Dec 27, 2025
Best Search Filters for 2026: The Insider’s Guide to Finding Owners Most Likely to Sell
The 2026 real estate market is slow, uneven, and full of uncertainty. But the truth is this:
motivated sellers still exist—most brokers just don’t know where to look.
Top performers aren’t guessing where deals will come from. They’re using predictive filters to pinpoint owners who are statistically more likely to sell before the market catches on.
This article breaks down the most powerful search filters for uncovering sellers in 2026—across both residential and commercial real estate—and how UnrealCRM helps you execute these insights at scale.
Why Search Filters Matter More Than Ever
You can’t predict every seller, but you can identify categories of owners who are significantly more likely to move, sell, refinance, or restructure in 2026.
These filters act as your inside track—a data-backed way to focus on the groups where meaningful opportunity actually exists.
RESIDENTIAL SELLER FILTERS FOR 2026
Filter #1 — Length of Ownership (and Why It Matters More Than Ever)
Average U.S. homeownership duration has risen dramatically, now sitting between 10–13 years, depending on the market.
This shift happened because millions of homeowners locked in ultra-low 2–4% mortgage rates during the 2020–2022 cycle—and they have little financial incentive to move.
This means:
Owners with low interest rates are LESS likely to sell
Owners with longer hold periods are MORE likely to consider a move
You must be dynamic in how you interpret ownership-duration trends
Why it works
Long-term owners:
Have lower basis
Have significant built-up equity
Are less sensitive to current rate environments
Are more likely to downsize, relocate, liquidate, or simplify their portfolio
Actionable Residential Filters
Purchased 2008–2010
Purchased before 2015
Owned 10+ years
Owned 25–30 years (matches typical amortization cycles + life-stage transitions)
These filters capture owners who are not trapped by a sub-4% mortgage—and who may be ready for their next chapter.
Filter #2 — Absentee Owners & the Tax-Code Advantage
Absentee owners (non-owner-occupied homes) are historically one of the strongest seller categories.
Why?
They feel market stress faster (vacancy, maintenance, taxes, insurance)
They are more financially rational and less emotionally attached
They’re responsive to opportunity—especially tax-advantaged opportunity
New for 2026: Bonus Depreciation & Cost Segregation Advantage
Recent changes to 100% bonus depreciation and updated cost segregation study rules make it extremely compelling for investors to trade out of existing properties into new ones.
Translation:
Absentee owners + favorable tax rules = motivated conversations.
Actionable Residential Filters
Absentee/Non-owner-occupied
Out-of-state owner
Owners holding multiple investment properties
Corporate-owned SFR portfolios
Filter #3 — Soft Distress Indicators (Non-Code-Violation)
Even without obvious distress signals, some ownership situations create natural pressure.
Actionable “Soft Distress” Filters
Older homes with aging systems (pre-1990 build dates)
Properties with unusually high YOY tax increases
Owners with multiple properties acquired rapidly (over-leveraged acquisitions)
Long-term owners approaching typical downsizing demographics
These are probability filters—they help you find the right conversations at the right time.
UnrealCRM Advantage (Residential)
With UnrealCRM, you can:
Instantly run all these filters across any U.S. market
Auto-generate property lists
Click Enrich to pull real owner names, emails, phones, mailing addresses
Add all contacts directly to your CRM
Launch email, print-mail, or call campaigns in minutes
Traditional tools make this difficult.
UnrealCRM makes it automatic.
COMMERCIAL SELLER FILTERS FOR 2026
Filter #1 — Long Hold Period & Basis Advantage
Commercial owners who purchased long ago have the greatest flexibility—and the least exposure to rate volatility.
Important 2026 Insight
Owners who purchased during the 2008–2010 market downturn are often the MOST insulated today.
Their basis is extremely low, appreciation is extremely high, and they are well-positioned to:
Exit profitably
Exchange into more favorable assets
Take advantage of 100% bonus depreciation on new acquisitions
Actionable Commercial Filters
Purchased before 2010
Purchased before 2005
Owned 25–30 years
Low-basis indicators compared to market values
These owners can transact, even in tough markets—and many want to.
Filter #2 — Debt Maturity & Refinance Pressure
From 2025 to 2027, commercial real estate faces a significant refinance wall.
Owners with loans maturing soon must make decisions—refinance, restructure, or sell.
Why brokers should care
Refinance conversations often turn into listing conversations.
And importantly:
Some lenders pay referral fees to brokers who send them refinancing leads.
These owners are worth reaching out to—even if they aren’t selling today.
Actionable Commercial Filters
Loans maturing in 12–36 months
Adjustable or floating-rate loans
Properties with >6% debt
Properties last refinanced 2014–2016 (common 10-year balloon term)
CMBS loans nearing maturity
These are high-probability outreach targets for 2026.
Filter #3 — Distress Signals (CRE Edition)
Commercial distress rarely happens overnight—it's usually a slow bleed.
Actionable CRE Distress Indicators
Properties in high-vacancy submarkets
Class B/C assets facing functional obsolescence
Owners who bought 2021–2022 at peak valuations
Properties facing tax reassessment pressure
Assets requiring significant deferred capital investment
These filters surface assets where ownership fatigue—and financial pressure—is rising.
Filter #4 — Custom Asset Import + Enrichment
A major part of commercial prospecting is integrating data from other sources.
UnrealCRM lets you:
Import any property dataset (e.g., CoStar, internal spreadsheets)
Append it to your search table
Click Enrich to reveal the true ownership information
Add all contacts directly to the CRM for outreach
This removes the pain of incomplete or outdated owner data from third-party sources.
How to Use These Filters in Practice (Simple Workflow)
Choose residential or commercial.
Apply 2–4 of the filters above.
Generate your list inside UnrealCRM.
Click Enrich to attach owner data.
Add them to your CRM.
Launch an email, mailer, or call sequence.
Set reminders + track follow-ups.
These filters unlock high-probability sellers. UnrealCRM unlocks the ability to scale.
Final Takeaway
Markets shift. Rates move. Headlines change.
But ownership behaviors—and the motivations behind them—remain predictable.
The filters above are the 2026 insider playbook for brokers who want to source real opportunities instead of waiting for the phone to ring.
With UnrealCRM, you can actually execute these filters at scale, in any U.S. market, in minutes.
Ready to see which owners in your market are most likely to sell in 2026?
👉 Run these filters inside UnrealCRM
👉 Generate your seller list
👉 Start the conversations that lead to deals
FAQs
What are “ClearSignals”?
ClearSignals are your custom filter stack—rules that prioritize owners more likely to transact.
How many filters should I use at once?
Start with 2–4. Too many filters can over-narrow your list and reduce learning.
What list size should I start with?
A 300–1,000 record micro-list is enough to test a pocket quickly.
Is this only for California?
No. These filters apply nationally. The best signals can vary by market.
How fast can I get results?
Many teams can book meetings quickly with verified data and a consistent follow-up cadence. Timing varies by market.
