1. How it works, and where Locate Next fits
Claude, ChatGPT and similar apps can call outside tools through a standard called MCP. When you add Locate Next as one of those tools, your assistant can ask Locate to search, save, clean and export on your behalf.
The searching and list work run on Locate’s servers under your login. What comes back to the chat is just the answer: how many homes, a short page of owners, or the name of the saved list. Large lists remain in your Locate account rather than flooding the conversation, which spares your assistant from reading thousands of rows.
Two roles, kept clear: Claude or ChatGPT is the assistant you talk to. Locate Next is the skip tracing tool it uses.
2. Connect Locate to your assistant
Setup is a one-time step followed by a sign-in. The exact clicks differ by app, and the Locate in Claude and ChatGPT page has each one step by step. In short:
| App | Where you add Locate |
|---|---|
| Claude (web and desktop) | Settings, then Connectors, then add a custom connector named Locate |
| ChatGPT (web) | Plugins, then add a custom MCP server named Locate |
| Claude Code | One terminal command, then /mcp to sign in |
| Codex | Two terminal commands; the second sends you to a browser login |
| Cursor | One entry in Cursor’s MCP settings file, then a login on first use |
Every app uses the same Locate address, shown on the setup page. Any other app able to reach a remote MCP server should work with it as well.
You need a Locate account first. Get started at $49 a month, then connect.
3. What to ask, in plain words
You do not need special commands. Ask the way you would ask an assistant on your team. Some examples that match what Locate can do:
Find homeowners
- “Pull the owners of homes in ZIP 44104 that were built before 1960 and save them.” Locate saves the list, and your assistant reports how many homes it holds.
- “Count the homeowners in Cleveland, OH, and list the first ten.” You get the total, followed by a short sample.
Clean a list you already have
- “I’ve attached a spreadsheet of addresses. Tidy it up and explain the changes.” Locate completes missing address parts where it can and holds back rows it cannot search, with a plain reason for each.
Skip trace, with the price first
- “Before you run anything, tell me the cost to trace the Maple Street list.” Your assistant reports the price and waits for your answer.
Export
- “Give me the traced Maple Street list as a CSV.” You receive a file laid out for a CRM import. See CRM export for how the file is laid out.
Putting it together
A typical session might run like this. You ask for owners of older homes in one ZIP code and get a count. You ask for ten rows to check that the owners look right, then ask your assistant to save the list under a clear name. Next you ask what tracing that list would cost, read the number, and reply yes or ask it to trim the list first. When the trace finishes, you ask for the CSV and import it into your CRM. Each step is a short sentence from you.
4. You stay in charge of spending
Skip tracing costs money, so Locate is built to ask first. Your assistant cannot start a skip trace on its own. It reports the price, and Locate releases the search only once you have said yes. Many assistant apps add their own prompt before any tool makes a change, so you may confirm twice.
A good habit: read the price your assistant shows, and if a list is bigger than you expected, ask it to narrow the search first, for example by year built or by property type. See pricing for how charges work.
5. Access and privacy
- You approve each app. Each assistant must request access, and you grant it from inside your own Locate login. Access is limited to your workspaces.
- Your lists stay in Locate. The assistant sees replies to the questions you ask, never the full file.
- You can take access back. Locate keeps a page that lists every connected app, and you can disconnect any of them. For an app that cannot sign in, you can make an access key and revoke it later.
More on how Locate handles data is on the security page.
6. Tips for good results
- Be specific about the place. Give a ZIP code, or a city with its state. Locate searches by ZIP code, city or county, not by radius.
- Name the list. “Save it as Maple Street older homes” makes it easy to find later.
- Ask for a sample first. “Show me ten” lets you check the owners before you build a large list.
- Check the results yourself. A skip trace suggests who the owner is and how to reach them. A name match is not proof, so review the people before you call.
- Follow the contact rules. Locate does not check numbers against do-not-call lists or place calls. Read DNC scrubbing before you dial.
If something goes wrong, such as a ZIP code with no results or a file Locate cannot read, ask your assistant what Locate said. It passes the reason back in plain words, so you can fix the input and try again.
Common questions
Can ChatGPT skip trace by itself?
No. ChatGPT does not have homeowner contact data on its own. Connected to a skip tracing tool like Locate Next, it can ask that tool to search and report back.
Which apps can I use Locate in?
The setup page covers Claude (web and desktop), ChatGPT, Claude Code, Codex and Cursor. Apps beyond those can try the same address if they support remote MCP servers.
Is the data the same as in the Locate app?
Yes. Through the connector, your assistant reaches the very same search, saved lists and exports you see when you log in to Locate directly.
Does using Locate in Claude use my Claude credits?
Chatting with you uses the assistant app’s own allowance. The heavy work of searching, saving and tidying runs on Locate, and large lists are kept there, so the chat stays light.
Sources
- Locate Next, Locate in Claude, ChatGPT, Codex and Cursor. Read November 5, 2026.