1. Start from your list, not the tool
Write down what your list is before you compare anything:
- Owner type. How many rows are people and how many are companies? Company owners need a state filing step first; see how to find who owns an LLC.
- Use. Wholesaling, land, absentee owners, commercial or surplus cases each have different starting records. The uses hub links each one.
- Destination. Which CRM or dialer the file has to go into, and which columns it requires.
- Size and repeats. How many rows, and how many you searched before.
2. Question 1: what exactly counts as a charge?
Read the pricing page for the rule, not just the number. Does the service charge per row submitted, per row with any result, or only for certain results? Are duplicates and repeat searches charged? Can you see the maximum cost before you run the list? A rule you can apply to your own file is more useful than a headline price. The skip tracing cost calculator lets you model a list, and free skip tracing covers what you can do before paying.
3. Question 2: how does it show who matched?
A search at an address can return several people. Ask whether the service shows which person matched the owner name on your list, and whether you can see the other people found without exporting them. A match is evidence to weigh, not an identity finding. See what a skip trace match proves.
4. Question 3: what happens with LLC owners?
Ask whether the service searches state business filings, which states it covers, and whether it shows the source record. A manager, member or officer named on a filing is a contact the company listed, not proof of who owns it. The registered agent guide explains that the agent accepts legal papers for the company and that the filing does not say the agent is a member. Locate Next’s approach is on LLC owner lookup.
5. Question 4: will the export go into your CRM?
Ask for a sample export in your CRM’s format before you commit. Check that your record ID survives, that each phone keeps its own status column, and that rows without a result say why. The CRM CSV checker catches import problems in your browser.
6. Question 5: what does it say about contact rules?
A service that returns phone numbers does not decide whether you may call them. Ask what Do Not Call information is included and how it is labelled, and read the rules yourself in DNC scrubbing and the skip tracing laws guide.
7. Question 6: where does your data go?
Ask who can see your uploaded list, how long it is kept, and how payment details are handled. A service’s security page should answer these in plain words. Locate Next’s answers are on its security and data sources page, which also says: “No independent audit has been done.”
8. Run a small test
- Pick a sample of rows you already know: owners you have confirmed from county records.
- Run the same sample through each service you are considering.
- Compare which person each service matched to the owner, not just how many numbers came back.
- Import each export into your CRM and check the record IDs.
The skip tracing comparison framework turns these questions into a worksheet. Three dated notes quote one company at a time: PropStream, REISkip and DealMachine.
Common questions
What is the best skip tracing service?
It depends on your list. Compare services on what counts as a charge, whether you see the maximum cost first, how matches are shown, LLC handling, CRM exports and data practices, using a sample of owners you have already confirmed.
Should I pick the service that returns more phone numbers per record?
More numbers is not the same as the right person. Check which person each service matched to the owner name, and test with owners you have confirmed.
How do I test a skip tracing service?
Run a sample of owners you already confirmed from county records through each service, compare the matched person and contacts, and import each export into your CRM.
Does a skip tracing service handle Do Not Call compliance for me?
A service can include Do Not Call information, but it does not decide what contact is allowed. Calling hours, internal do-not-call lists, consent and state rules remain your checks.
What does Locate Next show before a search?
From the live site: Upload your list, see the maximum cost first, and export only the people you choose.
Sources
- 47 CFR 64.1200, FCC telemarketing and do-not-call rules. Checked October 22, 2026.
- FTC, Q&A for telemarketers and sellers about the Do Not Call provisions of the TSR. Checked October 22, 2026.
This page is general information, not legal advice.