Searching for properties

Three ways to search

PropQuest gives you three entry points and they all hit the same property database under the hood.

AI prompt search — type "absentee 3/2 in Tulsa under 150k with 60% equity" and we parse it into structured filters. Fastest when you know what you want.
Manual filters — the sidebar on /app/property-search exposes every filter the data provider supports: ownership, equity, year built, lot size, distress signals, MLS status, etc.
Map draw — drop a polygon or radius on the map. Useful for "this side of the river only" type targeting.

AI prompt syntax in detail

The AI prompt accepts natural language but rewards specificity. These all work:

vacant absentee SFR in 74104 with 70%+ equity
pre-foreclosure 3+ bed under 200k within 5 miles of Sapulpa OK
tired landlord, 2+ years owned, behind on taxes, Tulsa metro

We translate to filter chips below the prompt before running the query, so you can sanity-check the parse. If a phrase doesn't translate (highlighted yellow), edit it or apply the equivalent manual filter — the search still runs on whatever did parse.

Filters that move the needle

Most lists collapse to the same five filters. Start here and add more if the count is too wide:

Absentee owner — mailing address ≠ property address
Equity % — set 50%+ for cash-flow plays, 70%+ for creative finance
Last sale date — owners >5 years in are easier to motivate
Property type — SFR vs duplex vs land changes your script
Market status — off-market only, unless you want to compete with retail

Add a sixth (distress) only if your strategy needs it: pre-foreclosure, tax delinquent, code violation, probate. Each one is a tighter, warmer list — fewer leads, higher conversion.

Combining map draw and filters

Filters and map polygons are AND-ed, not OR-ed. Draw a polygon, then apply filters — the result is "properties inside the polygon that also match every filter."

This is the right way to target irregular geographies (this side of the highway, that ZIP minus the gentrified blocks). The polygon redraws live as you edit it; the result count chip in the corner updates within a second so you can feel the tightening.

Search vs list — the difference

A search is a live query — re-runnable, dynamic. A list is a frozen set of properties you're working through.

Save a search when you want to be notified of new inventory matching the criteria. Convert a search to a list when you're ready to start dialing, mailing, or skip-tracing — that locks the property set so your stats (response rate, contact rate, close rate) measure the same group over time.

Saved searches

Once a search dials in, hit Save. We re-run it nightly and badge the dashboard when new properties match.

This is how you find new deals without staring at the search bar every morning. Saved searches are free and there's no cap — most users end up with 5-15 (one per market / strategy combo).

A note on credits

Searching the database is free. You only burn credits when you skip-trace, pull a full report, or send through Gmail. Browse aggressively — narrow the list before you spend anything.

The wallet badge in the top nav shows your live balance. If a search action would cost credits (it won't — search is free), we always confirm the spend in a modal first.

Performance on huge markets

Searches across an entire MSA can return tens of thousands of properties. The map shows the current page (default 50), not all results — page through or hit Show all on map to render up to 5,000 markers at once (above that we cluster).

If you're seeing the 5,000-result cap, your search is too wide for one cohesive list. Split by ZIP cluster, by neighborhood polygon, or by property type — three lists of 1,500 each work better than one list of 5,000 you can't actually touch.

Common gotchas

Polygons over very large areas (>100mi²) get capped at 5,000 results. Tighten the polygon if you're seeing the cap.
"Vacant" status is provider-derived and can lag reality by 30-60 days. Cross-check with a drive-by or street view before mailing.
The map shows the current page of results, not all results. Page through to see the full set.
AI prompts containing dollar amounts need a k or m (150k works, 150000 works, 150 is ambiguous and we'll ask).
Saved searches re-run on the public-record refresh cadence (nightly for most counties, weekly for a handful) — same-day new listings may not appear until the next morning.