We get it. 2020 has not been the year that any of us expected it to be. When we eventually emerge from this collective societal pause, it will be time to buckle down and get creative about our real estate investing strategies. US Probate Leads is here to help you think outside the box when it comes to real estate lead generation. Did you know that in addition to our monthly probate lead subscription plans, we also offer historical probate leads? The intent of this blog post is to help you understand why taking advantage of these unique real estate leads could be a great opportunity during this challenging time. 
What Exactly Are Historical Probate Leads?
When we’re talking about historical probate leads, we’re referring to all of the probate leads we collected last month, plus all of the other months before that. Any data collected this month is considered current, but by next month those will be considered historical leads as well. Since we’ve been regularly collecting data in more than 2,000 counties in the United States for over fifteen years, we have a wealth of historical probate information. It is not an exaggeration to say that we have millions of probate records dating back two years for most of the counties we’ve retrieved data from. We have historical leads available for almost any county that might be of interest.
Why Is This Useful Real Estate Lead Generation?
Probate real estate is a niche type of real estate investing that already requires patience while navigating the probate estate process. Unlike other real estate markets that move quickly, probate real estate is directly tied to the court system and often tangled with the complexities of human emotion. The key to being a successful probate investor is to reach the executor at the right moment.
Experience has taught us that probate data as far back as 24 months is definitely worth pursuing. Whether it’s immediately after filing or six months later, the executor will reach that point in time when they fully understand their role and see how selling the probate property can help them. That will be the moment when they seek help from someone who is knowledgeable in probate real estate.
Since the grieving process is non-linear and unbound by time, that moment may come 3 months after filing or even 12 months afterwards. It is impossible to predict exactly when someone will be ready to sell their inherited home. While we have found that 45 to 120 days after filing is typical, it is often possible to find some real gems more than a year after filing. We have had customers find outstanding opportunities from historical leads that date as far back as 24 months ago.
How Do I Pursue Historical Probate Leads?
The answer to this question is that there are an infinite number of answers! You are only bound by your own imagination. We encourage you to think creatively and resourcefully, and use this time to reach out to people in probate. Even if a deal is not finalized immediately, you’ll be left with a great list of potential probate opportunities to pursue once current anxieties begin to subside. Now is a great time to switch up your investing strategy and try something new.
Have you completely exhausted the possibilities in your immediate area? Perhaps there are opportunities in neighboring counties that you hadn’t previously considered. With the availability of everything online these days, what about buying residential properties in other geographical areas? The web-based strategy is one that many investors have had success with. You could find success there too. Our historical probate data spans across the country so the possibilities are endless. Be thoughtful and deliberate in your approach, and most importantly? Give it time.