A key ingredient to your success in probate real estate investing will be the seller. Investing in probate properties offers an abundant supply of very willing sellers.

A ready and willing seller can take 90% of the headaches out of acquiring a property, so treat the seller with kid gloves. In many cases, the seller really needs to sell the property; almost desperately. They need money and you are the key to them getting their cash our of the home.

Fortunately, the seller is rarely in the mood to go over every last detail of the final offer price. They were thrown into home ownership and they see you as someone who can keep them from becoming a landlord. In a lot of situations, the seller is in need of quick cash so they can settle the affairs of the deceased homeowner’s estate. Keep in mind, with all so many factors weighing in your favor, you need only make a fair and reasonable offer for the home.

When I say reasonable, I want you to understand you need to back up your offer with reasons why you should be able to buy it at a discount. If the roof needs work, get an estimate for the work to be done and back that off of the fair market value.

Take each one of those repairs and estimate the cost to get the work done. Next, type up or write out all of the repairs and show them as a deduction from the current market value. Your final offer will be the last number you calculate after deducting all repair costs. Set an appointment with the seller and discuss your finding and make the final price offer.

Take the position, that the seller is dealing with multiple investors. If you have a take it or leave it attitude, you could ruin your chance to acquire the property. Always treat your sellers with kindness and respect. Don’t conveniently forget to discuss things, they will resurface at a later date and potentially spoil the deal. Be kind, truthful, and candid.

Even though probate property investing is not as emotionally involved as foreclosure investing, you should always be as kind and caring to the seller as possible. You may not always have the whole story about the previous homeowner, i.e. they could have died unexpectedly. Always be professional about the interior finishes, no matter how out of date they may be. It will not get you anywhere to be disrespectful about someone else’s taste in decorating and more importantly, it could ruin the deal for you. Think before you speak.

You can make probate real estate investing very easy for yourself, if you always make the effort to be kind and respectful to the seller. When you are kind to the seller, you are ultimately helping yourself close another profitable deal.