Working with Probate Attorneys

Presented by Alexa Rosario · ProbateData Live Class · May 18, 2025

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Core Philosophy: Business Development, Not Prospecting

The fundamental shift Alexa teaches is moving from a transactional prospecting mindset — "send me your listings" — to long-term business development. Treat attorney relationships like a courtship that leads to becoming their trusted, permanent property partner.

"This is not prospecting. This is the equivalent of a lender or title company securing your business. You are courting them to marry you."

Who to Target: Probate Attorneys — Not Estate Planning Attorneys

Critical distinction: Estate planning attorneys work on the proactive side — helping living, healthy families plan ahead. They rarely generate referrals because they are not managing active property transfers. The estate planning attorney often created the environment that leads to probate. Focus exclusively on probate attorneys — those actively managing open estates and handling property transfers in real time.
"If you spend all your time with estate planning attorneys, you're gonna find they're not sending you referrals because they're not on the probate side."

Target criteria: Prioritize attorneys who have multiple open probates at the same time. In most markets, 30–40 attorneys handle the majority of probate business in a single county. These are your hit-list contacts — the ones you never let go dark.

3 Things Most Agents Miss

1. Billable hours are sacred

30 minutes with you costs an attorney $200–$500 in unbilled time. Be efficient, be prepared, and respect their time above all else. Never push past the gatekeeper.

2. They see agents as salespeople

Attorneys spent years building their credentials. If you position yourself as just another agent with "great service," you've already lost. You must earn their trust and respect differently.

3. Use the right language

Say "inherited property" — not just "probate." Speak to the emotional weight of property ("Home is where the heart is"). Reference case studies, not testimonials — attorneys think in case law. Know what homestead means.

The Campaign System: 8 Touches Over ~8 Weeks

Run the same campaign every single time an attorney opens a new probate. Consistency is the entire strategy — they will eventually say "fine, bring me coffee."

1. Email #1 — pre-listing package Language written specifically for inherited property. Tell them to share it with their client. Positions you as an educator, not a salesperson.
2. LinkedIn connection request Same template every time for new contacts. A credibility and visibility move, not a pitch.
3. Phone call — win the gatekeeper "I sent a package the other day and wanted to make sure it arrived. I also have something to drop by — will someone be in the office Thursday?" Simple. Non-pushy.
4. In-person drop-by — bring treats Chocolates or a small treat with your card. The goal is to put a face to the name with the receptionist. This step feels unnecessary until it works.
5. Case study email Written summary of a real transaction. Shows transformation — not just a sold sign. Cover the cleanout story, value recovered, and sale outcome.
6. Handwritten note Personal, non-probate-related. Comment on something from their LinkedIn — a child's achievement, a speaking event. It's courtship, not a pitch.
7. LinkedIn message or post comment For returning contacts, vary the approach — comment on a post instead of sending the same message twice.
8. ~90-day check-in "We're coming up to the 90-day creditor period. Has homestead been established? Is there anything I can do to help?" This line alone signals that you know what you're doing.

The Attorney Sit-Down: How the Meeting Actually Goes

"Instead of telling you what we do, can I show you?" — Alexa's transition into the case study presentation

1. Ask "what made you get into probate?" Let them reminisce and connect back to why they care. They'll naturally ask you the same — and that's your opening.
2. Share your personal backstory If you've been through probate or inherited property yourself, this is your most powerful tool. Speaking from the heir's perspective — not the agent's — breaks through more walls than anything else.
3. Present your case study — 4 slides on an iPad Don't tell them what you do — show them. Use a real story with a real property, real before/after, real numbers, real outcome. This is your case law equivalent.
4. Position yourself as their property team member "I want to be the person you plug in — so easy to work with that you can't imagine doing this without me."
5. Leave them the 12-question guide A one-pager: "12 questions to ask your real estate professional." Give it to attorneys to hand to clients. Make sure you can answer every single one.

The Case Study Framework

Attorneys think in case law. "Case studies" speak their language in a way "testimonials" never will. Your case study should show the full transformation — not just the sale price.

The problem — What was the property condition? Who were the heirs and where were they located? What was blocking the estate from moving forward?

The process — Inventory → heir selection → saleable items → donations (tax benefit) → disposal. What vendors did you coordinate, and in what order?

Hidden value found — Did you recover unexpected value? A personal property appraiser can find assets heirs didn't know existed — and that changes the math entirely.

The outcome — What did it sell for? How fast? What was the market context? What made the result remarkable given the conditions?

If you're just starting out: You don't need a dramatic case study. Use a dated property you've sold, or your broker's or team's story. The story of how you came to specialize in inherited property is also a case study — just about you, not a property.

The Real Value Proposition: Cleanout and Prep

Families spend $20,000–$50,000 and over 200 hours getting an inherited property ready for market. They are managing ~8 vendors while grieving and handling family dynamics. If you say "call me when it's ready for photos," you lose the listing to the agent who says "hand me the keys — I've got you."

"Until you have the cleanout and prep relationships built, you will never be able to truly position yourself as an expert in this space."

Build relationships with these vendors before you pursue attorneys:

• Junk removal
• Estate sale company
• Personal property appraiser
• Handyman
• Cleaning service
• Contractor / virtual renovation
• Donation coordination
• Photographer / stager

Long-Term Nurture: 3 Touches Per Month

1. Attend bar association events Look up your local bar association's probate, trust, and estates section. Buy a ticket. Go to learn and build relationships — not to hand out cards. Don't mention real estate until at least 10 minutes into a real conversation.
2. Monthly email — current events and case studies Talk about what's happening in the probate and estate world in your market. Share new case studies. Speak as the property advocate, not as a salesperson.
3. Monthly call for lower-volume attorneys A quick, respectful check-in. Never a pitch. Just maintaining the relationship until the next probate opens.
4. Quarterly mailing and drop-by Same drop-by every quarter — a small food item with your card. "I just wanted to check in." Simple and memorable.
5. At least one LinkedIn post per week Talk about probate, inherited property, legacy, or family wealth transfer. This builds authority over time and is the first thing an attorney checks when deciding whether to trust you.

Key Takeaways: What to Do Differently Starting This Week

• Stop targeting estate planning attorneys. Shift your outreach entirely to probate-specific attorneys. One probate attorney with multiple open cases is worth more than a hundred estate planners.
• Build your cleanout and prep vendor network first. Before pursuing attorneys, make sure you can deliver on the promise. Know your key vendors by name before you pitch yourself as the expert.
• Use "inherited property" — not just "probate." Attorneys handle probate, trust administration, and elder law. Your language should match their full world, not just one piece of it.
• Find or build your case study. One compelling transformation story is more powerful than any feature list. Start with what you have — your broker's deals count too.
• Register for a bar association event. Don't "look into it" — purchase the ticket this week. Show up, listen, and build two or three genuine relationships before mentioning real estate.
• Post on LinkedIn at least once this week about legacy or inherited property. Authority is built over time. Attorneys will look you up. Make sure what they find confirms that you are exactly who you say you are.

Resources from Alexa Rosario: Full toolkit including scripts, pre-listing package, the 12-question guide, and probate lingo cheat sheet.

https://heirloomagents.com/prs

Updated on: 18/05/2026