FAQ
Questions, answered.
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What exactly is SoCalForeclosures.net?+
A two-sided intelligence platform for Southern California real estate. Lead Members ($149.99/mo) get AI-surfaced foreclosure and pre-foreclosure leads across ten SoCal counties, drawn from a 48-signal-type intelligence network. Cash Buyers (Free or $99.99/mo First Look) get access to the SoCalDeals off-market marketplace to buy contracts direct from Lead Members.
How is this different from PropStream, PropertyRadar, or iSpeedToLead?+
Three things. (1) SoCal-only and SoCal-deep — we cover ten counties in more depth than any nationwide product. (2) Off-market enforced in three layers — no MLS-listed properties ever appear. (3) Correlated intelligence — we don't sell you raw lists; we sell you cross-referenced signal stacks that surface deals weeks before any public filing.
Do I have to be a Lead Member to buy dispo listings on SoCalDeals?+
No. Cash Buyer Standard is 100% free, unlimited seats, no invite code. You can browse SoCalDeals, make offers, and save deals. Lead Members get their First Look status bundled in at no additional cost — so if you also want to hunt leads yourself, the $149.99 covers both sides.
What does the $99.99/mo First Look upgrade get me?+
A 36-hour first-look window on every new dispo listing before Standard buyers see it, priority offer routing so Lead Members see your offers at the top, a Verified Buyer badge (POF-backed), unlimited saves, SMS alerts, buyer analytics, radius search, and bulk export. 30-day money-back guarantee.
Are Cash Buyers capped like Lead Members?+
No. Standard and First Look are both uncapped forever. Only Lead Members have a cap (8,000 seats — under 2% of SoCal RE pros) because Lead Members compete for finite lead inventory. Cash Buyers compete for individual deals, not aggregate supply.
What does a Lead Member get for $149.99/month?+
Everything. The full 48-signal bot network, Phantom-scored leads, MyCRM pipeline, AutoClaim auto-buy engine, SMS + email alerts, SoCalDeals dispo access (list up to 5 contracted properties/month at no additional charge), AND First Look Cash Buyer status bundled in.
How does lead locking work?+
10 credits ($10) locks a lead exclusively for 36 hours. No other member can see the owner, trustee, or auction details during your lock. Extend 24 hours at a time for 5 credits, or upgrade to Unlimited hold for permanent off-platform exclusivity. Credits never expire unless your subscription lapses 60+ days.
What is Phantom?+
Our correlation engine. Bots each write signals — tax delinquent, code violation, absentee owner, etc. — into a shared table. Phantom continuously re-scores every property in the system based on which signals are active, how recent they are, and how many different clusters they span. Properties with 3+ signals earn 🔥 Premium; 5+ signals across 3+ clusters earn 💎 Ultra Premium.
Are the leads actually off-market? Every single one?+
Yes. Enforced in three layers: at bot ingest, at read time on every query, and nightly by a scheduled job. If a property goes on-market after you locked it, it disappears from your feed and credits are refunded to your wallet.
How do Lead Members and Cash Buyers actually connect?+
When a Lead Member lists a property on SoCalDeals, First Look buyers see it immediately with SMS alerts if it matches their buy-box. Standard buyers see it 36 hours later. Both can make offers direct — the Lead Member sees all offers in one inbox with First Look Verified Buyers sorted on top. Direct messaging is enabled once an offer is submitted.
Is there a broker license required?+
No. We are not a licensed real estate broker. We're an information platform. Wholesalers using SoCalDeals must be marketing an equitable interest in a purchase contract (California AB 1345) — the disclosure checkbox is mandatory at listing creation.
What happens when the 8,000-seat Lead Member cap is hit?+
Signups redirect to a waitlist. A 25% deposit ($37.50) holds your spot. When existing members cancel or don't renew, seats free up in reserved order. Cash Buyer signups stay open the entire time.
Can I cancel any time?+
Yes. Cancel any time in Settings. You keep access through the end of your billing period. Credits in your wallet stay yours as long as you resubscribe within 60 days.
Do you offer refunds?+
Lead Member subscription and First Look are non-refundable except: (a) First Look 30-day money-back guarantee (full refund), (b) lead-lock credits are refundable if the property was on-market at time of lock or the trustee data was materially wrong. All refunds are issued as platform credits, never cash.
How do referrals work?+
Every member gets a personalized referral link. Lead Member → Lead Member: $300 both sides. Lead Member → First Look: $50 both sides. First Look → Lead Member: $300 both sides. Standard Free tier does not earn bonuses.
Do I need to be a California resident?+
No. But every property on the platform is in one of the ten Southern California counties we cover. If you invest nationwide, we're not the right fit. If you focus on SoCal, we're built specifically for you.