Pacolet, SC · Member since 2014 · 34 posts · 4 votes
I am a new investor, haven't even purchased my first property. I found a home in a great neighborhood that is vacant. The neighbor was out in the yard so I stopped and asked him about the house. He said it's been vacant for around a year, the elderly couple passed away. He said the kids keep the grass cut and thought the home might be in probate. Some of our counties records are online but not probate. How should I proceed? I'd like to find the owner and make an offer. The property is in Spartanburg South Carolina.
I think this about the 67th time that I recall someone posting this scenario on BP.
If you can't access your local county probate records online to sufficiently determine if the owner(s) of record have an open probate, you'll need to physically go to the court or pay someone else to do this for you. Search the records at the courthouse to determine if there is an open private on either party.
In the meantime, you need to determine if the owners are, in fact, deceased. You may be able to get that thru the social security death index. Or, check obits in local paper(s) for a period of time. If you find decedent, pull copy of death cert. as your starting point.
I would start by sending a letter to the physical address saying you would like to buy the property. The family of the deceased may still be checking the mail.
I recently had a family member of a deceased home owner contact me from a letter I sent to a vacant house. The home owner had passed but the daughter was still checking the mail. Turns out the daughter was the executor of the estate as well.
You may also want to leave a short note with your contact info on the door stating you would like to buy the house.
I think this about the 67th time that I recall someone posting this scenario on BP.
If you can't access your local county probate records online to sufficiently determine if the owner(s) of record have an open probate, you'll need to physically go to the court or pay someone else to do this for you. Search the records at the courthouse to determine if there is an open private on either party.
In the meantime, you need to determine if the owners are, in fact, deceased. You may be able to get that thru the social security death index. Or, check obits in local paper(s) for a period of time. If you find decedent, pull copy of death cert. as your starting point.
That was good thinking to talk to the neighbor. Why not leave a note on the door saying that you're interested in buying the property? Also, the neighbor may have a phone number for the kids.