How real estate agents can obtain probate leads through attorney referrals
Although our courthouse-compiled feed of probate filings contains the contact information of the petitioner’s attorney, make no mistake that marketing to attorneys takes time and effort. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
Any attorney worth their salt is billing hours and not waiting for your phone call. They are cagey creatures. Hell, when I get in a legal jam, I can’t even get my own attorney on the phone. But once that rapport is established, it can be a golden goose of referral-based leads.
Let’s suggest some strategies on how to break the inertia.
Be an imposter? Look and dress like an attorney at the courthouse.
We know of at least one eXp broker who frequents a courthouse with a suit and briefcase in hand to “fit in.” He mingles with attorneys and strikes up a conversation with attorneys to shoot the breeze and explain what value he can add as a real estate professional to bring the estate closer to final settlement by selling the estate property.
This approach is not cut out for everyone, but there is no doubt that face-to-face contact with attorneys on their home turf can cement a bond that can lead to a reservoir of referrals. There are bar association events and other venues to take the personal approach and get in front of legal counsel.
Get your foot in the door by asking clients and others if they know a good probate and estate planning attorney.
Too many times, real estate professionals prospecting for new business do not understand there are opportunities in their existing circle.
Go through your client base and existing sphere of influence and ask them if they know a good attorney who is adept at probate, trust, and inherited property sales. This can be the “in” that you need to make contact with an attorney who would otherwise be reluctant to take your call.
“Martha speaks highly of you as having a skillset in probate, trust, and inherited property sales. I’m curious if we can collaborate on some projects where clients need to sell the estate home to get liquidity.”
Something like that.
Offer a free assessment of the property’s condition.
Unfortunately in many cases, the property of the late homeowner is neglected, because they were too ill to take care of it and let it atrophy.
Real estate professionals can ask permission from the attorney to take a glance at the estate property to ascertain its condition, reminding counsel that their clients do not want to be bogged down in code violations and face extra expenses and aggravation when the property is violative of local ordinances.
“Mr. Attorney, with your permission, I’d like to walk around and do a visual inspection of the property's exterior and email you some photos, just so that your clients can ascertain the property's condition and avoid any fines or hassle in maintaining it?”
Something like that.
What I like about this approach is that it is a low-maintenance decision; you are providing a value-add at no cost to the attorney’s client. The service of doing a visual inspection is all the more beneficial when the Personal Representative and beneficiaries live far away and do not want to travel on their own dime to oversee the property.
Ask an attorney to work up a guest blog or video to amplify their thought leadership.
People like to talk about themselves. Dale Carnegie said that the most valuable word in the English language to somebody is their name, and our hard-won experience proves it.
Given the opportunity to make themselves shine, many attorneys will avail the opportunity to dispense their legal advice and establish themselves as an authority in probate, trust, and inherited properties.
A pitch might be, “Mr. Attorney, I often come across clients who had a loved one pass away and need to sell the estate home, and of course, this comes with a host of legal questions and challenges. Since you are an expert in the space of probate, trust, and inheritance, I’m curious if you can be a resource and perhaps we can collaborate in terms of educating those who are tasked with settling a loved one’s estate.” Something like that.
A common concern is that attorneys already have a preferred network of real estate agents. This may be true, but it shouldn’t be a deterrent.
Competition is the reality of business. Sure, some attorneys have real estate professionals in their rolodex.
Your task is to provide superior value. To say that you don’t want to market to attorneys because they have other agents and brokers on standby is a little like saying that you don’t want to list houses because other realtors are willing to do so.
It’s been reported that there are more real estate agents than homes for sale. It’s a dog-eat-dog world and astute real estate professionals recognize that they can beat the next realtor vying for attorney referrals.
What separates you from the pack?
The messaging to attorneys that works is that you can sell the estate home in the least amount of time with minimal stress and get the job done right, taking into account the nuances of probate, trust, conservatorship, and inherited property sales.
Remember, attorneys are busy and do not want to educate real estate professionals on how to handle these types of transactions. They do not want to hold your hand, so it's imperative that you establish yourself as someone who has taken the training wheels off and know your game with little guidance required on the part of the attorney.
For more soliloquies on getting in the good graces with attorneys who can be a golden goose of new leads, watch this video from the proclaimed “LA probate expert.”
Until next time, ABC. Always Be Closing.
For the better part of two decades, Jim Rutkowski has had many tentacles in real estate with a focus on helping real estate professionals amplify their thought leadership and establish themselves as an expert in a particular niche. To bounce some ideas around, get in touch.