If you already spend your days behind the wheel—whether delivering packages, driving rideshare, or covering sales routes—there’s a simple way to start making extra money: get paid to drive for dollars. This method doesn’t require you to become a real estate investor or take on risky projects. Instead, it lets you earn income by spotting and logging distressed or vacant properties as you drive—then sending that information to real estate investors who are willing to pay for it.
This blog post will explain how you can start making money right away by driving for dollars, what tools you need, and exactly what to do when you see a property that looks like a deal.
What is Driving for Dollars?
Driving for dollars is the process of identifying potential real estate investment properties—usually ones that look vacant, abandoned, or in disrepair—while driving through neighborhoods. These properties often belong to owners who are open to selling off-market, and real estate investors are eager to learn about them. If you can spot these houses and pass the information on, you can get paid.
Real estate investors can’t be everywhere. They rely on people like you—"scouts"—to find leads on the ground. That’s where you come in.
Why This is Perfect If You Already Drive for Work
If you’re already a delivery driver, courier, rideshare driver, or technician, you’re in the perfect position to start driving for dollars. You already:
- Know your local streets
- Spend hours in neighborhoods each week
- Pass hundreds of homes every shift
With just a few minutes of extra attention, you can start building a list of valuable leads—and get paid for each one.
How Do You Get Paid?
Most real estate investors pay scouts based on how many qualified leads they submit. Some pay per address, while others offer bonuses for leads that result in a deal.
Here’s what most investors look for in a paid lead:
- Full address of a property
- Signs of distress or vacancy (more on this below)
- Any notes or photos you can provide
Once you have a list of leads, you can send them to investors or use tools like JustPropertySearch to package and organize them.
What Makes a Good Lead?
Real estate investors want properties that look like the owner may be open to selling—especially off-market. Look for homes with:
- Overgrown yards or landscaping
- Boarded-up windows or doors
- Piled-up mail or packages
- Trash or debris in the yard
- Damaged siding, roofs, or gutters
- Signs taped to the door ("no trespassing," code violations, etc.)
Vacant homes or homes that look neglected are exactly what investors want to hear about.
Tools to Help You Scout Properties
While you could write down addresses in a notebook, you’ll be far more efficient using modern tools.
JustPropertySearch (JPS)
JustPropertySearch is perfect for people driving for dollars. It helps you:
- Instantly look up property details and ownership info
- Save properties to lists from your phone
- Add notes or photos as you drive
- See real-time property data and updates
- Export your leads to send to investors
The "Live Lists" feature lets you build a list of criteria, and JPS will automatically find new matching properties and update your list daily—without you doing anything. It’s like getting paid while you sleep.
How to Start Getting Paid Today
Here’s your step-by-step plan to start earning money by driving for dollars:
Step 1: Choose Your Tool
Use JustPropertySearch or another scouting app to help you collect leads. It’ll save you hours and make your leads more valuable to investors.
Step 2: Look for Leads as You Drive
Pay attention as you go about your normal routes. When you see a house that looks vacant or distressed, add it to your app or list.
Step 3: Take Notes or Photos
Add notes like “high grass, peeling paint, old car in driveway” or take a quick photo. The more context you give, the more likely you are to get paid.
Step 4: Send Leads to Investors
Reach out to local real estate investors, wholesalers, or investment groups. Facebook Groups, real estate meetups, or sites like BiggerPockets are good places to connect. Tell them you’re collecting off-market leads and ask if they’d like to buy them.
Step 5: Stay Consistent
Even 10–15 good leads a day can turn into hundreds of dollars a month. If you cover the same areas every week, try new neighborhoods or log houses that look worse than last time.
Bonus: Scaling Up
Once you’re comfortable, you can expand by:
- Partnering with multiple investors
- Charging more for detailed leads with skip-traced info
- Hiring friends or family to scout other areas
- Offering weekly updates with fresh leads
Some of the best lead generators in the country started by driving around for Uber or FedEx.
Final Thoughts
If you’re already on the road, why not get paid twice? Driving for dollars is one of the lowest-cost, highest-upside ways to earn extra money—and the demand for fresh, exclusive leads is only growing.
With tools like JustPropertySearch, you can turn your daily routes into a source of consistent income. You don’t need to invest in real estate yourself. You just need to notice what others miss, record what you see, and pass it along to the people who need it.
Start now. The next house you drive past might be worth $1, $5, or even $1,000 in your pocket.
