The other day, my daughter hit a major milestone: she passed her driving test.
And you know what? I was her driving instructor!
Watching her work through the ups and downs of learning, practicing, and mastering the basics,
I couldn’t help but see the connection to what it takes to succeed in real estate, especially in probate.
Here’s the thing: when I started teaching her, I kept reminding her that driving itself isn’t all that tough.
What really matters, and what’s much more complicated, is being aware of everyone else on the road; what other drivers are doing, or sometimes, what they’re not doing. And in probate, the same lesson applies.
It’s not about having every probate law memorized; it’s about understanding how other people are thinking, especially when they’re dealing with the emotional, complicated process of probate.
You see, my daughter didn’t get to that finish line just by showing up and hitting the gas.
She practiced, over and over, learning how to manage all sorts of scenarios. There were tough days, rainy-day lessons, and times when it seemed like she’d never get the hang of it.
Probate real estate can feel the same way.
It’s one thing to go through training and memorize a few processes, but actually helping people in probate requires empathy, patience, and understanding what those families are going through on a personal level.
A big part of her success also came down to staying calm under pressure and being ready to make quick decisions when other drivers did something unexpected.
The same is true in probate.
I’ve always told my Probate Fox family that it’s about reading the room, figuring out what motivates a person, and handling each probate situation with the kind of understanding that puts the family’s needs first.
Probate is all about people.
Just like I taught my daughter to keep her eyes on the other drivers, probate requires that same awareness of those around you.
Anyone can show up and try to buy a house, but not everyone takes the time to think about what those grieving family members are feeling or the specific needs they have.
If you’re not looking out for them and meeting them where they’re at, you’ll miss the real opportunity to connect and help.
Watching my daughter drive off on her own with her license in hand gave me such a sense of pride and joy, just like seeing a real estate investor take off after their first probate deal.
It’s a reminder that whether it’s learning to drive or diving into probate real estate, success comes from truly understanding those around you and stepping up to be the guide they need.
To your success,
Ernie “ Guiding the Way” Vargas
