Does My Real Estate Agent Need Probate Experience?

When a loved one passes away, the last thing you want is to "sign here" 100 times, go through legal processes, and make tough decisions about their property.

Grieving is an emotional process. It takes time.

Probate — "the court-supervised legal procedure that determines the validity of your will. All property, debts, and claims of the estate are inventoried and appraised. All valid claims of the estate are collected, and the remainder is distributed to beneficiaries according to the will" — can be a major process itself.

You may be grieving. Never having done anything like this before. And you don't have to go through it all alone.

Partnering with a real estate agent to sell your loved one's home is a simple step you can take to remove a major weight off of your burdened shoulders.

But will any real estate agent do?

Just as lawyers and doctors specialize in certain fields, real estate agents have specialties and expertise. Hiring a probate realtor in Los Angeles can not only help you during this time but offer you experience and knowledge of probate property sale procedures to ensure there are the least amount of bumps possible.

5 Reasons to Hire a Probate Real Estate Agent

1. Experience speaks for itself

You might not be familiar nor experienced with probate. Navigating laws, procedures, and attempting to sell your loved one's home on your own, while settling personal and family matters, may sound intimidating or exhausting.

Don't hire someone without experience in it either.

There are different procedures required to take when selling a probate property versus a traditional property. If you are the personal representative, you are acting in the interest of the decedent. With this, you’ll have to abide by your state's probate laws and potential instructions from the court when determining the price and timeline.

Hiring a probate real estate agent to take care of the job could help you receive the most amount of money for the least amount of added stress. Because they've helped others in your situation before, they can help you better.

It is vital to find a probate realtor in Los Angeles if you are located there, as they can guide you with their knowledge of specific regulations or procedures required in your area.

2. Expertise pays off

Losing a loved one is painful. You want to avoid any unnecessary mistakes and expenses that could delay the sale process.

Simply hiring any real estate agent to sell the property can lead to more mistakes due to their lack of knowledge of probate property sale procedures.

For example, if you have any errors in your paperwork, the process could be significantly delayed, costing you time and money. A probate real estate agent's expertise and gained knowledge can help you avoid that, meaning less work and better results for you.This also means they can help you more clearly understand some of the ins and outs of probate property sale procedures if you're unfamiliar or have questions.

3. Save your valuable time

When suffering a loss, your priorities may be to take a break and spend time with family to try to heal and cope.

If you need to sell your loved one's property, the process could take 6 months to 2 years to fully finalize. If you are working with a real estate agent without experience or expertise in probate, the process could be dragged out if they don't know exactly what they're doing.

As well, many real estate agents are hesitant to work with probate properties since they may take time. Partnering with a probate real estate agent can save time so you can get back to spending it with those you love most.

4. Ease the process

When grieving a loss and maybe letting go of a childhood home, you must find a way to make the process financially and emotionally easier for you.

When navigating probate property sale procedures, you must first hire a probate attorney. If you then hire an agent without probate experience, you’ll have to rely on and meet with your attorney more, which could increase your attorney fees.

Instead, find a probate realtor in Los Angeles who can help you prepare the home for sale, find area comparables, evaluate its condition and value, and connect you with helpful services/resources in your area while you wait for the court authorization.

5. Increased sensitivity

Probate real estate agents work with people hurting and healing just like you. Their experiences can make them more sensitive to your family and situation to help everything go as smoothly as possible.

How Josh V Realty Can Help You

First and foremost, from our family to yours, we extend our most sincere condolences for your recent loss.

With over 100 years of combined experience, our team has successfully helped over 170 clients navigate the probate process—and we want to help you just the same.