Tired of slow and unresponsive leads?
It usually means you’re talking to the wrong people. The truth is, there are people aren’t just looking to sell, they have to. These motivated sellers are the ones you should focus on.
But how do you identify them?
First, If they’re not stressed, they’re not selling. If they’re not in pain, they’re not moving. If you target the wrong people, your real estate pipeline will fill up with noncommittal prospects.
That’s why you need to shift your focus to the people who are actually in a tough spot
and position yourself as the one who can help solve their problem.
What are motivated seller leads?
A motivated seller is someone who:
- Needs to sell
- Wants to be done
- Is ready to work with someone who can help them now
You’re not there to convince them.
Instead, you’re helping them do what they already want to do.
How to Identify Truly Motivated Sellers:The 4 Key Filters
These four filters will help real estate professionals find types of real estate leads who are truly motivated to sell. Here’s how to use them:
Filter #1: Home Needs to Sell
Look for homeowners who need to sell real estate, not just want to. These sellers are in situations where selling is their only real option.
Filter #2: No or Minimal Emotional Attachment
Your motivated real estate lead, ie. ‘ the seller’ should have little to no emotional connection to the property. They’re not holding on to memories, they’re ready to move on.
Filter #3: Unlikely to Be Married to Price or Commission
These motivated sellers are open to negotiation and flexible with both price and commission. They need a solution, not a battle over every penny.
Filter #4: Burdened by a Process Causing Overwhelm
They’re going through tough chapters in life; divorce, probate, financial pressure.
These aren’t just transactions for them.
They need clarity.
They need speed.
And more than anything, they need someone who can help them make smart decisions without adding more stress.
That’s where your filters come in.
When you use the right criteria, you stop wasting time and start locking in on the ones who are actually ready to sell.
These are the truly motivated sellers.
Focus on the 7% of Homeowners Who Are Motivated Sellers
This is where the real leverage lies.
The 7% of motivated sellers are those going through tough transitions like divorce, death, debt, or disaster.
By focusing on these individuals, your motivated seller list grows, and your efforts start paying off.
Think about it…
When someone’s drowning in bills…
Tossing unopened mail in a pile…
And dealing with a property that just drains their energy…
They don’t need a pitch.
They’ve already made up their mind and they want their way out.
What they’re looking for?
Someone who understands.
Someone who can step in and say:
“This is the situation.”
“Here’s the plan.”
“We’ll handle it this way.”
Start with one group. Speak directly to their pain, and you’ll become their obvious choice.
How to Find Motivated Sellers
You don’t need a massive real estate lead list. What you need is a focused list of the right people a.k.a motivated sellers ready to list their homes.
Start by identifying a specific seller type that fits your market, like inherited properties or tired landlords.
Next, gather the data. Pull public records, use real estate lead tools, or invest in a high-quality list.
When reaching out, focus on empathy and value. Instead of simply asking, “Do you have any interest in selling?”, try, “It looks like you might be dealing with ______. If I could offer a solution, would you be open to hearing about it?”
Commit to 30 days of consistent action. Track your conversations and adjust your approach as you go.
By focusing on one seller type, your training to become the expert.
And experts build trust. Trust leads to more business.
Remember, one solid seller lead can easily turn into five to seven extra moving real estate transactions if you handle it right.
7 Types of Motivated Sellers You Should Be Targeting
As mentioned previously, these sellers are dealing with real pressure whether it’s a property they’re drowning in, life events weighing them down, or financial struggles.
And because of that, they want simplicity, speed, and someone who not only has the knowledge, but can guide them through the process.
1. Behind on Mortgage Payments / Pre-Foreclosure
These motivated seller leads for real estate agents are also motivated leads for investors.
They’re in danger of losing their home.
They need options fast.
You can help them avoid foreclosure and walk away with dignity.
Where to find them: Public records, lead providers, court notices.
My favorite source for Late Mortgage Leads is All The Leads.
2. Divorcing Couples
With divorce real estate leads, the house is often the final thing tying them together.
They don’t want to deal with each other let alone a long, drawn-out listing process or sale.
If you can bring structure and neutrality, you become the go-to professional.
Where to find them: Divorce filings, attorney referrals.
My favorite source for Late Mortgage Leads is All The Leads.
3. Inherited Properties (Probate)
The heirs don’t want the property.
They just want to move on with as little drama as possible.
Many of those who are inheriting real estate are out-of-state or emotionally overwhelmed. with these real estate listing leads, you can be the calm in their chaos.
Side note: As the author of this post, Probate Leads and Inherited Properties are the motivated seller that I focus on the most. I have listed at 15 – 30 probate deals every year since putting an emphasis on Probate and Estate deals for real estate. I have several real estate agents and investors who have taken my Probate Mastery Course and are doing 10+ probate deals every month. This is probably the hottest source for motivated real estate leads that you will find in most markets. Want to know more about this niche? Check out our Probate Certification program (Probate Mastery).
Where to find them: Probate records, estate attorneys, obituary leads
My personal go-to source for finding high-quality probate and pre-probate leads : ALL THE LEADS
4. Tired Landlords
These motivated sellers are done with leaky roofs, late rent, and bad tenants. They are one of the best types of motivated listing leads you will find and are often extremely pragmatic with their listing and pricing decisions.
With rates shifting and rents plateauing, a lot of landlords are ready to cash out.
Especially if they’re managing from another city.
Where to find them: Eviction records, rental property lists, Facebook landlord groups.
5. Out-of-State Owners / Vacant Homes
These owners are bleeding money vacant homes still rack up taxes, insurance, and stress.
In this market, short term rentals are taking a beating and real estate sellers who once pulled in a nice profit are having to sink personal month into their vacation homes.
In many cases, these sellers just want someone to take it off their hands.
You step in with solutions.
Where to find them: USPS vacant data, list providers, skip tracing tools.
6. Expired Listings
They already tried to sell but the listing didn’t move.
Now they’re frustrated, skeptical, and open to someone who actually has a strategy.
Come in with confidence and a new plan.
Where to find them: Your MLS. Every day. It’s free… use it.
My favorite source for Late Mortgage Leads is All The Leads.
7. Eviction Records
Evictions are draining. Most landlords don’t want to go through it twice.
Once they’ve dealt with a nightmare tenant, they’re usually ready to sell their real estate.
Be the professional who shows up with real help…
Where to find them: Local court dockets, eviction filings.
Real Talk :
Leads that aren’t interested are draining your time.
You keep following up, waiting for a response that won’t come.
No amount of consistency will fix a lead source that’s BROKEN.
Talk to people who actually need help.
Be the solution to their problem and they’ll gladly work with you.
That being said…
Start thinking differently.
Reverse engineer why someone is selling.
Uncover what they’re really facing and show up coming from a place of help
Very few agents specialize in these lead sources.
And that gap?
It’s not just an opportunity for you.
There’s a real need in the market.
A space waiting to be filled by someone who knows how to guide people through tough life situations with clarity and care.
One of the most overlooked (yet powerful) niches for this? Probate.
Want to know if probate is the right fit?
Join Probate Foundations Live (our free class.)
You’ll get a 30,000-foot view of the probate world and walk away with the confidence to decide if it’s a powerful addition to your lead pipeline.
About the Author
