+30
Estate / heirs indicator
Owner string contains estate-pattern keywords (ESTATE OF, HEIRS OF, TRUST OF DECEASED). The strongest single predictor of an imminent sale.
The twelve signals
Every signal, with its point weight.
The lead score is not a black box. Every signal has a published weight, a category, and a plain-English description. If a parcel scores 78, the property page shows you exactly which signals contributed and how many points each added.
The catalog
Twelve signals, six categories.
Each signal has been calibrated against actual Indiana MLS closings to find the weight that maximizes predictive lift without over-fitting.
+25
Bank-owned (likely REO)
Owner classified as a financial institution. Typically a parcel the bank is motivated to move off its books quickly.
+25
Long-time holder (20+ yrs)
Same owner for at least 20 years. Correlates strongly with retirement, inheritance, or lifestyle-change transitions that push a sale.
+20
Sheriff's sale in history
A sheriff's sale appears in the recorded transaction history. Distress pattern that often precedes a second sale within 18 months.
+20
Absentee owner
Owner mailing address does not match the property address. Non-occupying owners liquidate roughly 3× more often than owner-occupants.
+18
Trust-owned
Parcel held in a trust. Frequently an estate-planning vehicle; assets transfer out or liquidate during ownership transitions.
+15
Established holder (10–19 yrs)
Owner has held the parcel 10 to 19 years. Life-event probability ramps sharply in this window.
+15
No improvements (vacant land)
Improvement value is zero but total/land values are not. Pure land opportunity for assemblage, infill, or agricultural buyers.
+15
Tired landlord
Same absentee owner holds three or more properties across Indiana counties. Portfolio burnout is a statistical precursor to a sell-down.
+10
Out-of-state mailing address
Absentee owner's mailing address is outside Indiana. Compound with absentee for non-local motivated sellers.
+10
LLC / Corp / Partnership owned
Legal owner is an LLC, corporation, or partnership. Portfolio holders dispose on a more predictable cadence than individuals.
+10
Land-heavy (improvements <10% of total)
Improvement value is under 10% of total assessed value. Typically teardown / assemblage candidates with high land values relative to structure.
+8
Bought well below assessed value
Last recorded sale price less than 50% of current AV. Often inter-family transfer, estate settlement, or off-market distress sale.
+8
Recent quitclaim deed
Quitclaim deed recorded in the last 24 months. Signals divorce, inheritance, or entity reorganization.
+5
Active sale history (3+ deeds)
Three or more recorded deeds on the parcel history. Pattern of shuffling ownership often indicates a flip cycle or distress.
+5
Recent acquisition (≤2 yrs)
Flagged as a low-weight signal that interacts with quitclaim + below-AV patterns. Helps surface flippers mid-reno.
Signals compound · score is capped at 100
Every score is transparent.
Open any parcel; see which signals fired and for how many points. No black box, no proprietary mystery math.