When a buildable lot hits the market, every builder and developer in town is bidding on it.
For home builders
Infill lots and teardowns, bought from the owner before they're listed.
Your growth is limited by how many buildable lots you can find. Spur finds vacant lots, older small homes on large lots, and land in the neighborhoods you build in, gets the owner's contact details, and mails a straightforward offer, so you can buy land without competing with every other builder.
Free forever plan · No card · 20 property searches a month
USPSFirst-Class
Walter Greene2290 Ridgeview AveAtlanta, GA 30319Scan to request an offer
Walter G. requested an offer · 25 min ago
AI-written for this owner · Mailed in 2 days
Lot sizeyear built, and vacancy filters
Ownercontact info for direct acquisition
Repeatmailings to the streets you build on
The problem
Listed lots are priced for a bidding war.
The best opportunities are older small homes on big lots. They don't advertise themselves.
Vacant land and estate owners often live elsewhere, and county records only get you halfway.
How it works
From list to mailbox in one workflow.
The same five steps every time, set up for home builders.
app.usespur.com
Plays for Builders
Builder plays you can run in Spur today
Older, smaller homes on large lots in strong neighborhoods.
Built pre-1970Large lot
Empty lots inside established neighborhoods.
Vacant lotIn city limits
Inherited homes heirs may prefer to sell as-is.
Estate ownerBuilt pre-1975
Owners of vacant parcels who live elsewhere.
Vacant landOut-of-state
See the full play →Adjacent lots for a larger project.
Same blockCustom list
Lots with room to add a second unit where zoning allows.
Large lotSingle-family
See it in Spur
A builder's teardown and lot list in Spur
Sample results for older, smaller homes on large lots plus vacant lots. Names are partly masked.
Brookhaven, GABuilt before 1970 or vacantLot 0.4+ acresOwned 15+ yrs
- Walter G.2290 Ridgeview AveBuilt 1956 · 1,200 sq ft0.6 ac lotOwned 34 yrs
- Estate of E. Simms1418 Lanier DrBuilt 1961Estate0.5 ac lot
- Diane K.Vacant lot · Hampton Hall DrOwner in Savannah, GA0.4 acOwned 19 yrs
- Ray & Lois P.3071 Ashford Dunwoody RdBuilt 1959 · 1,050 sq ft0.7 ac lot
- Brookfield Land LLC2 adjacent lotsMailing in Charlotte, NCAssembly
AI draft for Walter G. · 2290 Ridgeview Ave
Hi Walter,
I'm Natalie with Oakline Homes. We're a local builder, and we've built several new homes in Brookhaven over the past few years, including two on Ridgeview.
We're looking for a few more homesites in the neighborhood, and your property is the kind of lot we'd be glad to build on. If you've thought about selling, we can buy the home as-is, cover closing costs, and close on whatever schedule suits you, including giving you time to move.
If you'd like an offer, scan the code or call me directly. If not, thank you for reading.
Natalie Ross · Oakline Homes · (404) 555-0186
Sample data for illustration. Your results depend on your market and filters.
Playbook
How builders find infill lots and teardowns off-market
For most home builders, land is the bottleneck. Listed lots in desirable neighborhoods draw multiple offers, and builders who rely on them either overpay or sit idle. Builders who consistently find land directly from owners can plan a steady pipeline instead.
The best teardown candidates combine an older, smaller home with a large lot in a neighborhood where new homes sell well. Year built, home size, and lot size together narrow the list quickly. Add ownership length and estate ownership to find owners more likely to sell. Vacant infill lots and out-of-state land owners are the other major sources.
Before you mail, check zoning, setbacks, tree ordinances, and utility access for the area. Your offer depends on what you can actually build, and a few minutes of due diligence prevents letters to lots that won't work.
Keep letters simple and respectful. Owners of long-held homes often care about what happens to their street. Explaining that you're a local builder, showing homes you've built nearby, and offering a flexible, as-is sale works far better than a generic "cash for land" message. Then keep mailing the same streets; land acquisition is a long game.
127×return on a year of Spur Team from one home with a $75,000 margin
One lot can fund years of outreach.
- Spur Team: $588/yr billed annually
- 300 letters on Team at $1.39 each = $417
- One new home with a $75,000 margin = 127× your subscription
Example math. Margins depend on land cost, construction cost, and sale price. Run your own numbers →
One tool, not four
Spur vs. how most builders find land
What you needThe usual waySpur
Finding lotsMLS alerts and land brokers✓ Built in
Teardown candidatesDriving neighborhoods✓ Built in
Owner contactCounty records and guesswork✓ Built in
LettersHandwritten notes, when there's time✓ Built in
Ongoing outreachNot systematic✓ Built in
FAQ
Questions from home builders
How do builders find teardown properties?
Combine filters for older year built, smaller home size, and larger lot size in neighborhoods where new homes sell well, then reach the owners directly.
Can Spur find vacant infill lots?
Yes. Filter for vacant land and lots within your target neighborhoods, then enrich the owners' contact details.
Should I check zoning before mailing?
Yes. Confirm zoning, setbacks, and utility access so you only mail owners of lots you can actually build on.
Can I target adjacent lots for a larger project?
Yes. Build a custom list of adjacent parcels and mail each owner with a tailored letter.
Letters or postcards for land acquisition?
Letters usually work better for land and teardown offers because they feel more personal and professional. Spur mails both.
Keep exploring
Related roles and guides
Start in minutes. No card required.
Your next homesite is a letter away.
Search lots and teardown candidates in your neighborhoods and send your first offer today.
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