targeted marketing list providers make users pay for bulk data, only some of which may fit their individual needs. However, with ATTOM, users only need to pay for the exact data that they intend to use in their direct mailing campaigns.
- Established reputation. ATTOM has been a leading provider of real estate data since 1996. In that time, it has built a reputation of trust and reliability among agents and investors alike.
Cons
- The interface could be more user-friendly. The ATTOM List interface may not be the most intuitive option on the market. Still, the company offers helpful tutorial videos to help new users get acquainted with their system.
- Some information comes at an additional charge. While ATTOM provides the most robust selection of data attributes out of all the providers on this list, some information does come at an additional cost after you pay the initial per-lead fee. That said, the company does give users the ability to customize which attributes are included in their lists, allowing them more control over how much they spend.
2. ListSource – Best for Pre-Made Lists
ListSource is a targeted marketing list provider that is run by CoreLogic, another prominent data firm. Notably, the service only provides users with data on over 134 million properties and approximately 94% of homeowners in the United States, which is much less coverage than what’s offered by some other providers.
Key Features
- Buy Lists: In addition to allowing users to curate individualized targeted marketing lists, ListSource also offers a variety of pre-made lists for users who don’t want to worry about sifting through data on their own. These lists cover a variety of prospects, including new homeowners, absentee owners, and foreclosures.
Plans and Pricing
ListSource currently offers three distinct pricing plans:
- Subscription: Offering both quarterly and annual payment options, ListSource’s “Subscription” plan is a good fit for frequent list builders who would like to take advantage of buying leads at a bulk rate.
- Build and Buy: For those who aren’t sure whether direct mail marketing is a fit for them, ListSource’s “Build and Buy” plan allows agents to pay per lead, rather than having to worry about making use of a subscription plan.
- License and Resell: Finally, the “License and Resell” plan is meant for those who intend to resell the bulk data to third parties.
Pros
- Multiple payment options. With multiple plans to choose from, ListSource offers a choice between per-lead and bulk pricing.
- Well-Known in the industry. ListSource has been around for a while and its brand is well-known among real estate agents.
Cons
- Leads are expensive. Although the company does not publicize much specific pricing on its website, according to the company’s FAQ page, the minimum commitment for a subscription plan is $1,000, which makes this service pricier than many of its competitors.
- Search options are limited. ListSource’s search options are somewhat limited compared to its competitors. For example, the company does not currently offer the option to search by property address or to access delinquent tax data.
- Emails and phone numbers aren’t available. At this time, ListSource only provides mailing address information, which means users won’t be able to contact prospects via email or by phone.
3. DataTree Lists – Best for White Glove Service
Launched in early 2020, DataTree Lists is First American’s offering for the targeted mailing list landscape. This service leverages data on over 150 million residential and commercial properties and over 7 billion recorded document images to create its products.
Key Features
- List Fulfillment Specialists: Those who don’t want to bother to put a list together themselves can turn to one of DataTree List’s Solution Experts to provide them with a custom-made list that fits their prescribed parameters and budget.
- 3D Mapping: DataTree recently added a 3D mapping feature to its list of tools, which allows users to see parcel lines, flood zones, and terrain contours while they search for applicable properties.
Plans and Pricing
- DataTree Lists doesn’t publicize its pricing information. While DataTree’s original property search service runs off of a subscription model, DataTree Lists may be a different story. Sources indicate that the lists are priced on a per-lead basis, however, it is unclear whether you have to be an existing DataTree subscriber in order to access information from DataTree Lists.
Pros
- Option for white glove service. Users who don’t want to spend their time and energy putting together their own lists can have one of the company’s List Fulfillment Specialists do it for them.
- Longstanding history in the industry. First American has been a household name in the industry for years, which indicates that the data they provide can be trusted.
Cons
- Limited information available. Information about First American’s DataTree Lists service is hard to find. The landing page only offers limited insights and interested parties must fill out a lead capture form if they want more information on how the system works.
- Some data attributes come at an additional charge: Certain datasets are only available for an additional charge beyond the standard per-lead fee, which can increase the overall cost.
4. PropStream – Best for Direct Mailing Services
PropStream is more of an all-inclusive real estate software option rather than strictly a targeted mailing list provider, which comes with both positives and negatives.
For one, although the company says it provides information on 153 million properties, it’s not exactly transparent about where that data comes from. According to the company’s FAQ page, the company gathers its information from “MLS records, county recordings, and other private data sources.”
Key Features
- List Automator: Once you create a targeted mailing list, PropStream’s List Automator will automatically add new leads that match your search criteria and get rid of any entries that no longer fit the bill for an additional fee.
- Built-in Marketing Platform: PopStream has built-in marketing tools that allow you to design direct mailing campaigns at an additional cost.
Plans and Pricing
Users who want to utilize PopStream for targeted marketing lists will find that they have to pay a few separate service fees. They include:
- Basic Program Subscription: To use any of PopStream’s features, users will have to pay for the base software subscription, which currently costs $99 per month.
- List Automator Upgrade: If users want access to automatically-monitored lists, they will also have to pay an additional $27/month fee.
- Additional Marketing Tools: Once users create a direct mailing with one of PopStream’s marketing tools, they can purchase the finished product for an additional, per-piece fee.
Pros
- All-in-One Direct Marketing. PopStream allows its users to develop targeted lists and design direct mailings with the same interface.
- There’s an app. PopStream users also have access to a mobile app, which is not offered by many of its competitors.
Cons
- Fewer search options. Since PopStream is not primarily a targeted marketing list provider, there is much less emphasis on providing a wide variety of data attributes and segmentation options. The company only lists around 120 property search and status filters on its website.
- High-cost subscription model. PopStream’s subscription model means that users will have to pay to use the software before they even access a single lead. When combined with significant upcharges for some of its premiere features, investing in this software can become a costly proposition.
- Lack of transparency. Since PopStream is vague about where its data comes from, users should be cautious when relying on its accuracy.
The bottom line on real estate mailing list providers
By now, It should be clear that no two real estate mailing list providers are exactly alike. With that in mind, as you search for a provider, it’s important to do your research. While this list should be enough to help you get started, It’s a good idea to take a closer look at whichever provider you think will best suit your needs before taking the plunge. Once you’ve done your due diligence, you can confidently get started on incorporating targeted mailing lists into your marketing efforts.
