Sell an Inherited House in Florida
Losing someone is hard enough. Then comes the house — the taxes and insurance that keep coming due, the yard that needs mowing, a lifetime of belongings inside, and a court process nobody explained. If you're an heir trying to figure out probate from another state, or trying to get siblings on the same page, the house can start to feel like a second grief. You're not doing it wrong. It really is a lot.
We're Florida Home Buyer Direct, a family-owned company buying Florida houses since 2012, and inherited homes are some of the most common houses we buy. We move at your pace, we work around probate instead of pretending it isn't there, and we buy the house exactly as it sits — belongings and all. Here's how the process works and what your options are, honestly laid out.
How we can help
First we figure out where things stand: whether probate has started, which heirs are involved, and who has (or will have) authority to sign. If probate isn't finished, that's fine — we can sign a purchase contract now and close once the court paperwork is complete, so the sale and the probate run side by side instead of one after the other. You get certainty about the price early, without rushing the legal process.
You don't need to clear out the house. Take the photo albums, the tools, whatever matters to your family — and leave everything else, from furniture to a garage full of boxes. We handle it after closing. Out-of-state heirs don't need to fly in: documents can be signed remotely with a mobile notary or online notarization, and we coordinate that with the title company. Once we've seen the property, you'll have a written cash offer within 24 hours.
When the estate is ready to close, we can often close in as little as 7-14 days — or on whatever later date works for your family. We pay all normal closing costs, and there are no commissions or fees, so the estate's proceeds aren't whittled down by selling expenses. Sale money is paid to the estate or the heirs exactly as the probate documents direct, handled by a licensed title company.
What you should know about how this works in Florida
In Florida, a house titled only in the name of the person who passed generally has to go through probate before it can be sold — unless it was held in a trust, owned jointly with survivorship rights, or covered by a special deed such as an enhanced life estate deed (often called a ladybird deed). Probate is the court process that confirms who legally inherits and gives someone authority to sign a deed.
Florida has two main probate tracks. Formal administration, under Chapter 733 of the Florida Statutes, is the full process: the court appoints a personal representative who can manage and sell estate property. Summary administration, under Chapter 735, is a shorter process generally available when the estate's non-exempt assets are worth $75,000 or less, or when the person has been gone more than two years. Which track fits depends on the estate — a Florida probate attorney can usually tell you quickly.
Two things trip up a lot of families: creditors and homestead. Probate includes a window for creditors to bring claims against the estate — generally three months after notice is published. And a Florida homestead (the person's primary residence) gets special treatment: it can be protected from many creditor claims, but extra rules apply to how it passes to family. Finally, when several heirs inherit together, all of them generally must agree and sign to sell. None of this is cause for panic — it's just why inherited-house sales take some coordination.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your specific situation, talk with a Florida attorney or a HUD-approved housing counselor.
Your options — honestly, selling to us is only one of them
Selling to us isn't the only path. Many families hire a probate attorney, finish the administration, fix the house up, and list it with a real estate agent — if the home is in good condition and nobody needs money quickly, that route often brings a higher price. Others keep the house as a rental, or one heir buys out the others so the home stays in the family. All of those are legitimate, and for some estates they're the better call.
Where we fit best: houses that need work, families spread across the country, estates that owe taxes or bills, or heirs who simply want the matter settled without months of repairs, showings, and long-distance management. Our offer pays for speed, convenience, and certainty — it accounts for repairs and resale risk, so a patient retail sale of a financeable house may gross more. We'll be straight with you about which situation yours looks like.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell an inherited house in Florida before probate is done?+
The closing usually can't happen until the court gives someone authority to sign the deed, but you can absolutely start the sale. We often sign a contract during probate and close once the court paperwork is complete, so the two processes run in parallel instead of back to back. We're not attorneys — for legal advice about your estate, talk to a Florida probate attorney.
What if the heirs live out of state?+
That's very common and not a problem. Closing documents can be signed remotely — by mail with a local notary, with a mobile notary, or through online notarization where it's permitted. The title company coordinates signatures from every heir, wherever they live, and proceeds are sent directly to each person as the estate directs. Nobody has to fly to Florida.
What if the heirs don't agree about selling?+
Generally, everyone with an ownership interest has to sign, so we can't buy a house while the family is split. Sometimes a written cash offer with real numbers helps the conversation, because everyone can finally weigh the same concrete option. If the disagreement is deep, Florida law does allow a court process called partition — that's an attorney conversation. We're not attorneys, and we'd never push a family to sell.
The house is full of our parent's belongings. Do we have to clear it out?+
No. This is one of the biggest reliefs we can offer. Take the things that matter to your family — photos, keepsakes, documents — and leave the rest, whether that's furniture, closets, or a packed garage. We buy the house exactly as it sits and handle everything left behind after closing, respectfully.
Will we owe taxes when we sell an inherited house?+
Florida has no state income tax or inheritance tax. Federally, inherited property generally receives a stepped-up basis — the home's value is reset to its value at the date of death — so if it's sold fairly soon afterward, there's often little or no capital gain. Every situation is different, though. We're not tax professionals — talk to a CPA or tax advisor about your specific numbers.
How fast can this go once probate is finished?+
Once someone has authority to sign and the title work is clear, we can often close in as little as 7-14 days. If the family needs longer — to gather belongings, to wait for an heir's schedule, or just to breathe — we close on the date you pick instead. The timeline is yours; we just remove the delays that come from repairs, showings, and buyer financing.
When you submit the form, we'll give you a quick, low-key call to hear about the house and where the estate stands — no obligation, and no pressure to decide anything while your family is still sorting things out. If you'd like an offer, we'll look at the property and put a written cash offer in your hands within 24 hours of seeing it. If you accept, you pick the closing date, and we'll coordinate the rest with the title company and every heir, wherever they live.
Ready for a fair, no-pressure offer?
Tell us about the house. We'll call you right away, answer your questions, and get you a tailored offer — usually within 24 hours of seeing the property.
Prefer to talk to a person right now?
(386) 261-9339