All scripts · Probate objection · Inherited property
The script
Opening: “Hello, is this [name]? I'm Adam with [company]. I'm calling about the property on [street]. I realize this may be a difficult time. Is a property conversation welcome today?”
If yes: “Thank you. I work with buyers in the area. Is a sale something the family is considering, or would you prefer I leave it there?”
Decision process: “If it is being considered, who should be part of the conversation? Is there anything you want me to know before I ask about the house?”
Property: “What do you know about the property's condition and access? It is fine if you do not know yet.”
Next step: “I can send a short summary of who I am and what I would need to evaluate an offer, if that would help. Would you prefer that, a later call or no follow-up?”
Why the pace is different
The opening names you and the property, then asks whether a conversation is welcome. Do not claim to know the family or describe their loss in detail. A person who did not expect the call should be able to say no without explaining themselves. If they sound upset, apologize for the timing and end the call. Even a courteous script can be unwelcome in the wrong moment. The general cold call script is for ordinary seller discovery; this situation needs more care.
The second line gives the family a choice between talking about a sale and ending the topic. Do not assume that the house must be sold or that the person on the phone can decide. If they say the family has not discussed it, let that stand. If they ask how you found them, answer from the actual record source and check whether that source should have been used. The number source response does not justify an intrusive call.
The decision-process question is for practical accuracy. A family member may be gathering information while an executor, administrator or attorney handles formal decisions. Do not ask the person to give you confidential documents on a first call. Do not tell them who can sign or what probate permits in their jurisdiction. Those are questions for their local probate or real estate attorney. Your job on the call is to learn whether an offer would be useful and whom they want involved.
The property question makes “I don't know” a valid answer. The person may never have lived there, may not have access or may be waiting on another family member. Note what is known, what is uncertain and whether there is a safe way to inspect later. Avoid turning uncertainty into a low offer. An ARV estimate and repair estimate can prepare you for a later conversation, but they are working assumptions until verified.
The final line offers three clear paths: a summary, a later call or no follow-up. If they choose a summary, ask where to send it and keep it factual. If they choose later, set the exact date they give. If they choose no follow-up, record the stop and do not keep checking in. Their choice should govern the workflow. OfferDesk can show the note and next task on a shared record, but the team still has to honor the boundary it records.
When they push back
“I'm in probate” may mean there is no decision yet. Do not answer with a timeline you found online. “I inherited it and don't know what to do” calls for listening, not a transaction lecture. “I need to talk to my family” is a reason to let the family talk. If they say “take me off your list,” acknowledge it and suppress contact.
If the person asks about a contract, give a plain description of the process and recommend a local real estate attorney before anyone signs. Do not give a template or advise who should sign. If they ask about taxes, estate administration or deadlines, refer them to the appropriate professional. A wholesaler's interest in buying a property does not make them the family's legal guide.
After the call
Write only what is necessary: the property, who asked to be contacted, preferred channel, whether other decision-makers need to be included, known condition and the chosen next step. Do not record speculative family details or a diagnosis of grief. The CRM setup guide can help define who owns a sensitive follow-up and how a stop request blocks future outreach.
A text is appropriate only when the person requested or allowed that channel and the contact basis is lawful. Keep it gentle and easy to decline. Never send it as an automated “probate lead” sequence. The text scripts explain sender identification and opt-outs.
Follow-up text: “Hi [name], Adam with [company]. As requested, here is my contact for the property on [street]. No rush. Reply STOP if you prefer no texts.”
For a general call after the family says it is ready to consider an offer, use the follow-up script and start with what they previously asked for. If the property needs a price discussion, review the MAO formula privately before proposing numbers. The right pace is the one the family sets.