FACT: 80 percent of Probate Fillings include real estate.

Most Personal Representatives are not prepared for the work ahead of them when they discover that they have been designated to handle the real property affairs of a loved one.

A Realtor who is certified in Probate can be of tremendous asset and help in this situation. Getting information about the vesting of the property through their contacts with Title Companies, having the expertise to do  Market Analysis for the property is only the beginning.

Knowing the many steps involved, understanding that there are 4 different types of court filings and knowing what to do in each case, is why choosing a Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist is a more sensible choice.

Here is the most important piece of advice we can give you:
If you want to settle the estate quickly, do not wait too long to market the real estate asset.
Did you know that once you have been approved as the executor of the estate, you can start to sell the real estate?
In other words, parallel to handling everything else, you can list with a realtor, get advice, solicit offers and even go into escrow. Escrow will not close until you have acquired letters testamentary / letters of administration (court approval). As long as your buyers are aware of this, you will do fine. This is just one of the reason you want to use a realtor that understands probate.

Doug Jones is a Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist and a Real Estate Broker for over 30 years.