Best skip tracing services?

[Caitlyn Drapeau]

Hey everyone! I'm new here to BiggerPockets. I am a full-time Realtor in NH & ME. A few months ago I started attending a local investors meeting and have become obsessed with learning about real estate wholesaling. As a result, I have been meeting with other wholesalers and picking their brains to see how they run their business. Every wholesaler I have spoken with talks about skip tracing. I would like everyone's opinion on their experiences with skip tracing and which ones you have had the most success with? Thank you so much :) 

[Chip Carmack]

Quote from @Ray Danishyar:

I think SKIP Tracing is outdated. Thats just my humble opinion though. I feel like those lists are sold and resold numerous times over and over again for the same data. You can create your own methods and one stop shop by creating your own leads. Its not as easy but once you are up in running you are building a brand, equity in your business, and also constant flow of leads. I used to cold call, skip trace, send mailers, and don't get me wrong you will get success from it like James above, however as you gain experience you will realize you need deals faster, easier, cheaper, and with more "meat on the bones" and in order to have that you need constant deals flowing through your eco system and that's hard to do with mailers, cold calls, VA's and skip tracing etc. Hope this helps.

 I don't understand Ray. You say "skip tracing is outdated" but only make a vague reference to "creating your own leads". I have my own leads (name of decedent, physical address of property, personal representative for the estate, Their physical address. But I need PHONE NUMBERS to get better conversion rate for my letters. EMAIL would be nice too. HOW would I get those WITHOUT skip tracing? No offense, but telling people "that's not a good way to do it" and nothing more seems like a little league coach who tells his players "you're doing it wrong" but then doesn't give instruction of how to do it better. More details? Please and Thank You.