What Data Do We Need From an Agent to Import Leads?
What Data Do We Need From an Agent to Import Leads?
When an agent sends us a lead list, the first question is not how many records it contains. The first question is whether the file includes enough information for us to identify each property, enrich the record, and import it correctly.
The requirements depend on where the list came from. An agent exporting an existing contact database should send all available fields. An agent creating a seller lead list from the MLS may be able to provide less, but every record must still include enough property information to be usable.
This training explains the minimum requirements, the preferred data, and what staff should confirm before accepting a file for processing.
Watch the Training Video
Use the video for the explanation and examples. Keep the written checklist below available whenever you request, receive, or review an agent’s data file.
The Short Answer
For a seller lead list generated from the MLS, the two most important fields are:
Property street address
Property ZIP code
With a valid street address and ZIP code, our system can generally identify the location and populate other geographic information, including the city, state, and county.
However, staff should request the complete property address whenever the source makes it available:
Property street address
City
State
ZIP code
Street address and ZIP code are the functional minimum—not a reason to leave city and state out of a file that already contains them.
Why the Property Address Matters
The property address is the foundation of a property-based seller lead.
Once the property can be identified, the record may be processed through our data-enrichment system to:
Standardize or complete the geographic information
Identify the property owner
Add county information
Locate available phone numbers
Locate available email addresses
Prepare the record for import into the CRM
This enrichment is often called skip tracing. It can improve a basic property list, but it does not guarantee that every record will produce an owner name, telephone number, or email address. The quality of the result begins with an accurate property address.
If the Agent Is Sending an Existing Database
If the agent already has a database of contacts or leads, ask the agent to send everything available.
Do not ask the agent to reduce the file to only the minimum MLS fields. Existing databases may contain valuable information that cannot be recovered later, such as:
First and last name
Property address
Mailing address
Phone numbers
Email addresses
Contact type or lead source
Notes
Tags or categories
Dates associated with the lead
Prior activity or status information
We can decide which fields should be mapped and imported after reviewing the file. It is better to receive useful data and exclude an unnecessary column than to lose information because it was removed before delivery.
If the Agent Is Pulling a List From the MLS
For an MLS-generated seller list, request the complete property address plus as much listing information as the export can provide.
Minimum usable information
Property street address
ZIP code
Preferred address information
Property street address
City
State
ZIP code
Additional useful MLS fields
MLS identification number
Original list price
Most recent list price
Listing date
Expiration, cancellation, or withdrawal date
Days on market
Bedrooms
Bathrooms
Living-area square footage
Property type
Listing status
The MLS ID is especially helpful for tracing the source record and distinguishing properties when an address is entered inconsistently.
More Data Creates More Opportunities
Additional fields are not just administrative details. They can improve how the lead is evaluated, assigned, contacted, and discussed.
For example:
Original list price provides context about the seller’s prior expectations.
Days on market helps us understand how long the property was exposed before it failed to sell.
Bedrooms, bathrooms, and square footage help with initial property evaluation and cash-offer review.
MLS status and dates help us confirm the lead type and determine whether the record is timely.
Owner and contact information can reduce the amount of enrichment required before outreach begins.
The rule is straightforward: require enough data to identify the property, but preserve and use every relevant field the agent can provide.
Staff Procedure When Requesting Data
When asking an agent for a lead file:
Identify whether the file is an existing database or a new MLS-generated list.
For an existing database, ask for the complete export with all available fields.
For an MLS list, request the complete property address and all available property and listing fields.
Tell the agent not to combine several different pieces of information into one unlabeled column.
Request a spreadsheet or CSV with one lead per row and a clear header for every column.
Ask the agent not to delete useful fields merely because they are not sure whether we need them.
Review the file before confirming that it is ready for import.
How the File Should Be Organized
A clean file should have:
One property or lead per row
One type of information per column
A descriptive header at the top of every column
Separate columns for street address, city, state, and ZIP code when available
Consistent values throughout each column
No title blocks, logos, explanatory paragraphs, totals, or blank separator rows inside the data
If phone numbers, email addresses, or mailing addresses are available, they should remain in their own clearly labeled columns.
What Staff Must Check Before Importing
Before accepting a file as import-ready, confirm:
Every record has a property street address.
Every record has a ZIP code.
City and state are included when available.
The ZIP codes have retained leading zeroes where applicable.
The file contains one lead per row.
The columns have clear and accurate headers.
Useful MLS and property details have not been unnecessarily removed.
Existing owner, phone, and email data have been preserved.
The list does not contain obvious header repetitions, totals, notes, or unrelated rows.
The file format can be opened and reviewed as a spreadsheet or CSV.
When to Return the File for Correction
Do not move directly to import when:
Records are missing both a usable street address and ZIP code.
Full addresses are combined into inconsistent or unreadable text.
Multiple properties are placed in the same row.
The sheet has no headers and the columns cannot be identified confidently.
The address fields appear shifted into the wrong columns.
ZIP codes have been altered, truncated, or converted incorrectly.
The file contains several different lists stacked together without labels.
Explain what is missing and ask the agent for a corrected export. Do not guess which value belongs in an uncertain field.
Message Staff Can Send to an Agent
Please send the lead list as an Excel spreadsheet or CSV with one lead per row and clearly labeled columns. For an MLS property list, we need the property street address and ZIP code at minimum. Please also include city, state, MLS ID, price, days on market, bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, status, and any owner or contact information available. If this is an export of your existing database, please send all available fields rather than removing information before sending it.
Final Takeaway
For an MLS seller list, the property street address and ZIP code give us the minimum foundation needed to process a lead. A complete address is better, and additional MLS, property, owner, and contact information makes the record more useful.
Our job is not merely to get data into the CRM. Our job is to preserve the value of the agent’s information, identify gaps before import, and build the most complete and usable lead record possible.
