In commercial real estate, sourcing off-market deals has long been associated with cold calling every owner in a zip code. But according to Dan Mosher, co-founder and CEO of DealGround, an AI-powered commercial real estate intelligence platform, that approach is not only inefficient but also counterproductive. With approximately 160 million properties in the United States and only a tiny fraction currently listed, nearly every property is technically off-market. Attempting to contact all owners is impossible and often alienates potential sellers.
Mosher criticizes the "carpet bombing" strategy, where brokers go too broad and generic. "That becomes off-putting to an owner, that it creates a low probability of success," he said. Instead, he advocates for a "sniper-like approach," targeting a specific set of properties based on a buyer's criteria and a broker's ability to help. This method yields better outcomes because it focuses on owners who are more likely to be receptive.
The alternative to cold outreach begins with building a filtered list of properties that match a buyer's actual needs. "Off-market sourcing is creating a set of filters and search parameters that fit your specific needs as either a principal or a broker who's looking to find a deal for a buyer," Mosher explained. Once armed with specific knowledge about a property and a real buyer, the conversation with an owner shifts from cold call to warm lead. "You have a story that is compelling. You know the details about the owner's property. You have a buyer, or you are a buyer, that's got a certain philosophy and a buy box, and that property fits within that philosophy. That is not cold outreach," Mosher said.
DealGround aims to help brokers make this shift by providing an AI-powered platform that transforms fragmented property, tenant, ownership, and market data into structured, actionable deal intelligence. The platform helps brokers generate qualified leads and move faster from prospecting to closed deals. It serves the top 15 CRE brokerage firms nationwide.
For brokers still relying on volume calling, the implication is clear: more calls do not necessarily mean more deals. A smaller, better-informed list usually beats a longer, generic one. By adopting a targeted approach, brokers can increase efficiency, reduce wasted effort, and improve conversion rates. This shift could fundamentally change how commercial real estate deals are sourced, moving away from brute-force tactics to data-driven precision.
Brokers interested in seeing how this targeted sourcing works can review the process on DealGround's how it works page. As the commercial real estate market becomes more competitive, leveraging technology to identify and engage the right owners at the right time may become a key differentiator for successful brokers.
