How to Sell a Probate Property
A house usually needs to be sold if the house owner passes away. In some cases, the sale of this property – called a probate sale – is managed through someone close to the person that has passed away. You could be family or a friend of the family and the responsibility will be upon you to deal with the estate.
We understand that it is a very sensitive and personal moment for you and those close to the person that has died. That is why we also accept that in situations like this, you may be looking to sell a probate property relatively quickly and privately. Some people don’t want the memories to linger and just want to move on with their lives, hence the reason for a quicker than normal sale.
Probate property sale procedure
There are two basic scenarios here:
- The probate house sale process is handled by a professional.
- You or someone close to the person that has passed on deals with the process
In the first case, it could be a solicitor that handles the probate sale, but it is a longer and more drawn out process.
The second situation is as described at the beginning.
What is the probate house sale process if I’m handling it?
You will need to access and provide personal details of the individual that has died e.g. bank accounts, insurance, lines of credit and so on. You will need this kind of information so as to pay off any debts that is still outstanding.
You will then need a Grant of Probate, but if there is no Legal Will that has been left behind, then a Letter of Administration.
Once that has been resolved, and all the funeral expenses have been paid for the balance of the estate can be distributed to the beneficiaries e.g. the children or whoever else are named on the will. As per above, if there is no Will, the rules of intestacy will apply.
Can I sell a house before probate?
Without the grant of probate, there would be nothing to indicate the historical link between the person that died to the next person that owned it, so the answer is no. Until that grant is issued, the house cannot be sold.
The above does not mean that you cannot get in touch with us in the meantime to discuss the process of the probate sale.
Can I rent out the house before the grant of a probate?
The answer follows on from earlier that if you wish to do anything that involves a legal transaction, then you need the grant of probate before the tenancy can actually begin. Again, there is no harm in discussing or lining up a tenancy beforehand but until that grant is given, no tenancy can be acted on.
Once I have the probate grant, how quickly can you take it off my hands?
The advantages in selling the property to us are obvious. The quick property sale ensures that the different beneficiaries from the estate are paid out quickly and able to move on with their lives without it being dragged out for months.
It doesn’t matter at all if the house is not modernised or if the fixtures and fittings are dated – we take care of all of that. The first thing we would ask you to do is to get a probate property valuation just so you know and are aware of the current value of the property. If you are not in a position to pay or arrange for this, then we can look to get a valuation on your behalf.
Please remember that we are sensitive to your situation. You have just lost a loved one and we want to provide a positive and respectable solution for you. If the situation arises that we can’t offer a viable solution for you, then we will tell you with immediate effect and not waste your time.
Do you buy probate sale of commercial units or just residential?
We are happy to buy houses, commercial units including shops, restaurants, hotels, land and anything else in between. Anything that you have been given the responsibility for – we are interested in making a quick cash offer to you.
