This is the actual thing you receive.
Sample records, field by field, and the letters that go with them. Most data companies will not show you this before you pay, which is usually a sign there is less in the file than the sales page implies.
Every name, address and account number on this page is invented. Real records are never published — we do not put a private individual’s information on a marketing website, even though the underlying records are public.
What fields are in the file?
A spreadsheet that opens in Excel or Google Sheets, one row per property. District and account identifiers are written as text so Excel does not strip the leading zeros — a small thing that ruins a file if it is handled incorrectly.
Who to write to
recipient_name · mail_street · mail_city · mail_state · mail_zip
The owner’s mailing address of record, which is often not the property address. Absentee owners get the letter where they actually receive mail.
The owner’s mailing address of record, which is often not the property address. Absentee owners get the letter where they actually receive mail.
The property
property_address · property_city · property_zip · assessed_value · last_transfer_price · year_built · square_feet · lot_size · last_transfer_date · owner_occupied · acctid
Enough to judge the job or the listing before you spend a stamp.
Enough to judge the job or the listing before you spend a stamp.
The neighborhood context
zip_median_home_value · zip_median_hh_income · zip_pct_owner_occupied · zip_investor_share · zip_median_year_built
Area figures from the Census American Community Survey and from parcel ownership analysis. Never presented as facts about the household — they describe the ZIP, not the person.
Area figures from the Census American Community Survey and from parcel ownership analysis. Never presented as facts about the household — they describe the ZIP, not the person.
What changed, and how it ranked
segment · rank · observed_event · context · event_date · cross_flags
The observed_event field states what the record shows, in plain English. It does not assert why it happened.
The observed_event field states what the record shows, in plain English. It does not assert why it happened.
Verify it yourself
sdat_url · permit_number (permit rows) · estate_number (probate rows)
Every row links back to the state or county record it came from. Check any row in about ten seconds.
Every row links back to the state or county record it came from. Check any row in about ten seconds.
Trade-specific columns
service_fit · drive_time_min · septic (contractors) · tenure_years · purchase_to_assessment_spread (realtors) · has_attorney · months_open · docket_count (attorneys) · years_since_transfer · buy_box_fit (investors) · campaign_id (all mail runs)
Two columns worth explaining precisely
purchase_to_assessment_spread — deliberately not called "equity"
Current assessed value minus the last recorded transfer price. That is not equity. Mortgages, refinances, home equity lines and liens do not appear in parcel records, so the real position could be very different. We give you the arithmetic the public record supports and name it accurately.
zip_median_home_value — where the number comes from
The U.S. Census American Community Survey five-year estimate of median home value for owner-occupied units in that ZIP code (table B25077), paired with median household income (B19013) and owner-occupancy rate. These are survey estimates covering all owner-occupied housing in the ZIP, not recorded sale prices and not a property-type breakdown, and ACS releases run a year or more behind. They are reliable for comparing one ZIP against another, which is what they are for. They are not a substitute for your own comparable sales.
Sample records
Starting with the two highest-volume segments — the ones a contractor and a newer agent will work every month.
Contractor feed · sample row · fictional data
H1 · recent_purchase · rank 87
The New Homeowner
Mail: 512 Aldergate Dr, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Property: same as mailing address
Property: same as mailing address
observed_event: Arms-length transfer recorded 4 months ago on a 1974 home. Owner-occupancy indicator present, no permit activity since transfer. Recently purchased homes commonly generate repair, customization and punch-list work.
service_fit: gutters, exterior paint, deck repair, interior punch list
assessed_value: 389,500 · year_built: 1974 · square_feet: 1,620
last_transfer_date: 2026-05-08 · drive_time_min: 14 · septic: No
zip_median_year_built: 1971 · zip_pct_owner_occupied: 71%
assessed_value: 389,500 · year_built: 1974 · square_feet: 1,620
last_transfer_date: 2026-05-08 · drive_time_min: 14 · septic: No
zip_median_year_built: 1971 · zip_pct_owner_occupied: 71%
Addressed to "The New Homeowner" rather than a name. Owner identity for very recent transfers is often not yet available, and a stale name is worse than none — mailing the previous owner tells the recipient your data is wrong.
Realtor feed · sample row · fictional data
S3 · co_owner_added · rank 85
Whitfield, Dana & Marcus
Mail: 4417 Ammendale Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20781
Property: same as mailing address
Property: same as mailing address
observed_event: A second owner was recorded on title of a 1,180 sq ft townhome held four years, with no arms-length sale price. Ownership of this property has changed; the record does not show why.
assessed_value: 340,700 · last_transfer_price: 245,000
purchase_to_assessment_spread: 95,700 (before debt, not equity)
square_feet: 1,180 · tenure_years: 4 · property_type: townhome
zip_median_home_value: 372,400 · zip_median_hh_income: 88,900
zip_pct_owner_occupied: 58% · zip_investor_share: 24%
acctid: 17-02214508 · sdat_url: [live link]
purchase_to_assessment_spread: 95,700 (before debt, not equity)
square_feet: 1,180 · tenure_years: 4 · property_type: townhome
zip_median_home_value: 372,400 · zip_median_hh_income: 88,900
zip_pct_owner_occupied: 58% · zip_investor_share: 24%
acctid: 17-02214508 · sdat_url: [live link]
The neighborhood columns are what make this segment workable. This property is assessed below the ZIP median, in an area where roughly a quarter of parcels are investor-held and owner-occupancy is under 60% — a very different conversation from the same event in a 90%-owner-occupied ZIP. You bring the comparable sales; the file brings the context and the timing.
Contractor feed · sample row · fictional data
H3 · permit_no_final · rank 84 · cross-flagged septic
Bergstrom, Alan T
Mail: 703 Ridgemont Ave, Rockville, MD 20851
Property: same as mailing address
Property: same as mailing address
observed_event: Permit issued 22 months ago with no final inspection recorded. That can indicate unfinished work, although a project may have been completed without the status being updated. Parcel also carries a private sewer indicator.
service_fit: drywall, trim and doors, interior paint, punch list, septic service
assessed_value: 412,300 · year_built: 1962 · square_feet: 1,510
drive_time_min: 9 · permit_number: MC-2024-118840 · septic: Yes
assessed_value: 412,300 · year_built: 1962 · square_feet: 1,510
drive_time_min: 9 · permit_number: MC-2024-118840 · septic: Yes
Two independent record events on one property. Cross-flagged rows rank higher and are the first ones worth a stamp.
Estate segment · sample row · fictional data
S1 / H2 · estate_with_property · rank 93
Alvarez, Renata M — Personal Representative
Mail: 4180 Kenwood Cir, Charlotte, NC 28209
Property: 9209 Wire Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20901
Property: 9209 Wire Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20901
observed_event: Estate opened 11 days ago holding residential real property that carried an owner-occupancy indicator. No attorney of record. Representative’s address of record is out of state. Estates holding residential property frequently create an eventual sale or transfer decision.
assessed_value: 500,800 · year_built: 1961 · square_feet: 1,840
months_open: 0.4 · has_attorney: No · estate_number: [live link]
zip_median_home_value: 541,600 · zip_pct_owner_occupied: 66%
months_open: 0.4 · has_attorney: No · estate_number: [live link]
zip_median_home_value: 541,600 · zip_pct_owner_occupied: 66%
The same record serves three trades differently — a possible listing to an agent, upkeep work to a contractor, an acquisition candidate to an investor. Occupancy after the filing is inferred from the record, never observed.
Sample letters
The actual templates, with merge fields shown in braces. Each segment gets its own, and none of them reference the record that put the recipient on the list.
H1 · recent purchase · contractor letter
Dear New Homeowner,
Welcome to {property_city}. I run a small repair business a few minutes from you, and I am writing for one reason: everybody who buys a house ends up with a list.
Usually it is the small things you noticed at the walkthrough and then stopped seeing — a gutter that overshoots, a door that sticks, a railing that moves when you lean on it. Nothing urgent. Nothing anybody schedules a big contractor for.
That is exactly the work I do. Flat price quoted before I start, photos when it is finished, and if something turns out not to need fixing I will tell you rather than bill you.
Start me with the smallest thing on your list and see how it goes.
{client_name}
{company_name} · {company_email} · MHIC #{license_number}
Welcome to {property_city}. I run a small repair business a few minutes from you, and I am writing for one reason: everybody who buys a house ends up with a list.
Usually it is the small things you noticed at the walkthrough and then stopped seeing — a gutter that overshoots, a door that sticks, a railing that moves when you lean on it. Nothing urgent. Nothing anybody schedules a big contractor for.
That is exactly the work I do. Flat price quoted before I start, photos when it is finished, and if something turns out not to need fixing I will tell you rather than bill you.
Start me with the smallest thing on your list and see how it goes.
{client_name}
{company_name} · {company_email} · MHIC #{license_number}
Asks for the smallest job, not the biggest. Makes no claim about who they already work with.
S3 · co-owner added · agent letter
Dear {salutation_line},
I work this part of {property_city} and I send local owners a short note once a year, because most people are working from a number that is two or three years out of date.
Two things worth knowing about your area. Census figures put the median home value in {property_zip} at about {zip_median_home_value}. And roughly {zip_investor_share} of properties here are held by investors rather than owner-occupiers, which affects how quickly things sell and who is buying.
What your specific place is worth is a different question, and it depends on condition and on what has actually closed nearby in the last few months — which is the part I can look up properly rather than estimate. If a bigger place, a quieter street, a shorter commute or a particular school district is somewhere on your horizon, it is worth having real numbers rather than an automated valuation.
Reply and I will put together a proper figure for your property, including what you would likely need to bring to the table. If the honest answer is that waiting a couple of years serves you better, I will tell you that.
{client_name}
{company_name} · {company_email}
I work this part of {property_city} and I send local owners a short note once a year, because most people are working from a number that is two or three years out of date.
Two things worth knowing about your area. Census figures put the median home value in {property_zip} at about {zip_median_home_value}. And roughly {zip_investor_share} of properties here are held by investors rather than owner-occupiers, which affects how quickly things sell and who is buying.
What your specific place is worth is a different question, and it depends on condition and on what has actually closed nearby in the last few months — which is the part I can look up properly rather than estimate. If a bigger place, a quieter street, a shorter commute or a particular school district is somewhere on your horizon, it is worth having real numbers rather than an automated valuation.
Reply and I will put together a proper figure for your property, including what you would likely need to bring to the table. If the honest answer is that waiting a couple of years serves you better, I will tell you that.
{client_name}
{company_name} · {company_email}
Why it is built this way. It never mentions the title change that put them on the list, never references household composition, and never claims to know their equity. The ZIP figures are named as Census estimates rather than passed off as comps — the agent supplies the comparable sales, which is the part they are actually licensed and equipped to do.
Homestead credit · first touch · works for any trade
Dear {salutation_line},
If you bought {property_address} in the last couple of years, it is worth checking whether you have filed for Maryland’s Homestead Tax Credit. It caps how fast your taxable assessment can rise, but it is not applied automatically when a property changes hands — a lot of new owners never file, and pay more than they need to.
The application is free and takes a few minutes on the state’s website. No catch, and nothing to buy.
If you ever need a hand with work around the house, we are local and we quote flat prices before starting.
{client_name}
{company_name} · {company_email}
If you bought {property_address} in the last couple of years, it is worth checking whether you have filed for Maryland’s Homestead Tax Credit. It caps how fast your taxable assessment can rise, but it is not applied automatically when a property changes hands — a lot of new owners never file, and pay more than they need to.
The application is free and takes a few minutes on the state’s website. No catch, and nothing to buy.
If you ever need a hand with work around the house, we are local and we quote flat prices before starting.
{client_name}
{company_name} · {company_email}
Useful before it sells anything. The ask is not a job — it is a favor that happens to be true, which is the rarest thing in cold mail.
H3 · permit with no final inspection · postcard
FRONT
Is that project still waiting to be finished?
{company_name} — {property_city}’s finish-the-job specialists
BACK
{salutation_line},
Projects stall. Contractors move on, budgets shift, life happens. If there is unfinished work at your place, we finish what others started: punch lists, drywall and paint, trim and doors, the final details an inspector wants to see.
Free walkthrough and a written quote — no pressure, no obligation.
{client_name}
{company_name} · {company_email}
Is that project still waiting to be finished?
{company_name} — {property_city}’s finish-the-job specialists
BACK
{salutation_line},
Projects stall. Contractors move on, budgets shift, life happens. If there is unfinished work at your place, we finish what others started: punch lists, drywall and paint, trim and doors, the final details an inspector wants to see.
Free walkthrough and a written quote — no pressure, no obligation.
{client_name}
{company_name} · {company_email}
Asks a question rather than announcing that we read the permit file — which matters, because the permit status may simply not have been updated.
H2 · property upkeep during administration · letter
Dear {salutation_line},
I work with people who are looking after a property in {property_city} from a distance. If the house on {property_street} is standing empty for a while, there are a few small things worth staying ahead of — the lawn, the gutters, and getting the heat checked before winter.
Flat prices, quoted before I start. Photos when the work is done. And if you call me out for something that turns out not to need fixing, I will tell you that instead of billing you.
If it is useful, start me with the smallest thing on the list.
{client_name}
{company_name} · {company_email}
I work with people who are looking after a property in {property_city} from a distance. If the house on {property_street} is standing empty for a while, there are a few small things worth staying ahead of — the lawn, the gutters, and getting the heat checked before winter.
Flat prices, quoted before I start. Photos when the work is done. And if you call me out for something that turns out not to need fixing, I will tell you that instead of billing you.
If it is useful, start me with the smallest thing on the list.
{client_name}
{company_name} · {company_email}
Never references a death, an estate or a filing. Conditional on the house being empty rather than asserting it. No urgency language of any kind.
What goes on every piece
Public-records notice: this card was prompted by public county records. To be removed from future mailings, reply or email and we will honor it immediately.
That line appears on every piece we write. It costs a little response rate and it is worth it: a recipient who understands why they got the letter is far less likely to be alarmed by it, and anyone who wants out can say so immediately. Requests are honored the day they arrive and applied permanently across every list and every client.
Recipients are always selected on property facts — size, age, tenure, transfer history, occupancy indicators — and ranked using area figures that describe the ZIP rather than the household. Letters may invite a reader to name the neighborhood or school district they care about, because that is the reader’s own choice to state. They never characterize one area as better than another.
See real ones for your own area.
The samples above are invented. Ask for twenty-five live records for your trade and territory and check them against the county’s own website — that is the only demonstration that actually proves anything.
