Cold Calling Probate Leads: A Complete Guide for Real Estate Agents in 2025

Cold calling probate leads remains one of the most effective ways to build a sustainable real estate business working with inherited properties. However, the approach that worked five years ago may not resonate with today's grieving families. This guide will walk you through updated scripts, objection-handling strategies, and follow-up systems that convert probate prospects into loyal clients.

Why Probate Cold Calling Still Works

When families enter probate, they're suddenly thrust into a complex legal process while grieving a loss. Most don't know where to start with estate administration, and real estate often becomes a burden they need help managing. By reaching out proactively, you're offering solutions at a critical time—but only if you approach the conversation correctly .

The key advantage? When you obtain probate leads through services like ProbateData, you're working with public court records that identify the personal representative and their contact information. This gives you a legitimate business reason to reach out, even to individuals on do-not-call lists, since they've placed themselves in the public domain as the estate administrator .

The Updated Cold Calling Script: Softer, Permission-Based Approach

Gone are the days of aggressive, sales-forward openings. The most effective probate scripts in 2025 focus on building rapport through a softer opening that creates curiosity and asks permission before diving into your pitch .

The Opening

Here's how a successful call might begin:

"Hi, my name is [Your Name]. I run a company locally called [Your Company Name]. Listen, I don't want to take a bunch of your time. This is about the estate of [Deceased's Name]. It looked like you might be the personal representative for that estate. Is that right? Are you the one handling that probate process?"

This opening accomplishes several things:

It's direct but respectful of their time
It identifies why you're calling without being pushy
It confirms you're speaking with the decision-maker
It invites them to engage rather than forcing information on them

After they confirm their role, offer a brief empathetic statement: "I assume that was probably someone close, a close family member. Is that right?" Then follow with: "I'm really sorry to hear about the loss. I know you probably have a lot going on. You think I could take a quick second, maybe tell you what I was calling for?"

This permission-based approach gets a favorable response 90-95% of the time .

Your Unique Selling Proposition: The Concierge Approach

Once you have permission to continue, your pitch should position you as a comprehensive resource, not just another agent trying to get a listing .

"Basically, my company helps families through the probate process with what we like to refer to as kind of a concierge program—it helps with almost every aspect of probate from A to Z. Listen, I don't want to bore you with a million details that some stranger on the phone called you up with. Can I ask, how long have you been in probate? Is it something you guys just started or have you been in it for a minute?"

Their answer to this timing question tells you exactly where to pivot in the conversation. Early in probate? Focus on offering resources and building the relationship. Further along? You can discuss real estate options more directly.

The Primary Goals of Your First Call

Here's what many agents get wrong: they treat the first call like it should result in an appointment or listing agreement. That's unrealistic and creates unnecessary pressure .

Your actual goals should be:

Confirm the correct decision-maker and contact information - If you're using lead data from ProbateData, you may have multiple phone numbers. Getting the right person on the phone immediately eliminates chasing down wrong contacts .
Get permission to send resources - Make it easy for them to say yes: "I was wondering if we sent you a packet of information with some resources—completely complimentary for people going through the probate process—if you'd take a look and call us if you needed anything" .

This extremely passive approach is "almost impossible for the person to be resistant toward" . You're not asking them to commit to anything except looking at helpful information.

Handling Common Objections

The objections that most agents fear are actually opportunities to provide value and build trust .

"We just started. We don't need anything right now."
Perfect. This tells you they'll likely need help in the coming months. Your follow-up marketing will position you as the expert when they're ready .

"My attorney is handling everything."
"Oh yeah, I imagine your attorney probably has a referral relationship with an agent. Listen, far be it for me to step on your attorney's toes. I don't imagine you'd want to take a look at an alternative offer, would you?"

Notice the language: "alternative offer" not "alternative listing plan." Most people won't refuse to see numbers, even if they already have an agent recommendation .

"How did you get my information?"
"I work with public probate court records. When someone files as a personal representative, that information becomes public. I reach out to see if families need any assistance with the estate—particularly with real estate that might need to be sold" .

Building Your Follow-Up Marketing System

Here's a critical insight: if 10 people call your probate prospect, only 2 will send a follow-up letter. Of those 2, only 1 will send a second or third piece .

This is your opportunity to dominate.

Most families won't make a decision about selling property within 30 days of your initial contact. If they're not ready to sell within that window, they'll completely forget about you and your competitors .

What to Include in Your Follow-Up Package

Your goal is to provide value over multiple months, not just send a single postcard. Consider including :

A personalized letter explaining your services
Probate checklist walking through the estate administration process
Vendor resource list with estate sale companies, attorneys, CPAs, cleanout services
Real estate options overview explaining different ways to sell inherited property
FAQ sheet addressing common probate concerns
Your professional brochure with testimonials and credentials

Use heavy-duty envelopes that feel substantial—not flimsy manila envelopes. The physical weight creates a perception of importance .

Ongoing Campaign Strategy

Send multiple touches over 5-6 months. While your competitors send 1-2 pieces and quit, you'll continue providing value through various formats :

Physical mail (letters, postcards, packages)
Email campaigns with educational content
Text messages (for those who prefer it)
Phone call follow-ups

One agent who went through probate himself received two calls the day after filing. Months later, he couldn't remember either caller's name . This is what your prospects experience—which is why consistent, valuable follow-up separates top producers from everyone else.

Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile

Many probate leads will look you up online after your call. One agent received a callback from someone who was initially rude on the phone: "I found your LinkedIn profile. I actually do have houses I've inherited and I want to sell. I just get a lot of calls from a lot of people and most of them aren't legitimate. You look legitimate. Let's talk" .

Your LinkedIn profile should :

Look professional at first glance (many people decide in 30 seconds)
Humanize you with personal interests and hobbies
Showcase your companies and professional experience
Include both professional credentials and personal elements

Presenting Your Real Estate Options

When you reach the point of discussing how to sell the property, keep it simple. Too many options create confusion .

Present three clear paths:

Quick cash, as-is: "Some people just want quick cash as-is. They're okay getting 65-75 cents on the dollar just to be done" .
List as-is: "We put the house on the market and try to find an end buyer who will pay more than an investor, but we're not doing any repairs. It's not going to be what your neighbor sold for, but it's probably going to come with more money than the investor's offer" .
Repair and list: "We can put some repairs into it, spruce it up, and try to maximize the value through a listing. If I make the repairs, my fees are higher but I cover everything. If you make them, my fees stay low but you cover costs upfront" .

Then ask: "Which one of those three works best for you?" and let them choose .

Working with Professional Guardians

Don't overlook professional guardians and conservators in your market. These individuals manage multiple estates and can become referral sources .

When calling a guardian, focus on learning about their business and identifying their clients' broader needs—not just real estate . Ask questions like:

"How do you get involved with your cases?"
"What sort of clients do you typically work with?"
"What services do your clients usually need?"

The goal is to become a resource they can refer to their clients, positioning yourself as someone who understands the unique challenges of guardianship situations.

The Do-Not-Call List Question

Many agents worry about calling probate leads on the do-not-call list. Here's the reality: when someone files as a personal representative in probate court, they've placed themselves in the public domain and essentially listed themselves as the contact person for estate and probate-related matters .

That said, calling with an offer ("I was wondering if I could bring you an offer") is generally safer than calling specifically about listing services . This is another reason why positioning yourself as offering solutions—not just listing services—works better.

The Long Game: Why Six-Month Leads Are Actually Gold

Most agents give up on leads that aren't ready immediately. This is a mistake.

Families that say "I don't know what we're going to do yet" or "We might keep it" are actually ideal prospects . Why? Because by the time they make a decision 5-6 months later, your competitors will have moved on. You'll be the only agent still providing value and staying in touch.

The families with financial urgency—those with big mortgages and no money in the estate account—represent only 10-20% of the market. They'll sell to whoever reaches them first . Build your business on the other 80-90% who have time to make decisions and will choose the agent who's been most helpful throughout their probate journey.

Leveraging ProbateData for Maximum Impact

Quality lead data is the foundation of a successful probate prospecting system. ProbateData provides accurate, up-to-date information directly from court records, giving you:

Verified personal representative contact information - so you're calling the decision-maker, not wasting time on wrong numbers
Property details - allowing you to research the property and prepare educated estimates before your call
Timely notifications - so you can reach families early in the probate process
Filtered lists - helping you focus on leads that match your investment criteria

When you call a lead from ProbateData, you can confidently reference the specific estate and property, demonstrating that you've done your research and aren't just randomly calling people .

Key Takeaways

Use a softer, permission-based opening that builds rapport instead of pitching immediately
Position yourself as a concierge resource, not just another agent chasing listings
Set realistic first-call goals: confirm the decision-maker and gain permission to send resources
Build a multi-month follow-up campaign that outlasts your competition
Present 3 clear real estate options: cash as-is, list as-is, or repair and list
Optimize your online presence—prospects will look you up
Embrace "not ready yet" leads; they become gold when competitors quit
Focus on providing value at every touchpoint

The agents who succeed in probate aren't necessarily the best closers or the most aggressive prospectors. They're the ones who understand that grieving families need time, support, and options—and who build systems to provide value throughout the entire probate journey. Start implementing these strategies today, and you'll build a sustainable business working with some of the most motivated sellers in real estate.