How to determine if an estate has property

[Benjamin Cowles]

Rummaging through the probates of the public notices, I've noticed that unless there's a judgement against any property in the deceased's estate, it won't indicate any if at all proper exists in the estate. Which leads me to wonder what's the minimum of an estate? Is there a dollar amount or  requirement for type of property? Could an estate consist of a set of encyclopedias? I'll try the name in the local CAD and public records, which half the time leads to some property, but otherwise nothing.

So what's in an estate and is this the typical hunt one goes on searching probates or are there other/better methods? Thanks