Skip tracing

How to get skip trace results for a trust-owned property when the grantor is deceased

Getting skip trace results for a trust-owned property, especially when the grantor is deceased, presents unique challenges. The key is to identify the current trustee or beneficiaries, as their contact information is what you need.

October 28, 2026 · 4 min read

Why trust-owned properties are harder to skip trace

When a property is held in a trust, the legal owner is the trust itself, not an individual. Public records will typically list the trust's name, not the individual who manages it. This creates a disconnect when traditional skip tracing methods look for a natural person associated with the property address.

If the grantor (the person who put the property into the trust) is deceased, the situation becomes more complex. His or her personal contact information may no longer be relevant, and you need to find the person currently authorized to act on behalf of the trust.

This often means you are looking for the successor trustee or the beneficiaries. These individuals may not be directly listed in easily accessible public records linked to the property address, requiring a more investigative approach.

Identifying the trustee or beneficiaries

Your first step is to locate the trust document itself. While the full trust document is usually private, sometimes a Memorandum of Trust is recorded with the county recorder's office. This document typically names the initial trustee and often the successor trustee.

If a Memorandum of Trust is not publicly recorded, you might need to search probate records. If the deceased grantor had other assets outside the trust, a probate case might reveal the existence of the trust and name the executor, who may also be the trustee, or list heirs who could be beneficiaries.

In some cases, the original deed transferring the property into the trust might name the initial trustee. Look for the 'grantee' on that deed. This gives you a starting point for a person to skip trace, even if he or she is no longer the current trustee.

Layering data sources for family members and associates

Once you have a potential trustee or beneficiary name, use your skip tracing service to find his or her contact information. Remember, you might need to use multiple data vendors or services to cross-reference and verify the information.

If you cannot find the trustee directly, pivot to identifying known family members of the deceased grantor. Often, a child or other close relative will be named as the successor trustee or a beneficiary. Skip trace these individuals to broaden your search.

Public records like marriage licenses, obituaries, or even social media (used carefully for identification, not direct contact) can help you piece together family connections. Remember to focus on finding a current decision-maker, not just any relative.

When traditional skip tracing fails

There will be instances where even advanced skip tracing yields no current contact information for the trustee or beneficiaries. This is a tough but common scenario with complex trust structures. You might get numbers for the deceased grantor, but those are no longer useful.

In such cases, you might consider reaching out to neighbors or local professionals who might know the family. However, this is a more time-consuming and less scalable approach. Always be respectful and understand that he or she may not want to share private information.

Another option, if all else fails, is a mail campaign addressed to 'Occupant' or 'Current Resident' at the property, or to the trust's last known mailing address. This is a slower method, but it can sometimes elicit a response from someone connected to the property. For a deeper dive into skip tracing, read /learn/what-a-skip-trace-actually-returns.

Prioritizing contact methods once numbers are found

Once you have a list of potential phone numbers for a trustee or beneficiary, prioritize mobile numbers over landlines. People are more likely to answer or respond to a text on their mobile device. However, do not discard landlines, especially for older individuals who might be trustees.

If you find multiple numbers, start with the one most recently updated or identified as a mobile number. When texting, ensure you reference the property and your interest in buying it, without being overly specific about how you obtained their information.

Remember that contacting individuals associated with a trust-owned property requires sensitivity. The death of the grantor is often recent, and the family might be grieving. Approach the conversation with empathy and respect. This is not legal advice.

Questions people ask

Can I just skip trace the deceased grantor for a trust property?

No, skip tracing the deceased grantor will likely only provide old contact information, which is usually no longer valid. You need to find the current trustee or beneficiaries who have the legal authority to sell the property.

What if the trust document is not publicly recorded?

If the trust document is not publicly recorded, you will need to rely on other public records like probate filings, obituaries, or recorded deeds to identify potential trustees or beneficiaries. This often requires more investigative work.

Will a data vendor handle this complex skip tracing for me?

Some advanced data vendors can help with these complex searches, but it often requires human intervention and a deeper dive into records beyond automated lookups. You might need to provide as much initial information as possible to them.