DataSift

AI Toolkit

Claude Co-Work & Skills for REI

Your entire research, analysis, and operations team. Running on a $20/mo subscription.

13 custom skills built for real estate investors. Market research, comping, rehab estimation, lead prospecting, CRM automation, and more.

12 min read Phase 6 Guide 13 Skills
The Platform

Claude Co-Work Mode

Co-Work turns Claude from a chatbot into an agent. It reads your files, browses the web, spawns sub-agents for parallel tasks, and produces professional documents. Think of it as a virtual back office that runs on your desktop.

File Access

Upload spreadsheets, PDFs, and images directly. Claude reads the data and works with it in real time. No copy-pasting.

Sub-Agents

Co-Work spawns parallel sub-agents for research tasks. One agent pulls comps while another estimates rehab costs. Results merge into a single output.

Chrome Connector

The Chrome Extension lets Claude see what you see in the browser. It can read county clerk websites, Zillow listings, and MLS data in real time.

Getting Started with Co-Work

1

Open Claude Desktop or claude.ai

Co-Work is available on both the desktop app and the web version. Make sure you have a Pro plan ($20/mo) or higher.

2

Select Co-Work Mode

Toggle into Co-Work mode from the conversation selector. This enables file access, sub-agents, and extended context.

Co-Work mode toggle in Claude Desktop

Select Co-Work from the mode dropdown. Screenshot needed from Tyrus.

3

Set Global Instructions

Add instructions that apply to every Co-Work conversation. Tell Claude your market, your blueprint, your current team size, and your CRM setup.

Global instructions settings in Claude Co-Work

Global instructions persist across all your Co-Work sessions.

4

Upload Your First Skill

Download a .skill or .plugin file from the library below. Upload it to your Co-Work project. Claude reads the skill file and gains specialized abilities.

Ty's Tip

Start with the Deal Analyzer plugin. It combines comping and rehab estimation into one workflow. Upload a property address and get a full deal package: ARV, rehab estimate, MAO, and profit projection.

Understanding the Tools

Skills, Plugins & Built-in Tools

Three types of AI tools, each with different capabilities. Skills are the most common. Plugins combine multiple skills into a single workflow.

📝
.skill

Skill

A single-purpose instruction file. Teaches Claude one specific workflow like comping, rehab estimation, or phone scoring.

🔌
.plugin

Plugin

Combines multiple skills into one file. The Deal Analyzer plugin runs comping and rehab estimation together in a single conversation.

built-in

Built-in

Claude's native abilities: code execution, web search, file creation, and data analysis. Available without uploading anything.

Skills have moved to the Customize page in Claude's settings. If you previously managed skills through a different menu, check Settings > Customize for the current location.

Configuration

Capabilities & Permissions

Some skills need permission to call external APIs. The Phone Validator skill calls the Trestle API to score phone numbers. Without the right permissions, it fails silently. Here is how to configure it.

1

Open Settings

Click your name in the lower left corner of Claude Desktop or claude.ai. Select Settings.

2

Go to Capabilities

Find the Capabilities section in Settings. This controls what Claude can do during conversations.

How to navigate to Capabilities and Settings in Claude

Navigate to Settings and find the Capabilities section.

3

Enable Required Toggles

Turn on: Artifacts, Inline visualizations, Code execution, and Allow network egress. Network egress is the critical one for API-calling skills.

Claude capabilities settings showing Memory, Tool access, and Visuals toggles

Enable Tool access, Artifacts, and other capabilities your skills need.

4

Add API Domains to Allowlist

Under network egress, add the specific domains your skills need. For the Phone Validator, add api.trestleiq.com to the domain allowlist.

Capabilities settings showing network egress and domain allowlist

Enable network egress and add api.trestleiq.com to the domain allowlist for phone validation.

General desktop settings and Browser Use configuration

General desktop settings and Browser Use toggles for Claude's system-level permissions.

Ty's Tip

If a skill needs to call an external API, you must add the domain to your allowlist. The Phone Validator needs api.trestleiq.com to score numbers via Trestle. Without it, the skill runs but returns no scores. When in doubt, check the skill's documentation for required domains.

Skill Library

The REI Skill Library

13 skills organized by business division. Each skill teaches Claude a specific real estate workflow. Download individually and upload to your Co-Work session or Project.

Market Research & Data

Sift Market Research

.skill (11MB)

Full market analysis automation. Generates Market Finder reports, analyzes county data, identifies target zip codes, and builds acquisition strategies.

  • County-level market analysis
  • Zip code scoring and ranking
  • Competition assessment
  • Target market recommendations

First-to-Market County Data

.skill

Automates county clerk data pulls for first-to-market lists. Identifies probate, tax sale, foreclosure, and code violation records from public sources.

  • Probate record extraction
  • Tax delinquent list building
  • Foreclosure notice parsing
  • Code violation sourcing

Buyer Prospector

.skill (1.9MB)

Builds verified cash buyer lists using SiftMap investor transaction data. Analyzes portfolios, identifies active investors, and scores buyer quality.

  • Investor portfolio analysis
  • Cash buyer identification
  • Transaction history scoring
  • Buyer type classification

Deal Analysis

Real Estate Comping

.skill

Two-Bucket comparable sales methodology. Generates full comp reports with ARV calculations, adjustment breakdowns, and confidence bands.

  • Two-Bucket ARV methodology
  • Comp filtering and scoring
  • Adjustment cheatsheets
  • Disclosure/non-disclosure handling

Rehab Estimator

.skill

Room-by-room rehab cost estimation with finish tier system. Generates full rehab budgets, wholetail comparisons, and project timelines.

  • 4-tier finish system
  • Room-by-room scoping
  • Regional pricing adjustments
  • Wholetail vs full rehab analysis

Deal Analyzer

.plugin

Combines comping and rehab estimation into a single deal analysis workflow. Calculates MAO, ROI, and profit projections for any property.

  • Combined comp + rehab pipeline
  • MAO and 75% Rule calculation
  • ROI projections
  • Full deal package output

Lead Research & Prospecting

Deep Prospecting

.skill

Four-level research depth framework. Automates enhanced skip tracing, public record searches, genealogy research, and heir identification.

  • 4-level depth research
  • Heir identification via genealogy
  • Public record cross-referencing
  • Owner swap documentation

Probate Property Finder

.skill

Automates county-specific probate research. Identifies probate filings, deceased owner properties, and heir contact information from public records.

  • County probate record search
  • Deceased owner identification
  • Heir contact extraction
  • Property status verification

Phone Validator

.skill

Scores phone numbers via Trestle API (0-100 activity score). Tags numbers by dial priority tier and line type. Requires network egress permission.

  • Trestle API integration
  • 5-Tier Dial Priority tagging
  • Line type identification
  • Dead number elimination (~50%)

CRM & Operations

Sequential Presets

.skill

Builds niche sequential marketing filter presets for your DataSift CRM. Configures the 12-filter system for skip tracing, calling, mailing, and deep prospecting.

  • 12 niche filter presets
  • Skip trace queue setup
  • Call/mail/DP cycle filters
  • Not-interested recycling

Sift Sequences

.skill

Creates and configures CRM automation sequences using the TCA model (Trigger, Condition, Action). Builds lead management, acquisition, and transaction workflows.

  • TCA model automation
  • 26 pre-built sequence templates
  • SMS/email integration
  • Folder organization system

Sift Operations

.plugin

Full CRM operations management. Handles lead pipeline setup, status configuration, task presets, event scheduling, and team workflow automation.

  • Lead pipeline configuration
  • Task preset building
  • Team role assignment
  • Daily execution workflows

Playbook Creator

.skill

Generates custom acquisition playbooks based on your market, blueprint, and team structure. Produces SOPs, scripts, and daily checklists.

  • Custom SOP generation
  • Script templates
  • Daily checklist building
  • Blueprint-specific workflows
Claude skills automate the research. DataSift stores the results. Your comps, heir trees, and owner analysis feed straight into your CRM pipeline. Create Your Account →
Getting Started

Install Your First Skill

Pick a skill from the library above. The whole process takes under two minutes.

1

Download the .skill file

Click the download button on any skill card above. The file saves to your Downloads folder.

Download skill example from Google Drive

Click the download button on Google Drive to save the .skill file.

2

Open Claude Desktop or claude.ai

Log in with your Pro account ($20/mo). Open Co-Work mode or create a new Project.

3

Upload the skill file

Click the + button in your conversation. Select the .skill or .plugin file from your Downloads folder. Claude reads it instantly.

Upload example showing skill file being added

Upload the .skill or .plugin file to your conversation.

Uploading your first skill to Claude showing the skill file selection interface

Uploading your first skill. Select the .skill file and Claude handles the rest.

4

Start using the skill

Type a prompt that triggers the skill. For the Comping skill: "Run a comp analysis on [address]." Claude follows the skill's complete workflow.

Real Estate Comping Skill running inside Claude Co-Work mode

The Comping skill loaded in Co-Work mode, ready to run a property analysis.

5

Check Capabilities if needed

If the skill needs API access (like the Phone Validator), configure Capabilities first. See the Capabilities & Permissions section above.

Browser Integration

Chrome Extension

The Claude Chrome Extension lets Claude see what you see in the browser. It reads page content, extracts data from tables, and interacts with web applications in real time.

Read Any Web Page

Claude reads the active tab content. County clerk databases, Zillow listings, MLS pages. Ask Claude to extract specific data points.

Extract Structured Data

Point Claude at a table or list on a web page. It parses the data and converts it into a spreadsheet, CSV, or structured analysis.

Cross-Reference Sources

Open multiple tabs. Claude reads them all and cross-references the data. Property details from Zillow matched against county records.

Do

  • Use for reading public data (county records, property listings)
  • Combine with skills for enriched analysis
  • Use on pages with tables and structured data
  • Keep the extension updated to the latest version

Don't

  • Use on pages requiring login credentials
  • Expect it to click buttons or fill forms
  • Use on JavaScript-heavy single-page apps (limited rendering)
  • Rely on it for real-time data that changes frequently
Voice Productivity

WisprFlow: Voice-Powered Productivity

WisprFlow turns your voice into text anywhere on your computer. Dictate prompts to Claude, write emails, fill CRM fields, and draft documents. All hands-free.

Ty's Tip

WisprFlow is the fastest way to interact with Claude. Instead of typing a 200-word prompt, speak it in 30 seconds. The transcription is near-perfect and works in any text field on your computer. I use it for everything: Claude prompts, Slack messages, CRM notes, email replies.

Works Everywhere

Any text field on your computer. Claude chat, browser input, Word docs, Slack, email. Press the hotkey and start talking.

Near-Perfect Transcription

Trained on natural speech patterns. Handles industry jargon, property addresses, and technical terms without constant corrections.

Free to Start

WisprFlow offers a free tier to test the experience. Paid plans unlock unlimited dictation and advanced features.

Try WisprFlow → wisprflow.ai

Common Issues

Troubleshooting

Just ask Claude. Describe the issue and Claude will walk you through the fix. For the most common problems, start here.

Skills have moved to the Customize page. Go to Settings > Customize to find your uploaded skills. If you still do not see them, try refreshing the page or restarting Claude Desktop.

Make sure the skill file was uploaded to the current conversation or project (not a different one). Try explicitly asking Claude to "use the [skill name] skill" in your prompt. Some skills activate on specific trigger phrases.

The Sift Market Research skill is 11MB, which is near the upload limit. If you get a size error, try uploading via Claude Desktop (higher limits than web). You can also split the conversation: upload the skill in one message, then start your analysis in the next.

This usually means your plan does not support the feature. Skills and Co-Work require a Pro plan ($20/mo) or higher. Check your subscription status under Settings > Billing.

Make sure the Claude Chrome Extension is installed and enabled. Check that you are logged into the same Claude account in both the extension and the web app. Try disabling and re-enabling the extension. Clear browser cache if the issue persists.

Reference

Key Terms

Click any card to flip it and see the definition.

Co-Work

Click to flip

Co-Work

Claude's agent mode. Enables file access, sub-agents, web browsing, and extended context for complex multi-step workflows.

Skills

Click to flip

Skills

Single-purpose .skill files that teach Claude specific workflows. Upload to a project or Co-Work session to activate.

Plugins

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Plugins

Multi-skill .plugin files that combine several workflows. The Deal Analyzer plugin merges comping and rehab estimation into one pipeline.

Chrome Extension

Click to flip

Chrome Extension

Browser add-on that lets Claude read the content of your active web pages. Enables data extraction from county clerk sites, Zillow, and MLS.

Capabilities

Click to flip

Capabilities

Settings that control what Claude can do: code execution, network egress (API calls), artifacts, and inline visualizations. Configure in Settings > Capabilities.

Skill File

Click to flip

Skill File

A .skill file containing structured instructions. Typically includes workflow steps, output format specifications, and domain-specific knowledge for one task.

Plugin File

Click to flip

Plugin File

A .plugin file that orchestrates multiple skill workflows. Larger than skill files because they contain instructions for coordinating several analysis steps.

Sub-Agent

Click to flip

Sub-Agent

A parallel worker spawned by Claude during Co-Work. Sub-agents handle independent research tasks simultaneously, then merge results into the main conversation.

WisprFlow

Click to flip

WisprFlow

Voice-to-text tool that works in any text field on your computer. Speak prompts to Claude instead of typing them. Near-perfect transcription of natural speech.

Knowledge Check

Test Your Understanding

7 questions covering Co-Work, skills, capabilities, and the Chrome Extension.

1. What plan do you need for Claude Co-Work and Skills?

2. What is the difference between a .skill and a .plugin file?

3. Why do you need to enable network egress in Capabilities?

4. Which business division does the Phone Validator skill belong to?

5. What can the Chrome Extension do?

6. How much does Claude Pro cost per month?

7. What should you do first when a skill is not working?

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