Getting Started

Do I have to finish probate before contacting you?

No. You can call, we can review the property, and you can hold a written offer while the case is still open. You generally do need authority to sell before a deed can actually transfer — but that's the closing, not the conversation.

I don't even know if the house is in probate or a trust. Is that a problem?

Not at all, and it's the most common starting point. A probate attorney can usually sort out which situation you're in fairly quickly. Call us before you have that answer if you want.

Does it cost anything to get an offer?

No. There's no fee, and no obligation to accept.

Will you pressure me?

No. Our offers don't have an expiration countdown, and we won't chase you. If a traditional listing is the better move for your family, we'll tell you.

The Property

Do I need to clean out the house first?

No. Take what matters to your family and leave everything else exactly where it is. We don't charge for it and we don't reduce the offer because the house is full. Do walk through for irreplaceable documents and photographs first.

What if the house is in terrible condition?

That's much of what we buy — water damage, mould, failed roofs, fire damage, hoarding conditions, code violations. Retail buyers and their lenders usually can't touch those properties, which is often why a direct sale is the only realistic option.

What if there's still a mortgage or a reverse mortgage on it?

Common, and workable. The balance is paid off out of proceeds at closing. What's owed and whether anything accelerated on death is worth confirming with the estate's attorney and the lender.

What if there are unpaid property taxes or HOA liens?

Also common. Those are typically resolved through the closing out of proceeds. It doesn't disqualify a property.

People and Authority

There are four of us. Do we all have to agree?

Whoever holds legal title or legal authority has to sign, which usually means the heirs or the personal representative. Practically, yes — the co-owners generally need to be on the same page. We'll give every heir the same written offer so nobody is deciding on secondhand information.

One sibling refuses to sell. What now?

That's a legal question about your state and how title is held, and it belongs with a real estate or probate attorney. There may be remedies, or a buyout may be possible. We can't advise on it.

Can you tell me whether I need probate, or how to become executor?

No, and we won't try. We're buyers, not attorneys. Those answers are state-specific and getting them wrong has real consequences. See the questions to ask your attorney.

Logistics

I live in another state. Do I have to travel?

Generally no. Photos or a video walkthrough, electronic signature, and remote or mobile notarisation cover most sales. We arrange any local access ourselves.

How fast can you close?

That depends on the estate's authority to sell, not on us. Once whoever is selling is legally able to sell, we move quickly. While a probate case is open, the court's calendar and your state's procedure set the pace — and we're not going to promise you a date we don't control.

Who handles the closing?

A title company or the estate's attorney in the state where the property is located. Proceeds are wired to you or to the estate account.

Are you real estate agents?

No. We're the buyer. There's no commission because there's no agent on our side. If you'd rather list the property, you're welcome to — and sometimes that's genuinely our recommendation.

Money

Will I get market value?

Not the price a fully renovated, professionally listed house would fetch — no direct cash buyer pays that, and you should be sceptical of anyone claiming they do. What you get instead is a firm number with no commission, no repairs, no cleanout, no carrying costs, and no risk of a financed buyer collapsing. Compare net to net, not gross to gross. See costs and fees.

Will I owe taxes on the sale?

Possibly, but inherited property is generally treated differently from property you bought yourself, and the details depend on your situation. This is the one call worth making to a CPA before you sell.

Still Have a Question?

Ask us directly — including the ones where the honest answer is that you need your own attorney.

Tell Us About the Property
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