You can usually start the conversation, get the property reviewed, and hold a written offer long before the case closes.
Probate is the court process that establishes who has legal authority to act for someone who has died — to pay their debts, and to transfer their property. Until somebody has that authority, no one can validly sign a deed for the house. That's the whole reason probate matters to a sale.
The person who receives that authority is called different things in different states: personal representative, executor, administrator. Whatever the title, they generally have a duty to the estate and its beneficiaries to act reasonably — which usually includes being able to show that a sale price was fair and that the process was documented.
Whether your estate needs probate at all, whether it qualifies for a simplified or small-estate procedure, and whether a sale needs court confirmation are state-specific legal questions. Some states require a court to approve the sale; some don't. Ask the estate's probate attorney. We can't answer it for you and you shouldn't rely on us to.
We are not trying to speed up, shortcut, or work around the court. We're trying to be the buyer who's already lined up and still there whenever the estate is cleared to sell.
We can review the property, talk to the heirs, and put a no-obligation offer in writing. Nothing binds the estate, and nothing needs to be signed by someone who isn't yet authorised to sign it.
We keep the file open. Vacant estate houses often deteriorate during probate — we'd rather know about a burst pipe than be surprised at closing.
We move to contract and close through a title company or the estate's attorney, in whatever form your state requires.
In states or cases where the sale must be confirmed or noticed to the court, we work within that process. It takes longer. We plan for it rather than promising it away.
If you're the one carrying the fiduciary duty, the things that tend to matter are:
Dying without a will doesn't usually prevent a sale; it changes who the court appoints and how the estate is divided. Someone still has to be given authority to act, often called an administrator. Who qualifies and in what order is set by state law, so that is a question for the probate attorney. Our list of questions to ask is a good starting point.
A loan balance doesn't stop a probate sale. Loans are generally paid off from proceeds at closing through the title company. Reverse mortgages in particular tend to come with notices and timelines from the servicer, so make sure the attorney sees those letters. Houses with existing balances and liens are on our list of what we buy.
Probate generally runs in the state where the property sits, which can mean appointing a personal representative who lives far away. Some states add requirements for out-of-state appointees, which the attorney will explain. The sale itself can be handled remotely — photos, e-signature, and closing through a local title company. See our page for out-of-state heirs.
Probate can take a while, and empty estate houses don't wait politely. A slow leak, a failed roof, or a break-in during the case lowers what the property is worth at the end. Tell us if something has changed while the case is pending; condition problems don't disqualify a house. Our page on vacant inherited property covers the risks.
Tell us where the case stands — even if the answer is "my attorney just filed." We'll review the property and put something in writing you can take to the file.
Tell Us About the Property