Sell Your Probate or Inherited House in Florida

Most people who inherit property in Florida don't live here. They're in Ohio, New Jersey, Michigan, New York. The house sits in a ZIP code they've visited maybe twice. And within 30 days of the owner's death, the bills start arriving: property taxes, homeowner's insurance, HOA dues, utilities to keep the AC running so the pipes don't mold, lawn service so the county doesn't fine you.

For a typical 3-bedroom in a place like Cape Coral or Port St. Lucie, you're looking at $1,200 to $1,800 a month in carrying costs before you've made a single decision about the property. That's $14,000 to $21,000 a year bleeding out while probate grinds through the courts. And if the house had an old Citizens policy or the deceased let their coverage lapse, getting new insurance in Florida's current market is its own nightmare. Some inherited homes in flood zones can't get coverage at all, which means you can't sell traditionally because the buyer's lender won't close without insurance.

Then there's the condition question. Inherited houses in Florida have a pattern: the last 3 to 5 years of the owner's life, maintenance slowed down or stopped. The roof that was rated for 20 years is now at year 22. The AC unit hasn't been serviced since 2019. The lanai screen is shredded from the last hurricane. Cast iron plumbing under a 1960s slab is corroding, and nobody noticed because the homeowner stopped going under the house years ago. These aren't cosmetic problems. A single failed 4-point inspection kills a conventional sale.

The Three Paths Forward

Path 1: List it with a real estate agent. You'll need the personal representative to sign listing paperwork. The agent will want repairs done first, or at minimum a pre-listing inspection. In Florida's current market, a house that fails the 4-point inspection sits. It sits because buyers can't get insurance, and without insurance they can't get a mortgage. Average days on market for a house needing work in Central Florida right now: 67 days, and that's after the 6 to 12 months you already spent in probate. You'll also owe the agent 5 to 6% commission on the sale price.

Path 2: Fix it yourself from out of state. This means hiring contractors you've never met, in a market where licensed roofers are booked 8 weeks out and general contractors quote $40,000+ for the kind of full-house renovation most inherited properties need. You're managing this from a different time zone while juggling your own life. Some people try it. Most end up spending more than they planned and taking twice as long.

Path 3: Sell to a cash buyer during probate. We sign a purchase agreement with the personal representative, wait for court approval if needed, and close. No repairs. No inspections for you to worry about. No commission. We handle the title work, the insurance gap, and the cleanout. The proceeds go into the estate account and get distributed to the heirs according to the will or Florida intestacy law.

A Common Scenario We See

A woman in Michigan calls us about her father's house in a 55+ community near Ocala. He passed 4 months ago. She's the PR. The house is a 1985 manufactured home on a permanent foundation, and the community charges $350/month in lot rent. The roof was replaced in 2009 (16 years ago), the AC is original, and there's a water stain on the ceiling in the master bedroom that nobody's looked at. HOA has already sent two violation letters about the yard.

She called two agents. The first said "I can list it, but we need a new roof and AC first." Quoted her $18,000 for the roof and $8,000 for the HVAC. The second agent wouldn't take the listing at all because manufactured homes in 55+ communities are hard to finance. She's been paying lot rent, insurance, and property taxes for 4 months: about $2,100 so far, with no end in sight.

We made her a cash offer based on the property's condition, factoring in the roof, AC, and water damage. We closed in 22 days. She stopped paying lot rent, stopped worrying about violation letters, and split the proceeds with her brother. Total time from our first call to wire transfer: 3 weeks.

That's the kind of problem we solve. If you're holding an inherited property in Florida and you're not sure what to do next, call us at (561) 258-9405 or fill out the form below.