Where to Find Motivated Seller Leads in September 2026?

This month, we've identified 10 counties where our investors have been particularly active and where we've already generated hundreds of motivated seller leads. These are homeowners who have expressed interest in selling or working with a cash buyer.

Where Do Investors Find Motivated Seller Leads?

It's one of the most common questions real estate investors ask:

"Where do I go to find motivated seller leads?"

The answer isn't always a property type or a lead source. That's why we're breaking down the top 10 counties for motivated seller activity in September 2026 and the economic and housing conditions that may be contributing to seller motivation in each one.

Wayne County, Michigan (Leads 557)

The average home value in Wayne County is $178,627, up 1.2% from last year. 39% of properties sell below the listing price. Wayne County is not a classic distressed market, as homes sell relatively fast within 22 days. That's exactly what makes Wayne County an interesting case this month.

Why Motivated Sellers Are Increasing:

• Wayne County's annual property-tax foreclosure auction cycle is active right now. Bidder registration opened August 14 and closed September 8, with online bidding beginning September 8. Properties that are not sold in the September auction will roll into an October auction. This month is important for homeowners who are behind on tax payments. A cash sale could be the fastest way to walk away with something instead of losing the property outright.
• The automotive sector in Michigan is facing ongoing pressure from recent increases in tariffs. As the exchange of high tariffs continues, the effect will ripple through the entire Wayne County’s supplier and manufacturing workforce.

Get Motivated Seller Leads in Wayne County Now.

Maricopa County, AZ (425 Leads)

The average home value in Maricopa County is $456,252. The prices are down 1% compared to last year this time. Maricopa seems like a classic distressed market, with more than 60% of homes selling below the asking price. A typical home sells after 81 days, whereas last year it took around 72 days to sell a house.

Why Motivated Sellers Are Increasing:

• Supply finally crossed a real threshold in August. Months of supply climbed to 4.28, the first time this cycle Greater Phoenix has moved past the four-month mark that separates a seller's market from a balanced one. With 23,406 active listings on the market, buyers now have both choice and room to negotiate, and that shift in leverage is landing directly on sellers who need to move quickly.
• Sellers are also asking more than buyers are willing to pay right now. With 60% of homes selling after price reduction, it’s important to understand the market value of your property. The days on the market will stretch for anyone unwilling to adjust. For owners who cannot afford to wait through a slower fall market, a cash offer becomes far more appealing than sitting on an overpriced listing.

Get Motivated Seller Leads in Maricopa County Now.

Cook County, IL (378 Leads)

The average home value is $341,570, and the prices are up 5.8% from last year. There are 35% of properties that sell below the listing price. A typical home sells within 51 days.

Why Motivated Sellers Are Increasing:

• Cook County's second installment property tax bills for 2026 went live online on August 18, with roughly 1.8 million bills mailed by September 1 and payment due October 1. Countywide, property owners are being asked to pay $743.8 million more than last year, and homeowners are absorbing most of that increase. For anyone already stretched, a bill this large landing right before winter is a real trigger point.
• The increase is not spread evenly. Residential bills rose 5.34% countywide, with some Chicago neighborhoods seeing the sharpest jumps. Owners in these areas are watching their carrying costs climb faster than their equity, which narrows the gap between what a home is worth and what it actually costs to keep.
• A simple tax bill doesn’t motivate a homeowner to sell. However, those already burdened by rising living costs and inflation may want to reconsider their choices after receiving hefty tax bills in the mail.

Get Motivated Seller Leads in Cook County Now.

Bexar, TX (327 Leads)

The average home value in Bexar County is $253,814. More than 58% of homes sell below the listed price. A typical home in Bexar County sells after 67 days, which is a slight improvement from last year.

Why Motivated Sellers Are Increasing:

• Bexar County's property values dropped by 1.3% this year, the first decline county officials say they have seen in recent memory. Since property taxes make up roughly 80% of the county's day-to-day revenue, even a small drop forced real budget consequences, and commissioners spent August cutting spending to close a gap that started at $145 million.
• On September 1, county leadership confirmed it would hold the tax rate steady for the new fiscal year starting October 1, but only by making real cuts elsewhere.
• Many homeowners have found that home prices have not kept up with the rising inflation. Those who were planning to sell this year have found themselves in a challenging situation. They must find a way to reduce selling expenses, and a cash sale can offer the exact solution.

Get Motivated Seller Leads in Bexar County Now.

Philadelphia, PA (306 Leads)

The average home value in Philadelphia is $233,681. Around 50% of homes sell below the asking price. A typical home sells within 50 days, an increase of 4 days from 2025.

Why Motivated Sellers Are Increasing:

• Citywide properties received a reassessment this year. On paper, the median increase was 3%, but around 6,000 homeowners saw their assessments jump 50% or more compared to the last cycle. September 1, 2026, was the deadline to file a First Level Review (informal appeal) with the Office of Property Assessment. Homeowners now have a short time to submit an appeal or embrace a bigger tax bill next year.
• Many households living on a fixed income are considering selling their property to reduce living expenses.

Get Motivated Seller Leads in Philadelphia County Now.

Miami-Dade, FL (288 Leads)

The average home value here is $521,012, with 75% of properties being sold below the listing price, primarily consisting of the condo market. It takes around 86 days to sell a house in Miami-Dade County.

• Nearly five years after the Surfside collapse, the safety laws Florida passed in response are producing their most consequential financial effects this year. Special assessments are landing on unit owners now, ranging from $10,000 to well over $100,000 per unit depending on the building's age and condition, as mandatory reserve funding and milestone inspection requirements come due at once.
• More than 1,400 Florida condo buildings are now on Fannie Mae's "unavailable" list, meaning conventional mortgage financing is effectively off the table for buyers in those buildings. That shrinks the realistic buyer pool to cash buyers, foreign buyers, and other owners who already understand Milestone-era risk, which is exactly the kind of buyer pool that favors an off-market cash sale.
• Florida is also the #1 state with the highest foreclosure rate nationwide.

Get Motivated Seller Leads in Miami-Dade County Now.

Lake County, FL (287 Leads)

It takes 66 days to sell a house in Lake County, which is an 11-day increase from last year. The average home value in Lake County is slightly down by 2.3%, reaching $361,482.

Why Motivated Sellers Are Increasing:

• Lake County's new home construction pipeline is running well above the state pace. Builders pulled permits for 5,342 new homes in 2025, up 7.1% from the year before. That unusually high level of new construction gives buyers more alternatives and adds competitive pressure for resale sellers, particularly those competing against builders offering newer homes and financing incentives.
• As of late August, Lake County price cuts sat at 29.9% of listings, well above the 24.6% statewide Florida average.
• Florida carries the highest foreclosure rate of any state in the country as of the first half of 2026, driven by the same three pressures compounding statewide: higher mortgage payments, rising property taxes, and soaring insurance premiums. Lake County is not immune to that statewide trend.

Buyers in Lake County now have better-financed alternatives in the form of new construction. This abundance of supply forces owners to compete on price, not patience.

Get Motivated Seller Leads in Lake County Now.

Los Angeles, CA (270 Leads)

The average home value in Los Angeles County is $873,003, and the trend is slightly positive compared to last year this time. It takes 49 days to sell a home here. The number of transactions and DOM are similar to last year.

Why Motivated Sellers Are Increasing:

• On September 1, Los Angeles County sued State Farm General Insurance Co., alleging widespread mishandling of claims from policyholders in the Eaton and Palisades fire burn zones. County officials say the delays, underpayments, and denials are keeping families from rebuilding and prolonging displacement well over a year after the fires.
• Just this week, the county opened a separate investigation into Farmers Insurance over similar allegations, including severe delays, underpayments, denials, and refusals to cover testing and remediation for hazardous substances like lead, asbestos, and chromium in fire-affected properties.
• For homeowners caught in these disputes, a property that is damaged, partially repaired, or tied up in an unresolved insurance claim is very hard to sell through a conventional buyer who needs financing and a clean inspection. A cash sale sidesteps both problems.

Get Motivated Seller Leads in Los Angeles County Now.

Dallas, TX (259 Leads)

The average home value in Dallas is around $306,649. More than 59% of homes are sold after receiving a price reduction. It takes 51 days on average to sell a home here.

Why Motivated Sellers Are Increasing:

• Dallas-Fort Worth builders are competing directly with resale sellers right now, and they are not doing it subtly. Builder incentives across DFW include closing cost assistance and design center credits, on top of rate buydowns, which gives buyers a financed alternative that individual resale sellers simply cannot match.
• DFW reclaimed the No. 1 spot nationally for overall new-home activity earlier this year, with 11,327 new residential building permits issued across the metro in January and February alone.
• Layoffs continue to hit the area in real time. T-Mobile cut 113 jobs in Irving on August 7, Essendant cut 136 in Irving on August 4, and Alan Ritchey Inc. filed a notice affecting 232 workers in Irving in June, which took effect on September 14. These are smaller than a single mass event, but they add up to steady pressure on household budgets across the metro.

The real estate market in Dallas, TX, is not collapsing. But homeowners are facing steady competition from newly constructed homes. And small layoffs and troubles in the economy chip away at buyer confidence one household at a time.

Get Motivated Seller Leads in Dallas County Now.

Harris, TX (246 Leads)

The average home value in Harris County, TX, stays at $278,518, which is a 2.1% decrease from last year. More than 62% of deals are closed after the price is reduced. On average, it takes 47 days to sell a house in Harris, TX.

Why Motivated Sellers Are Increasing:

• Harris County commissioners proposed a 7.6% property tax hike on September 9, which happens to be the largest tax increase in the county's recent history.
• With this increase, homeowners in Harris County may pay an additional $198 on average this year.
• While the tax increase is not significant, the home values in Harris County are already down by 2.1%. That means homeowners are being asked to pay more in taxes on a home that is worth less than it was twelve months ago.

Increased tax bills combined with declining home values and increased DOM are factors motivating the homeowners to seek a cash sale.

Get Motivated Seller Leads in Harris County Now.

Top 10 Counties Where Real Estate Investors Are Most Active in August 2026

Our September data highlights the top 10 counties and county equivalents where our investors are most active. These locations have attracted attention from seasoned investors because of local dynamics and the opportunities to connect with motivated sellers.

• Dallas, TX
• Miami-Dade, FL
• Ada, ID
• Oakland, MI
• Canyon, ID
• Hillsborough, NH
• Rockingham, NH
• Forsyth, NC
• Macomb, MI
• Orange, FL
• Orange, CA

Data sourced from Zillow (home values), Redfin (days on market and median sale price), local foreclosure records, and current regional market reports. All figures reflect August-September 2026 data. Verify individual figures before use in offers or presentations.