Shared internet leads are shared timing. Everyone got the same email blast the same hour. Advantage goes to speed dial—not strategy.
Permit data is different because it is tied to a real project event: issuance. That is a clock you can build process around.
It is also defensible: not everyone will do the work to normalize municipal mess into something reps can call.
When you combine issuance with owner and GC contacts, you are no longer arguing about whether the project exists—you are arguing about whether you are the right vendor.
This does not replace referrals. It gives referrals a predictable spine: even when the phone does not ring, Monday still shows up with new rows.
If your competitor refuses to run permits systematically, they are betting their pipeline on luck. You do not have to.