If I were starting over today
Short answer: Starting with limited money, I'd learn the probate process and real estate fundamentals, pull free public records before paying for lists, begin with out-of-area personal representatives because there are fewer to manage, and repeat a steady cycle of calls, letters and follow-up. Consistency matters more than talent.
What is your most valuable asset at the start?
Your mindset. Trust your natural strengths, whether that is talking with people, writing letters and messages, or showing up on social media. Many people underestimate how well they can communicate. If you are disciplined and consistent, those skills will set you apart.
What do you need to know first?
Two things: a basic understanding of the probate process, and a strong command of real estate fundamentals. Once a family decides to sell, things move quickly, and your ability to act on that, day after day, is what matters.
Should you pay for data right away?
No. In the beginning, use free sources. Go to the courthouse or search local government websites and pull filings by hand. The extra effort gives you an edge over agents all working the same mass-marketed lists. After you have some experience and cash flow, consider daily or monthly data from a reputable provider covering a few counties. Then volume helps, but efficiency still matters.
Who should you contact first?
Start with personal representatives who live out of the area. There are fewer of them to manage, and they often need local help. Then add local representatives and the people who live at the same address as the person who passed, with care and patience.
Also pay attention to returned mail, which can signal a vacant house, and to properties titled “Estate of.” Those homes often involve situations where a family may need help sooner.
What does the weekly cycle look like?
Call, leave a voicemail, send a letter, and follow up again, whether or not they respond. Reinforce your presence on social media. People need to hear from you several times over time. If you don't contact them, someone else will.
Speed matters, but earning trust before they ever speak with you is the strongest contact there is. Point them to a seller-focused website, YouTube videos, and social profiles that all look like you.
What should you check before you start?
- Do Not Call and texting rules (TCPA).
- TREC advertising and solicitation rules.
- Your brokerage's policies.
- Privacy rules for any data you buy.
Try this week
- Find your county's probate filing records and read three.
- Make a list of ten out-of-area personal representatives from public records.
- Block 30 minutes a day for calls, letters and follow-up.
Questions people ask
Do I need a big budget?
No. Start with free public records and your own time. Add paid data and tools once you have experience.
How long until I see results?
It varies. Many situations take months or years, so plan for patience and keep your follow-up going.
What if I'm not in Texas?
The steps are the same. Learn your state's probate process and records first.
Example: See how I explain the process to families (my own site). This links to my own site, Cities Real Estate.
Watch this lesson, or talk it through.
The video is in the free course. Or book a 21-minute call.
This lesson is educational. Results depend on your niche, your effort, and your follow-up. Nothing here is legal advice, and nothing here promises leads, listings, clients, or income.