Why probate leads work for investors
When a homeowner dies, the house passes through probate. The executor or representative ends up responsible for a property they often didn't choose, may not live near, and need to turn into cash so the estate can be settled and split between the heirs. Many of these houses need work, or have been empty for months.
That makes probate one of the most motivated seller situations there is. The seller isn't emotionally attached the way an owner-occupant is, the timeline is set by the court, and a quick cash sale with no repairs is often exactly what the family wants.
What's in a probate lead
- The person who died and the date the case was filed
- The property they owned, matched from the county's property records
- The executor or representative named in the case
- Their mailing address, where the court publishes it
What's available varies by county because every court publishes different details. You can see real records, with names and addresses partly hidden, on the live sample.
How to work probate leads
- Be early, be respectful. The family has just lost someone. Lead with help, not price: no repairs, no showings, you close when the estate is ready.
- Contact the executor, not the attorney. The representative decides whether to sell. The attorney rarely passes your message along.
- Mail first, then follow up. A letter to the representative's own mailing address, then a call, then follow-up for months. Few probate sellers say yes on the first contact.
- Know the timeline. The representative usually needs the court to appoint them before they can sign a contract. Stay in touch through that window instead of giving up.
Probate leads and other distress, stacked
Probate is the first dataset in Distressed Data. Tax delinquency, tax sales and pre-foreclosures are being added county by county. When a house shows up on more than one list, it shows up as a stacked lead. Two kinds of distress on one house usually means a more motivated seller.