Marketing and Selling Probate Real Estate takes the right agent. Find out how to make this kind of real estate work for you.

Selling your probate real estate depends on one thing – the right agent. You need an agent who understands the challenges of fiduciary sales and one who can rise to the unique needs of your particular situation.

That means that the best course of action is to vet and interview all prospective agents thoroughly. Make sure you ask them how many probate, estate, and trust properties they have sold in the last year. 

When you have a clear understanding of how much of their business is targeted on probate sales, you will know whether or not you are in good hands. 

Additionally, asking a potential agent what specific services they have to help meet your needs is a great idea.

Listing your property with an agent who has years of experience with fiduciary sales will help ensure your property sells for the highest value.

Make sure you have a clear objective for the sale.

No matter your property, the objective should be the same:

• Get as many qualified buyers looking at the property as possible
• Consistent and effective communication between the agent and the seller
• Persuasive negotiation to make sure the property goes for the highest reasonable price.
• A quality agent should use a proven property prep strategy to get probate, estate, and trust properties ready for sale. 

This often includes an agent helping with estate liquidation or removal of personal items before the sale and working directly with attorneys to find the most cost-efficient way to administer the process.

Carefully marketing your property for maximum resale potential includes following a simple checklist. The most qualified probate real estate agents will likely have their own list of items to follow. It is also a good idea to have your own suggestions. This includes some of the following:

• Make sure the property is visible on MLS with quality digital photos and a virtual tour.
• Price the property competitively.
• Prospect for at least a few hours a day to widen the net of potential buyers.
• Enlist cooperating brokers in the area.

Your agent will have his or her own system, and that is just fine. The important thing here is to make sure it is in line with your vision of this process. 

If you are in the market for buying probate property, you are in luck since the competition for probate properties is often lower than “move-in ready” homes. Remember that probate real estate is subject to court confirmation and sold as-is.

That means it is worthwhile to work with a probate real estate agent who can help you secure the property under the right terms. 

No matter if you are buying or selling when you spend time finding the right agent, you are making the process smooth, efficient, and virtually stress-free.