Building Permit Data for Real Estate Investors: FAQ
By Marcus Reeves, Head of Permit Research at PermitGrab · Updated daily from official city records · Last permit filed: today
Real estate investors live or die by deal flow. Permit data + code violations + property owner records is the highest-yield public-records combination for finding off-market deals. PermitGrab combines all three across 1061 cities with 271,357 violations and 11,863,412 property owners.
How do real estate investors use building permit data?
- Where renovation is happening — gentrifying neighborhoods, new construction, contractor concentration
- Code violations — properties whose owners can't afford repairs, often motivated to sell
- Competitor activity — which contractors and investors are pulling permits in your zip codes
- Stalled projects — expired permits often signal a deal
What are "motivated seller leads" from code violations?
Properties with open code violations often have owners who can't afford the repairs and may sell at a discount. PermitGrab tracks 271,357 violations across 48 cities. Filter by violation type, date, and neighborhood to build a hyperlocal motivated-seller list.
How can I find off-market deals using permit data?
- Expired permits = stalled projects = potential deals
- Multiple violations on one property = owner overwhelmed
- New permits in transitioning neighborhoods = gentrification signal
- Property owner + assessed value = filter to your price range
Do you provide property owner contact information?
Yes — owner names and mailing addresses from county assessor records, plus assessed values for filtering. Available in 200 cities (11,863,412 owner records).
Can I track competitor investor activity?
Yes. Top contractor leaderboards show who's active where, by trade and by month. Watch which blocks are getting the most permits — that's where capital is flowing.
How much does it cost?
$149/month for permits + violations + property owners. Compare to motivated-seller lead lists at $500-2000/month or skip-trace services at $0.10-0.50 per record. Start free trial →
What cities have the best data for investors?
Cities with all 4 data pillars (permits + phones + violations + owners):
- Chicago · Miami-Dade · Phoenix · San Antonio · NYC · Cleveland
Related FAQs: Solar leads · Insurance leads · Contractor leads · General FAQ
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