The commercial real estate industry has long relied on cold calling as a primary method for sourcing off-market deals, but according to Dan Mosher, co-founder and CEO of DealGround, that approach is fundamentally flawed. With approximately 160 million properties in the United States and only a tiny fraction currently listed, Mosher contends that almost every property is technically off-market. This vast scale makes it impossible to have meaningful conversations with every owner, and attempting to do so often alienates potential sellers.
Mosher criticizes the "carpet bombing" approach, where brokers pull lists of owners in a zip code and start dialing. He believes this broad, generic strategy is off-putting to owners and yields low success rates. Instead, he advocates for a "sniper-like" method: targeting a specific set of properties based on a buyer's criteria and approaching owners with detailed, relevant information. "Off-market sourcing is creating a set of filters and search parameters that fit your specific needs," Mosher said. This filtered list allows brokers to reach out with a compelling story, knowing the property fits a buyer's buy box, transforming a cold call into a warm lead.
DealGround is an AI-powered intelligence command center for CRE professionals. The platform aggregates fragmented property, tenant, ownership, and market data into structured, actionable deal intelligence. By providing brokers with deep insights into properties and owners, DealGround enables them to identify likely receptive owners and approach them with tailored information. This shift from volume-based calling to precision targeting is central to the platform's value proposition.
The implications for the commercial real estate brokerage industry are significant. As competition for deals intensifies, brokers who leverage data and AI to refine their prospecting efforts may gain a substantial edge. Rather than wasting time on thousands of cold calls, brokers can focus on a smaller, better-qualified list of opportunities, increasing efficiency and conversion rates. This approach not only saves time but also builds stronger relationships with owners by demonstrating genuine understanding of their properties and needs.
DealGround serves the top 15 CRE brokerage firms nationwide, indicating that even large, established players are recognizing the need for more sophisticated sourcing strategies. The platform's emphasis on converting insights into opportunity aligns with a broader trend in real estate toward digital transformation and data-driven decision-making. For brokers still relying on volume calling, the message is clear: more calls do not necessarily mean more deals. A smaller, better-informed list usually beats a longer, generic one.
For those interested in understanding how this targeted sourcing works in practice, DealGround provides a detailed overview on its how it works page. Additionally, more information about the company and its offerings can be found at www.dealground.com.
