Probate List

[Jose Sison]

I recently called the Probate Division at my local county, Fairfax County in Virginia.

They said I could come in and use their computers to search by name.  I then asked if there was a way I could get a list of current probate cases and I was told that they can't do that and that they don't usually do that.

Is this normal?  Do I need to go in and use a search function (if that exists) to pull recent probates and write them down myself?

[Rick H.]

Jose, now that you've had a chance to think about this, I hope that you considered some of those alternative.

When I think of foreclosures, I think of a property with a mortgage in default. The lender has started the foreclosure process but it has not been completed, hence not an REO. However, the process, being public information, can be used for all sorts of great targeting.

Here's one: look for mortgages in default with really small loan balances. When people can't make the monthly payment on a loan with a $30k principal balance, there's a bigger problem then unemployment. Maybe dead?

Another: reverse mortgage in foreclosure. Most RM's are in default due to a "maturity event" which is industry term for dead borrower, balloon now due.

The point is to look for the triggers or evidence of a problem. Lest you forget, you are in the problem solving business.