Selling a home you inherited
Options for an inherited house you do not want to keep, including what to settle before a sale can close.
Inheriting a house often arrives alongside grief, paperwork, and a property that may be hundreds of miles away. There is usually no rush, whatever anyone tells you.
The first thing worth knowing is that a house cannot be sold until the legal authority to sell it is clear. That is a question for the estate's attorney or the register of wills, not for a buyer.
What tends to be difficult
The property still holds someone's life in it
Clearing out a family home takes time and is rarely only a logistical job. If you sell as-is, you can leave behind anything you do not want to deal with.
Carrying costs continue
Property taxes, insurance, utilities and lawn care do not pause while an estate is settled. An empty house also risks insurance complications, since many policies treat a vacant property differently.
Several heirs, several opinions
When a property passes to more than one person, everyone with an ownership interest generally has to agree to a sale and sign. That conversation is worth having early.
Deferred maintenance
Homes that have been lived in for decades often need roofing, electrical or plumbing work that a traditional buyer's lender will require before closing.
Your options
Most of these do not involve selling to us, and several of them cost you nothing to explore.
Keep it and rent it out
If the house is in reasonable condition and the numbers work, keeping it as a rental can make sense. A local property manager can tell you what it would rent for.
List it with an agent
If the house is in good condition and you are not in a hurry, listing on the open market will usually bring the highest price. An agent can advise on what repairs would pay for themselves.
Buy out the other heirs, or be bought out
If one person wants to keep the home and others want cash, an attorney can structure that without a sale to an outside party.
Do nothing for now
If the estate is not under pressure, waiting until the paperwork is settled and everyone has had time is a legitimate choice.
How a direct sale would work here
If you would rather be done with it, we can look at the property as it stands. You do not need to clear it out, clean it, or repair anything.
We can work around an estate's timeline, including waiting for the authority to sell to be granted, and we can coordinate directly with the estate's attorney if you prefer not to be in the middle.
Whatever we offer, you are free to take it to an agent for a second opinion before you sign anything. We would rather you feel certain.
We are not attorneys and cannot advise you on an estate. If the authority to sell is unclear, speak with a probate attorney before signing anything with anyone.
Tell us about the property
No obligation, and nothing here commits you to selling.