🚨 How to Pull County Lists Like a Pro (Step-by-Step)

Most people overcomplicate this. But today I’m going to show you how to pull one of the BEST lists in real estate—Code Violations—straight from your county or city’s records in just a few steps.

Here’s how it works:

🔥 Why County Lists?

They’re public records. That means they’re free, and they come straight from the source—city or county governments. These lists are gold for wholesalers looking for motivated sellers.

🔍 Step 1: Pick Your Target Area

Choose a city (for things like Code Violations or Water Shutoffs) or a county (for things like Probates or Pre-Foreclosures). Example: Plano, Texas.

🖥️ Step 2: Google This

Type:

👉 [City Name] Code Enforcement

👉 [City Name] Open Records Request

👉 [City Name] FOIA Request

Look for a government website link—usually a .gov or .org—and click it.

📝 Step 3: Locate the Records Request Form

Most cities/counties have a section to submit a public records request online. If not, they’ll list an email or contact person. You’re looking for forms titled like:

Open Records Request

Submit FOIA Request

Public Info Request

📬 Step 4: Fill Out the Request

You’ll often need to create an account. Some cities allow anonymous requests, but many require your name, phone number, or email.

🧠 Pro Tip: Be Professional

Instead of saying “Send me the code violations,” use a message like:

“Hi, I’m requesting a list of all open code violations for residential properties in [City Name] over the last 30 days, specifically related to tall grass, junk, debris, and substandard conditions. Thank you!”

Don’t worry—I made you a plug-and-play template below👇

https://docs.google.com/document/d/18-veCbRoDtMkkuA9cjFI-yFC_E-kQObtTMBxVuNLH9E/edit?tab=t.0

✅ Step 5: Submit + Track

Submit your request. You’ll usually get an email confirmation, and within a few business days (sometimes 24 hrs), they’ll send the list in Excel or CSV format. If you don’t get it, follow up.

📈 Step 6: Skip Trace It

These lists don’t come with phone numbers—you’ll need to skip trace the addresses.

Use services like Xleads.com

📞 Step 7: Start Calling

Load those numbers into a dialer like EnzoDialer (my favorite), or call them manually. Or even text blast or email—up to you. Now you’ve got a motivated seller list built from scratch.

📂 BONUS: Filter Out the Noise

Once you get the list, use Google Sheets or Excel to filter for high-quality leads. Skip over junk like cable box complaints. Focus on issues like:

Trash/debris, Tall grass, Unsafe structure

These are usually better leads.

🧠 If you get a lead and need help dispo’ing your deal, send it to MaxDispo.com — we’ll get it sold.

Let’s get you some deals.

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