Understanding Your Lead
Not all leads are the same. Most agents are used to the same few types → and most convert below 3%. Here's what's out there, and why event-triggered leads are different.
Common Leads
These are what most agents buy from services like REDX, Vulcan7, and Zillow. They can work → but the conversion rates are low because there's no specific reason the homeowner needs to sell right now, and you're usually competing with other agents for the same person.
Expired Listings
~2–3%The home was listed on the MLS but didn't sell before the contract expired. The homeowner still wants to sell → but every agent in town calls them the same morning. REDX reports a 20.7% overall sold rate, but your slice is much smaller when 5+ agents are fighting for the same listing.
FSBO
~1–2%For Sale By Owner → they're trying to sell without an agent. Only 5% of all home sales are FSBO (NAR 2025), and most are determined to avoid paying commission. The ones who do convert usually come back after weeks of frustration.
Zillow / Internet Leads
~1.5–3%Leads from portals like Zillow, Realtor.com, or Facebook ads. These people clicked a button → but many are just browsing. The leads are shared with multiple agents, and response time matters more than skill. Top Zillow teams hit 7–9%, but the average agent sees 3% or less.
Circle Prospecting
~0.5–1%Calling everyone in a neighborhood → usually around a recent sale. Pure cold calling with no trigger event. Most people aren't thinking about selling. You're playing a numbers game at the lowest conversion rate in the industry.
These leads share the same problems: they're shared (you and 3–5 other agents get the same name), there's no urgency (the homeowner has no deadline), and the contact info is often bad (wrong numbers, disconnected lines, outdated addresses).
They work if you grind hard enough → but you're starting at 1–3% and fighting for every deal. Event-triggered leads start from a completely different place.
Sources: NAR 2024, REDX 2026, The Close
Event-Triggered Leads
Something just happened → a divorce filing, a foreclosure notice → that creates a real reason and a real timeline to sell. These convert at 5–10% because the motivation already exists.
Leadibles sources these directly from Bexar County court filings before they hit national databases. Every lead is exclusive to 1 agent, delivered with a verified phone number and the full case details.
A couple is splitting up and the house has to be dealt with.
What it is
A divorce petition (the official paperwork to start a divorce) was filed. The couple now has to decide what happens to the house.
Why they sell
Texas is a community property state → that means anything bought during the marriage belongs to both spouses equally. Most couples sell to split the equity (the value left after paying off the mortgage). Courts can also order the sale as part of the divorce.
Helpful tip
Both spouses must agree to sell, or a court order must authorize it. Always confirm both parties consent in writing before listing.
Things to watch out for
In Bexar County, once a divorce petition is filed, automatic court rules called “standing orders” kick in → these prevent either spouse from selling, transferring, or borrowing against the property. Make sure you ask: “Has a divorce petition been filed?” If yes, do not list without seeing a court order or written agreement from both sides.
The bank filed a notice because a homeowner stopped making payments.
What it is
The lender (bank or mortgage company) filed a notice because the homeowner stopped making payments. There's a hard deadline → the property will be auctioned off if nothing is done.
Why they sell
Selling before auction saves their credit → a foreclosure stays on their record for 7 years. Most homeowners want to avoid the auction if they can.
Helpful tip
Texas uses non-judicial foreclosure (the bank can auction the home without going to court). Auctions happen the 1st Tuesday of every month at the Bexar County Courthouse. The entire process from 1st missed payment to auction can be as fast as 3–6 months.
Things to watch out for
Speed is everything. Once a Notice of Sale is filed, you may only have 21 days before auction. If you can't close before the 1st Tuesday, the property goes to the courthouse steps.
Texas has no redemption period for mortgage foreclosure → once it sells at auction, the homeowner cannot buy it back. This makes pre-foreclosure sales urgent.
Check for multiple liens (legal claims on the property for unpaid debt) → there may be a 2nd mortgage, tax lien, or HOA lien stacked on top.
Lifestyle Leads
No single event, but the signs point toward a sale. These take more patience but have less competition.
A senior homeowner who already moved away → and the house is sitting without them.
What it is
A homeowner over 65 with an OV65 tax exemption whose mailing address is different from the property. They already left → moved in with family, relocated out of state, or transitioned to assisted living. The house is still in their name, but they are not living in it.
Why they sell
Managing a property from a distance is a headache. Property taxes, maintenance, and insurance keep coming → on a home they no longer use. Most haven't sold yet because no one has made it easy for them. Out-of-state senior owners sell at 3× the rate of local seniors once someone reaches out.
Helpful tip
Lead with the relief angle → “I can help you close a chapter without having to fly back.” They already made the emotional decision to leave. Your job is to make the process feel simple and handled. Keep the call short, be clear, and offer to take care of the details.
Things to watch out for
Tax deferral surprise → many OV65 homeowners have deferred (postponed) their property taxes, which Texas allows at 5% interest per year. When the home sells, ALL deferred taxes plus interest come due at closing. Years of deferral can add up to a major surprise bill. Always run a tax search early.
If a family member is handling the sale on their behalf, confirm they have a Power of Attorney, or POA (a legal document that lets someone make decisions for another person) and that it specifically covers real estate. If a court-appointed guardian is involved, they need court approval for every sale.
A property under financial pressure with piling costs the owner can't keep up with.
What it is
A property with code violations (the city says it breaks building or maintenance rules), tax delinquency (unpaid property taxes), or other signs of financial pressure.
Why they sell
The costs are piling up → back taxes, fines, repair orders. The owner may be overwhelmed and ready to walk away.
Helpful tip
Lead with empathy. These homeowners are often embarrassed about the property's condition. Focus on helping them get out from under the burden, not on the property itself.
Things to watch out for
Stacked liens (multiple legal claims on the property). Distressed properties often have unpaid taxes + code compliance liens (fines the city placed on the property) + possibly a mortgage → all at the same time.
In Bexar County, if taxes go unpaid past July 1, a 20% attorney/collection fee is added on top of penalties and interest → a homeowner who owes $8,000 in back taxes can suddenly owe $11,300+.
Code compliance liens from the City of San Antonio are easy to miss on standard title searches → request them specifically. If the property has a “dangerous structure” label, it's considered unlivable and most lenders won't finance it → buyers would need cash.
An investor whose short-term rental permit was denied or revoked.
What it is
The owner applied for an STR (Short-Term Rental → like Airbnb or VRBO) permit in San Antonio and was denied, or their existing permit was revoked.
Why they sell
They bought the property to rent it out short-term. Without the permit, the rental income that justified the purchase is gone. The property may not make enough money as a long-term rental to cover the mortgage.
Helpful tip
These owners are investors, not emotional sellers. They think in numbers. Show them what the property is worth on the open market vs. what they're losing by holding it.
Things to watch out for
San Antonio has a 12.5% density cap per block for non-owner-occupied STRs. If the cap is full, new permits are automatically denied → that's often why these leads exist.
STR permits are not transferable → a buyer cannot take over the seller's permit.
If the owner is operating without a permit, they face fines of $500/day. The city has partnered with Airbnb and VRBO to automatically remove unpermitted listings.
Every lead in your Leadibles dashboard comes with the filing type, the property details, and a verified phone number → so you know exactly what the homeowner is going through before you pick up the phone.