Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate improved multi-mode system selection in a wireless communication system. As described herein, various techniques can be utilized to synthesize system databases corresponding to disparate groups of radio access technologies (RATs), such as a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list and/or a Preferred Roaming List (PRL), with one or more overlay databases and associated location information to generate a multi-mode list of preferred systems. As described herein, a preferred system listing can be constructed to leverage fine granularity of information in one or more databases while still supporting databases with coarser information. Techniques are additionally described herein for augmenting and/or grouping one or more overlay databases to facilitate a higher available granularity of information for various RATs than that provided in system databases corresponding to the RATs. Techniques are additionally provided for automated generation of preferred system listing based on changes to observed location.