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Distressed properties in Boston
Distressed Properties in Boston, MA
Looking for motivated sellers in Boston? DealSherpa tracks 1,143 flagged houses in Suffolk County, from unpaid property tax and code violations, and shows which houses sit on several lists.
Last updated November 8, 2026See sample list · DealSherpa Pro $99/month, 3 days free · All plans
What's on the list
Boston Lead Types Available
Records per lead type in Suffolk County as of November 8, 2026. One house can carry several, so these add up to more than the 1,143 houses.
Suffolk County Tax Delinquent Property List
- 671 tax lien: A tax lien is recorded against the property.
The debt is now attached to the house itself and has a clock on it.
Boston Code Enforcement: Violations and Vacant Houses
- 337 code violation: An open case on the property: something the owner has been told to fix.
- 138 demolition permit: A demolition permit has been pulled.
Repairs the owner hasn't made are repairs they may not want to make.
A look at the list
Sample Boston Leads
A few real Boston houses on two or more signals, as they look in DealSherpa. The address and owner are in the app.
| Priority | Property | Owner | Signals | Added | Skip trace | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | Hyde Park, 02136Street and number in the app | Owner in the app | Added Nov 2026 | Not traced | View lead | |
| High | Brighton, 02135Street and number in the app | Owner in the app | Added Nov 2026 | Not traced | View lead | |
| High | East Boston, 02128Street and number in the app | Owner in the app | Added Nov 2026 | Not traced | View lead | |
| High | Gloucester, 01930Street and number in the app | Owner in the app | Added Nov 2026 | Not traced | View lead | |
| High | Salem, 01970Street and number in the app | Owner in the app | Added Nov 2026 | Not traced | View lead | |
| High | Gloucester, 01930Street and number in the app | Owner in the app | Added Nov 2026 | Not traced | View lead |
Suffolk County coverage
Boston Market Snapshot
Where the flagged houses are, as of November 8, 2026. Property type, age or value does not keep a house off the list.
| ZIP code | Flagged houses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 02124 | 88 | 8% |
| 01930 | 71 | 6% |
| 02128 | 63 | 6% |
| 02135 | 61 | 5% |
| 02136 | 57 | 5% |
| 02121 | 56 | 5% |
| 02125 | 56 | 5% |
| 02126 | 49 | 4% |
| 02119 | 38 | 3% |
| 02131 | 36 | 3% |
| 02127 | 34 | 3% |
| 02132 | 27 | 2% |
How we rank a house
How a Boston house gets to the top of the list
We start with every house in Suffolk County that carries a signal. Then we look for the same house on a second list, and a third. A house with unpaid tax and an open code case, or a vacant house in probate, is a different conversation than either signal alone. Those are the houses a small mail or call budget goes to first.
Counts as of November 8, 2026. Recently sold houses are left out.
What the data says
Boston, by the numbers
Observations computed from the flagged houses, not opinions. They move when the data does.
52% of flagged owners don't live in the house
590 houses have an owner whose mail goes somewhere else, and 36 of those owners are out of state. An absentee owner with a problem property is the classic seller.
337 houses with a visible problem
337 have an open code case and 0 are recorded as vacant. These are the houses a driver would spot from the street; here they are flagged before anyone drives.
3 houses sit on two or more lists at once
A house with unpaid tax and an open code case, or a vacant house in probate, converts at a different rate than either signal alone. The stacked list is where a small mail or call budget goes first.
Boston questions
Boston Distressed Property FAQ
How many distressed properties are in Boston?
1,143 houses in Suffolk County carry at least one distress signal as of November 8, 2026, and 3 carry two or more. Records by type: tax delinquent 671, code violation 475.
Where does the Boston data come from?
From public records: court filings and county and city records for Suffolk County. DealSherpa reads them, matches each record to its house, and joins the lists so a house on several of them shows once, with every signal.
How often are Boston leads updated?
The Boston lists were last updated on November 8, 2026. Court and sale lists move daily or weekly; tax lists move with the county's collection calendar. Houses that are paid up, sold or resolved come off the list.
Can I get the Suffolk County tax delinquent list?
Yes. 671 houses in Suffolk County are on the tax lists in DealSherpa today. Filter to them, add a second signal for a sharper list, then export it or push it to the CRM.
How much does DealSherpa cost?
DealSherpa Pro is $99/month and includes these lists, with a 3-day free trial. Plans for other tools start at $49/month; see the pricing page. Skip tracing is 12¢ per owner.
Other questions? See plans and pricing or email jack@dealsherpa.app.
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About this page. The counts cover Suffolk County, Massachusetts, and are read from DealSherpa's own records, last updated November 8, 2026; the market has been tracked since November 2026. A flagged house is one with at least one of the signals listed above; it is not a listing, an offer or a guarantee that the owner will sell. Recently sold houses are excluded. The sample houses show the city and ZIP only; addresses, owner names and contact details are available inside DealSherpa to subscribers, subject to its terms.