Losing a loved one is hard enough. Dealing with their property shouldn't add to the burden. Close With Creative buys inherited homes in any condition — we handle probate complications, coordinate with multiple heirs, and close in as few as 7 days. No repairs, no commissions, no cleaning out the house. Four solution paths so you honor the legacy without the stress.
Inherited Property Sellers
The fastest way to sell an inherited house is to work with a direct home buyer like Close With Creative. Instead of spending months on repairs, listing with a realtor, and paying 5–6% in commissions, you receive a fair offer within 24 hours and can close in as few as 7 days once the title is clear. We buy inherited properties in any condition — including homes with all contents still inside — and cover all closing costs.
Inheriting a home is emotionally complicated. You're grieving a loss while simultaneously facing a maze of legal, financial, and logistical decisions about a property that may be hundreds of miles away, in poor condition, or tied up in probate. Every month the property sits unsold costs you: property taxes, homeowner's insurance, utility bills, lawn maintenance, and the risk of vandalism or code violations on a vacant home.
Close With Creative specializes in inherited properties. Unlike cash-only buyers who make a single lowball offer, we evaluate the full picture — the property's condition, your probate timeline, the number of heirs involved, and your financial goals — then present up to four structured options: cash, creative financing, novation, and wholesale. If the house needs a full gut renovation, our novation path lets us renovate and list it while you receive 85–95% of the final sale price without spending a dollar. If you need it sold this week, our cash path gets it done.
Before an inherited property can be sold, you need legal authority to transfer the deed. How you get that authority depends on how the property was held. If the deceased had a will, the named executor must be appointed by the probate court before the sale can proceed. If there was no will, the court appoints an administrator through intestate succession. If the property was held in a revocable living trust, no probate is required — the successor trustee can sell immediately.
The probate timeline varies by state: some states offer simplified or summary probate for smaller estates (typically under $50,000–$150,000 in total assets), while formal probate can take 6–12 months or longer. The good news is that you can begin the selling process during probate. Close With Creative can make you an offer, sign a purchase agreement, and close as soon as the court grants the executor authority — often within days of probate approval.
When multiple heirs inherit a property, every party must agree to sell. This is one of the most common friction points in inherited home sales — siblings may disagree on price, timing, or whether to sell at all. Close With Creative helps by presenting transparent offers to all heirs simultaneously, with clear numbers for each solution path. At closing, each heir receives their share directly from the title company. If one heir wants to buy out the others, we can help structure that transaction as well.
When you inherit property, the IRS resets its cost basis to the fair market value on the date of death — this is called a "stepped-up basis." If your parent bought a home for $80,000 in 1985 and it was worth $300,000 when they passed, your stepped-up basis is $300,000 — not $80,000. If you sell for $305,000, you only owe capital gains tax on the $5,000 difference, not the $225,000 in appreciation.
However, if you hold the property and it appreciates further, you'll owe capital gains on any increase above the stepped-up basis. This is why selling sooner is often more tax-efficient. Federal estate tax only applies to estates exceeding $13.61 million (2024), so most inherited properties owe no estate tax. Only six states impose a separate inheritance tax: Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Always consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
Listing an inherited home with a realtor is possible, but it's designed for sellers with time and money to invest. Agents typically recommend repairs, cleaning, staging, and professional photography before the first showing — expenses that can run $5,000–$20,000 on a deferred-maintenance property. The average listing takes 55–70 days to sell, plus 30–45 days to close. Factor in 5–6% commissions and the carrying costs of insurance, taxes, and maintenance on a vacant property, and the net proceeds often fall below what a direct sale would yield.
Simple 4-Step Process
Verify your authority to sell, submit the address, see all options within 24 hours, then choose your path. We handle everything — including coordination with the executor, all heirs, and the title company.
Confirm probate status: executor appointed, trust in place, or administrator designated. Not sure where you stand? We'll help you determine the next steps at no cost.
Fill out our 3-minute form with the property address, condition, probate status, and number of heirs. Zero obligation at any step.
Within 24 hours we present every available path — cash, creative finance, novation, wholesale — with transparent numbers for each. All heirs see all options.
Pick the option that fits. We handle all paperwork, title work, and closing costs. Each heir receives their share directly at closing.
Every Inheritance Situation
Every inherited property comes with unique circumstances. We've handled them all — from clean trusts to contested estates.
The estate is going through probate and you're waiting for the court to grant authority. We can sign a purchase agreement now and close as soon as probate approves — often within days of the court order.
Two, three, or more siblings inherited the property and can't agree on what to do. We present transparent offers to everyone, coordinate the closing, and distribute each heir's share directly at the title company.
You live in a different state — or country — and can't manage a property from afar. We handle everything remotely: evaluation, paperwork, title, and closing. Remote notarization available in most states.
Deferred maintenance, structural damage, hoarder conditions, or a property that's been vacant for years. We buy in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning. We even buy homes with all contents still inside.
Tax liens, judgment liens, mechanic's liens, or municipal code violations on the property. Our team works with the title company to resolve these at closing — outstanding balances paid from sale proceeds.
The deceased had an active mortgage. Federal law prevents the lender from calling it due when property passes to an heir, but payments must continue. We close fast enough to satisfy the mortgage before any issues arise.
Tax & Legal Essentials
Selling an inherited home involves tax rules and legal processes that differ from a standard home sale. Here are the essentials — always consult a tax professional and estate attorney for your specific situation.
The IRS resets the property's cost basis to its fair market value on the date of death. You only pay capital gains on appreciation after that date — not the decades of gains before it. Selling soon after inheritance typically minimizes or eliminates capital gains tax.
Summary probate for small estates can take weeks. Formal probate typically takes 6–12 months. Properties held in a revocable living trust skip probate entirely. We can begin the process during probate and close as soon as authority is granted.
The federal estate tax only applies to estates exceeding $13.61 million (2024 threshold). Most inherited homes fall well below this amount and owe zero federal estate tax. Only six states impose a separate inheritance tax.
Federal law (Garn-St. Germain Act, 1982) prevents lenders from calling a mortgage due when property transfers to an heir. However, mortgage payments must continue to avoid foreclosure. A fast closing satisfies the loan from sale proceeds.
Inherited Home Success Stories
Real families, real inherited properties, real outcomes. Here's what letting go looks like with Close With Creative.
"After my husband passed, I inherited his house but couldn't deal with repairs or a realtor. They walked me through a novation option I didn't even know existed, and I walked away with $40k more than the cash offer would have been. Incredible team."
"Mom's house had been vacant for two years after she passed, needed a full gut renovation. I dreaded selling it. These people walked me through the novation option, did all the work, and I netted $67,000 more than the cash offer. I'm blown away."
"Three siblings, three different states, one inherited house full of 40 years of stuff. Close With Creative coordinated everything — made offers to all three of us, handled the probate paperwork, and we each got our share wired directly. So grateful."
Inherited Home FAQs
Straight answers about probate, taxes, multiple heirs, and the selling process for inherited homes.
Ready to Let Go of the Burden?
No repairs. No cleaning. No commissions. We show you every available path — with real numbers for each — and coordinate with every heir so the process is simple, transparent, and fair.