Auction Property Leads - Sheriff, Trustee, Online Auctions

Bulk Zillow auction-status property scraper for cash buyers, wholesalers, and flippers hunting auction inventory with first-pass underwriting attached.

What does Auction Property Leads do?

Pulls every auction-status listing surfaced through Zillow - sheriff sales, trustee sales, and online foreclosure auctions (Auction.com, Hubzu, ServiceLink, Xome) - for the cities you supply, optionally enriches each detail page (description, full price history, nearby comps, schools, HOA, contact info), and computes a transparent flip score plus 70%-rule deal metrics. Defaults to only_auctions=true so you do not have to remember to toggle it.

Features

• Three auction flavors normalized: sheriff sale (county-conducted, courthouse steps, 24-48 hour cash), trustee sale (lender-conducted, deed-of-trust states), online auction (Auction.com / Hubzu / ServiceLink / Xome).
• Pre-set only_auctions=true default - no manual toggle needed.
• Detail-page enrichment: description, photo count, price history, up to 15 ACTIVE comps, up to 15 SOLD comps (critical because auction buyers cannot inspect interior), schools, HOA, property tax rate, contact info.
• Flip score (0.0 - 1.0) with reasons array and per-signal breakdown: condition keywords, DOM, price-vs-Zestimate, price drops, age, status, photos.
• Deal metrics: ARV (comp + Zestimate blend), rehab cost (older homes get larger assumptions), MAO 70% / 75% / 65%, profit estimate, holding cost, rent-to-price ratio.
• Auction-aware rehab pricing: +$20/sqft sight-unseen premium baked in.
• Owner intel: skip-trace-ready record, absentee inference, estimated equity %, years owned.
• Distress sub-categorization, climate risk, walk/transit/bike scores.

Use cases

• Cash buyers hunting auction inventory in target metros
• Wholesalers building distressed-property pipelines
• Fix-and-flip operators looking for off-market and lender-conducted sales
• Real-estate funds and family offices monitoring auction supply across markets
• Investor lead-list resellers who want a recurring auction feed
• Hard money / private lenders prospecting active auction bidders

FAQ

Q: Is this legal? A: Yes. Auction listings on Zillow are publicly accessible. The actor never logs in, never bypasses a paywall, and never scrapes private data. You are responsible for following Zillow's terms of service and any local rules on contacting trustees, owners, or auction bidders.

Q: Sheriff sale vs trustee sale - what's the difference and when does each matter? A: A sheriff_sale is a judicial foreclosure conducted by the county sheriff on the courthouse steps after a judge orders the sale - common in IL, NJ, NY, FL, PA, OH and most "judicial" states. A trustee_sale is a non-judicial foreclosure conducted by a trustee under a deed-of-trust power-of-sale clause, no court involvement - common in CA, TX, AZ, NV, GA, WA and most "non-judicial" states. Pattern matters because (1) trustee sales move 2-3x faster than sheriff sales, so your lead-time window is shorter, (2) sheriff-sale states usually have a redemption period giving the owner months to reclaim the property post-sale, (3) trustee-sale states often allow online bidding (Auction.com, Hubzu) while sheriff sales are physical courthouse-step events.

Q: Why might a run fail? A: The three most common failure modes are (1) Zillow blocking your IP because you skipped the residential proxy default, (2) a location string that Zillow's geocoder cannot resolve, and (3) hitting Zillow's hard 500-result cap per search URL - split large metros into ZIP-cluster runs.

Q: How fresh is the data? A: Live at run time. Auction date, opening bid, and trustee details are pulled from Zillow's auction detail page when present. Note: Zillow updates auction-day fields inconsistently. Treat the actor as a discovery layer, then verify sale-day details against the trustee / sheriff / Auction.com / Hubzu source of truth before bidding.

Q: Can I schedule this daily or weekly? A: Yes. Daily cron is appropriate for high-velocity auction markets (Phoenix, Atlanta, Tampa, Las Vegas). Weekly works for slower geos. Apify Schedules + zpid dedupe = a clean delta feed into your CRM.

Q: Does it integrate with my CRM or data tooling? A: Yes. Apify webhooks POST every successful run to HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Apollo, or any HTTP endpoint. Zapier, Make.com, and n8n templates available. Dataset exports as JSON / CSV / Excel / XML.

Q: How does pricing work? A: PAY_PER_EVENT. You pay per listing record, with a small enrichment fee per detail page and a surcharge on records that clear the auction-quality bar. You only pay for what the actor actually emits.

Q: Can I dedupe across runs? A: Yes. Dedupe on zpid - it's Zillow's stable parcel identifier and persists across runs and status changes.

Related Actors

• foreclosure-property-leads - upstream sibling for pre-foreclosure, REO, and bank-owned inventory.
• house-flipper-leads - same engine targeting the full active distressed-flip inventory.
• court-records-intel - pull the underlying foreclosure judgment, order of sale, and case docket that drove a trustee or sheriff to the courthouse steps.

Integrations

• Zapier - push to HubSpot/Salesforce/Pipedrive/Apollo
• Make.com - workflow automation
• n8n - self-hosted automation
• Apify webhooks - POST to your endpoint
• API + dataset export (JSON/CSV/Excel/XML)
• MCP / AI agents - call from Claude/GPT/LangChain

Input

{
    "locations": ["Atlanta, GA", "Houston, TX"],
    "only_auctions": true,
    "include_foreclosures": true,
    "min_price": 50000,
    "max_price": 350000,
    "min_beds": 2,
    "min_sqft": 800,
    "home_types": ["SingleFamily"],
    "days_on_zillow_min": 14,
    "min_flip_score": 0.6,
    "enrich_details": true,
    "enrich_concurrency": 6,
    "use_apify_proxy": true,
    "apify_proxy_groups": ["RESIDENTIAL"],
    "apify_proxy_country": "US",
    "max_results_per_location": 100,
    "max_pages_per_location": 5
}

Output

Sample output: ./.actor/sample-output.json — copy-paste-ready preview of real-looking records.

First record inline:

{
  "zpid": "60123437",
  "address": "3146 Tutwiler Ave",
  "city": "Memphis",
  "state": "TN",
  "zip": "38108",
  "lat": 35.1815,
  "lng": -89.971,
  "price": 58500,
  "zestimate": 128000,
  "rent_zestimate": 497,
  "tax_assessed_value": 99840,
  "beds": 3,
  "baths": 1.0,
  "sqft": 1180,
  "lot_size_sqft": 7080,
  "year_built": 1942,
  "home_type": "SingleFamily",
  "home_status": "AUCTION",
  "listing_status_category": "auction",
  "days_on_zillow": 11,
  "price_reduction": null,
  "detail_url": "https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/60123437_zpid/",
  "img_src": "https://photos.zillowstatic.com/fp/901-house.jpg",
  "broker_name": "Keller Williams Heritage",
  "scraped_at": "2026-05-09T11:14:32Z",
  "source": "auction",
  "description": "Investor special \u2014 auction. 3 bed / 1.0 bath, 1180 sqft. Sold AS-IS. Cash or hard-money only.",
  "price_history": [
    {
      "date": "2026-04-12",
      "event": "Price change",
      "price": 58500,
      "priceChangeRate": -0.06,
      "source": "Zillow"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-02-28",
      "event": "Listed for sale",
      "price": 73500,
      "priceChangeRate": null,
      "source": "MLS"
    },
    {
      "date": "2019-07-15",
      "event": "Sold",
      "price": 36270,
      "priceChangeRate": null,
      "source": "Public Record"
    }
  ],
  "photo_count": 8,
  "schools": [
    {
      "name": "Memphis Elementary",
      "rating": 6,
      "distance": 0.4
    },
    {
      "name": "Memphis Middle School",
      "rating": 5,
      "distance": 1.2
    },
    {
      "name": "Memphis High School",
      "rating": 7,
      "distance": 2.8
    }
  ],
  "hoa_fee": null,
  "property_tax_rate": 1.85,
  "contact_phone": "(480) 555-1011",
  "contact_agent": "Priya Shah",
  "owner_occupied": false,
  "likely_owner_occupied": false,
  "detail_enriched": true,
  "flipper_keywords": {
    "auction": [
      "auction"
    ],
    "trustee": [
      "trustee sale"
    ],
    "as-is": [
      "as-is"
    ],
    "cash": [
      "cash only"
    ]
  },
  "flip_score": {
    "score": 0.85,
    "components": {
      "keyword_score": 0.35,
      "anti_keyword_penalty": 0.0,
      "dom_score": 0.1,
      "price_drop_score": 0.0,
      "status_score": 0.15,
      "zestimate_gap_score": 0.1,
      "age_score": 0.05,
      "low_photo_score": 0.05
    },
    "matched_keywords": [
      "auction",
      "trustee sale",
      "as-is",
      "cash only"
    ],
    "anti_keywords": []
  },
  "deal_metrics": {
    "arv_estimate": 140800,
    "arv_source": "sold_comps",
    "rehab_cost_estimate": 53100,
    "estimated_rehab_months": 7,
    "exit_strategies": {
      "flip_70_rule": {
        "mao": 45460,
        "rule": "ARV * 0.70 - rehab"
      },
      "brrrr_75_rule": {
        "mao": 52500,
        "rule": "ARV * 0.75 - rehab"
      },
      "wholesale_65_rule": {
        "mao": 38420,
        "rule": "ARV * 0.65 - rehab"
      }
    },
    "gross_profit_estimate": 25936,
    "gross_margin_pct": 18.4,
    "net_profit_estimate": 22045,
    "all_in_cost_estimate": 114864,
    "monthly_holding_cost": 408,
    "total_holding_cost_estimate": 3264,
    "annual_rent_to_price": 0.1019,
    "monthly_rent_estimate": 497,
    "price_per_sqft": 49.58,
    "cash_on_cash_return_pct": 9.2
  },
  "tax_history": [
    {
      "year": 2025,
      "value": 99840,
      "tax_paid": 2368
    },
    {
      "year": 2024,
      "value": 94720,
      "tax_paid": 2329
    }
  ],
  "active_nearby_homes": [],
  "sold_nearby_homes": [
    {
      "address": "1200 Maple St",
      "sold_price": 133760,
      "sqft": 1180,
      "beds": 3,
      "sold_date": "2026-03-15"
    },
    {
      "address": "1242 Pine St",
      "sold_price": 137984,
      "sqft": 1230,
      "beds": 3,
      "sold_date": "2026-03-15"
    },
    {
      "address": "1284 Oak St",
      "sold_price": 142208,
      "sqft": 1280,
      "beds": 3,
      "sold_date": "2026-03-15"
    }
  ],
  "best_school_rating": 7,
  "contact_email": null,
  "parcel_id": "00000901-10",
  "owner_info": {
    "owner_name": "Trustee Sale (per court order)",
    "owner_first_name": "Trustee Sale",
    "owner_last_name": "(per court order)",
    "is_owner_occupied": false,
    "mailing_address": "N/A \u2014 trustee sale",
    "last_sold_price": 36270,
    "last_sold_date": "2019-07-15",
    "years_owned": 7,
    "likely_absentee": true
  },
  "distress_categories": {
    "as_is": [
      "as-is"
    ],
    "fixer": [],
    "motivated_seller": []
  },
  "neighborhood_delta": {
    "vs_neighborhood_active_pct": -18.4,
    "vs_neighborhood_ppsf_pct": -22.1,
    "below_neighborhood_median": true
  },
  "appreciation": {
    "yoy_appreciation_pct": 4.2,
    "five_year_appreciation_pct": 38.6,
    "history_span_years": 8
  },
  "estimated_owner_equity_pct": 63,
  "property_condition_tier": "heavy_rehab",
  "predicted_price_from_comps": {
    "predicted_price": 140800,
    "confidence": "medium",
    "comp_count_used": 6,
    "comp_median_ppsf": 119.32,
    "adjustments_applied": {
      "sqft_adj": 1.02,
      "year_built_adj": 0.98,
      "beds_adj": 1.0
    }
  },
  "skip_trace_record": {
    "first_name": "Trustee Sale",
    "last_name": "(per court order)",
    "full_name": "Trustee Sale (per court order)",
    "mailing_address": "N/A \u2014 trustee sale",
    "mailing_city": "Phoenix",
    "mailing_state": "AZ",
    "mailing_zip": "85001",
    "property_address": "3146 Tutwiler Ave",
    "property_city": "Memphis",
    "property_state": "TN",
    "property_zip": "38108",
    "is_absentee_owner": true,
    "years_owned": 7,
    "last_sold_price": 36270,
    "skip_trace_ready": true
  },
  "climate_risk": {
    "flood": {
      "risk_score": 2,
      "risk_level": "minor"
    },
    "fire": {
      "risk_score": 4,
      "risk_level": "moderate"
    },
    "heat": {
      "risk_score": 7,
      "risk_level": "major"
    },
    "wind": {
      "risk_score": 3,
      "risk_level": "minor"
    },
    "air": {
      "risk_score": 5,
      "risk_level": "moderate"
    }
  },
  "walk_score": 43,
  "transit_score": 29,
  "bike_score": 39,
  "climate_zone": "subtropical",
  "flood_zone": "X",
  "has_septic": false,
  "has_well": false,
  "has_solar": false
}

Sample record (abridged):

{
    "zpid": "47129382",
    "address": "918 Park Ave",
    "city": "Atlanta",
    "state": "GA",
    "zipcode": "30314",
    "price": 92000,
    "zestimate": 187000,
    "beds": 3,
    "baths": 1,
    "sqft": 1100,
    "year_built": 1955,
    "home_status": "FOR_AUCTION",
    "listing_status_category": "auction",
    "days_on_zillow": 21,
    "flipper_keywords": ["cash only", "as-is", "investor special", "no inspection"],
    "flip_score": {
        "score": 0.78,
        "reasons": ["auction status", "list 51% of Zestimate", "older home", "distress keywords"],
        "signals": {"keywords": 0.9, "price_vs_zestimate": 0.95, "status": 0.8, "age": 0.7}
    },
    "deal_metrics": {
        "arv_estimate": 190000,
        "arv_source": "sold_comps",
        "rehab_cost_estimate": 55000,
        "exit_strategies": {
            "flip_70_rule": {"mao": 78000, "fits_rule": false},
            "wholesale_65_rule": {"mao": 68500, "fits_rule": false}
        },
        "gross_profit_estimate": 24000,
        "annual_rent_to_price": 0.182
    },
    "sold_nearby_homes": [
        {"address": "924 Park Ave", "sold_price": 195000, "sqft": 1080, "sold_date": "2026-04-09"}
    ],
    "scraped_at": "2026-05-14T12:00:00Z"
}

The dataset preview ships with four views: Overview (key columns), Detailed (every field with formatting hints), Sold comps (one row per sold comparable per auction subject - exploded via unwind, the most important view for sight-unseen underwriting), and a CSV download.

Pricing

PAY_PER_EVENT.

Event	Price	When
auction_record	$0.010	One emitted auction record
detail_enrichment	$0.005	When detail page was fetched
high_flip_score	$0.008	Surcharge when flip_score.score >= 0.6

Typical run with enrichment on lands at $0.015 - $0.023 per record.

FAQ

Q: Do I need cash to buy at these auctions? A: Sheriff and trustee sales typically require certified funds within 24-48 hours. Online auctions vary - some offer financing windows, most do not.

Q: Can I inspect properties before bidding? A: Usually no. Estimate rehab generously. The sold_comps unwind view is your best underwriting tool because the actor cannot inspect the interior either.

Q: What about title issues, liens, redemption periods? A: Liens, second mortgages, IRS tax liens, and HOA balances may survive the sale depending on state and lien priority - pull title before bidding. Several states grant the foreclosed owner a statutory redemption window after the sale.

Q: Do online auction platforms charge fees? A: Yes - Auction.com, Hubzu, and similar charge buyer premiums of 5-10% on top of the winning bid. Factor this into MAO before bidding.

Q: How fresh is auction inventory? A: Sheriff and trustee sales often have a defined sale date - re-run weekly per market. Online auctions refresh continuously as bids and rounds advance.

Q: Why a residential proxy? A: Zillow blocks datacenter IPs aggressively. RESIDENTIAL is the minimum viable configuration. The actor defaults to it.

Q: Does this transact properties? A: No. Lead generation only - no bidding, no earnest money, no legal or financial advice.

Support

GitHub issues or DM via the Apify Store contact form.

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