Probate leads can be a great source of clients for your real estate business. But if you’re new to the probate realm, you may wonder about how to find probate real estate leads, with whom you’ll need to work, and how you should navigate the process. In this article, our Local Leader® team discusses these questions and many more.
What Are Probate Leads?
Before we dive into how to find probate real estate leads, let’s first define our terms. Probate leads refer to potential clients who want to sell a property after inheriting it due to a death in the family. Heirs may decide to sell the place for various reasons, including:
- They already have a home in a different state
- They can’t sufficiently maintain the property
- They need the money for more critical expenses
- They have bad memories attached to the property
Whatever the case, clients must go through an in-depth probate process to transfer assets legally. This can take months to finalize. By the end, clients are often eager to work with real estate investors and sell quickly.
Ways To Find Probate Leads
You have plenty of ways to find probate leads near you. Below, you’ll find five of the most common methods.
1. Search Through Local Probate Listings
Searching public records is one of the easiest ways to find information about people who have passed away. Many counties publish obituaries and up-to-date real estate information in the newspaper. You can find examples of properties that sold recently and get an idea of the profit margin.
Probate listings can help you find opportunities to invest in real estate. You can use the information from previous sales to get a ballpark figure for your potential earnings with a similar estate. If you’re interested in probate properties, make sure you identify leads early on in the probate process and stay ready for when a client wishes to sell.
2. Contact or Meet With a Local Probate Clerk
If you want to know how to find probate real estate leads, consider contacting a probate court in your area. Probate clerks can provide the legal advice you need and information on probate cases, depending on your county. You can also drive down to your local probate court and meet in person with the clerk.
3. Look Online for Probate Leads in Your Area
Locating probate leads doesn’t have to be a complicated, stressful project. You can use Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or any other browser as a starting point. Simply type in “probate sales near me” or “probate in Mecklenburg County, NC” and let the internet do its thing.
You might be surprised how many probate listings are available publicly online. A specific location-based query can turn up hundreds of potential leads and send you in the right direction. It’s easy to customize your search online and find additional information that could prove helpful in the future.
4. Develop Professional Relationships With Probate Lawyers and Local Estate Planning
One of the most effective ways to get probate leads involves developing working relationships with local probate attorneys and estate planning professionals. This will help you tap into their network of clients and perhaps enable you to access the probate leads they have yet to act on. You may also learn helpful tips on real estate lead nurturing.
Probate attorneys looking for a quick sale are often more likely to offer their lists if they know that an active investor can help them quickly close out their file. Likewise, estate planning professionals may provide valuable insight into what types of people have recently come in for financial planning or estate services. Networking and building longstanding professional relationships are some of the best ways to further your career.
5. Purchase Probate Leads on the Internet
Real estate lead generation can take up a lot of time and energy. The whole process may leave you with many more questions on top of “how to find probate real estate leads.” Fortunately, you can find legitimate, high-quality services that help you purchase probate leads online.
Keep in mind that probate lead generation services come with a price. We recommend thinking twice about using this method if you can find leads through local newspapers, online listings, public records, and other free resources. However, you could save yourself quite a hassle if your only options are visiting a probate court or building lifelong relationships.
Online probate lead services can help you immensely if you’re new to the real estate game. A quick Google search can point you to the companies with the best services. They can assist you every step of the way from first contact to sale.
Tips for Navigating Probate Leads With Clients
Most clients get over the emotional aspect of selling an inherited property by the time the probate process ends. However, some may still feel attached. The following tips can help you navigate probate leads sensitively and effectively:
- Understand the client may still be grieving. Recovering from the loss of a loved one takes time, and many families never fully come to terms with it. It’s just another property to you, but it could mean so much more to them.
- Encourage clients to talk. Get to know your clients and encourage them to share memories and thoughts about the home. This can help build trust and make the process go more smoothly.
- Suggest taking photos. Family property is often the last thing people have of their deceased relative, making it a special place. Your clients may have fond memories attached to the living room, kitchen, office, and other areas. You should suggest having them take photos and preserve those moments even after they sell the property.
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