We buy the house and handle the contents
Property taxes, insurance, utilities, upkeep, and any mortgage can add to the cost of holding a house while the estate is being handled. Which costs apply depends on the property and the estate.
Sell an inherited house without cleanout, repairs, or hauling away a lifetime of belongings — we take it as it is. If there are belongings you want to keep, tell us; the written terms can say what stays with the house. You do not have to clean out or repair the house to sell it to us.
What happens next
1. Talk through the house
Share the Alpena address, the house’s condition, what remains inside, and what you know about the estate. You can start the conversation before every estate question is settled.
2. Review the written offer
We give written cash offers in 24 hours. You get a written offer and written terms before you commit, and we close through a title company.
3. Close through a title company
If you choose to proceed, the title company reviews the estate and title documents and confirms the signatures and closing papers needed for this sale.
Signing from another location
Sell from anywhere in the country — we can send a notary to you, and you don't have to attend settlement or even visit the property.
Compare what you may keep
Compare a possible listing result with what you might actually net after costs. Adjust the calculator assumptions for the house.
Open the Alpena home-sale net-proceeds calculator →Michigan estate rules and transfer taxes
Who can sign for an estate?
An appointed personal representative—the person appointed to handle the estate—can generally sell estate real estate during administration without a separate court order. The representative acts for the estate and must follow the will and any court restrictions. A state or county public administrator needs court approval before selling estate real estate. Being named in a will does not by itself give someone the personal representative’s authority; the deed, will, and appointment papers determine who can sign and what is needed to close.
Michigan estate statutes: appointment and letters ↗, powers over estate property ↗, sale authority and the public-administrator exception ↗, and supervised administration and restrictions ↗.
Transfer taxes and closing costs
For an ordinary taxable sale, Michigan state real estate transfer tax is $3.75 for each $500 of the property’s value at the time of sale, or part of $500. County real estate transfer tax is generally another 55 cents for each $500, or part of $500. The seller is generally responsible under state law. State and county exemptions are separate, so the county, sale value, and any exemption need to be checked for the actual sale.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Michigan state and county real estate transfer taxes.
This does not pay a seller’s mortgage, liens, back taxes, or share of current property taxes.
Michigan transfer-tax laws: state rate and liability ↗ and county rate and exemptions ↗.
Alpena County estate and deed offices
Alpena County Probate Court
A local contact for probate and estate-administration questions. The appointment papers, will, and any court restrictions determine who may act for a particular estate.
County Annex Building, 719 W. Chisholm Street, Suite 4, Alpena, MI 49707 · 989-354-9650.
Open the official county page →Alpena County Register of Deeds
Records land-transaction documents and provides deed-recording information. Its county page also links the local transfer-tax rate chart.
720 W. Chisholm Street, Suite 4, Alpena, MI 49707 · 989-354-9547.
Open the official county page →If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.
Questions and contact
Questions about selling an inherited house
Can I sell an inherited Michigan house before probate is finished?
Often, yes. An appointed personal representative can generally sell estate real estate during administration without a separate court order, while acting for the estate and following the will and any court restrictions. A state or county public administrator needs court approval before selling estate real estate. The deed, will, and appointment papers determine who can sign and what is needed to close.
Who can sign for an inherited house?
The personal representative appointed to handle the estate may generally sell estate real estate during administration, subject to the will and any court restrictions. Being named in a will does not by itself give someone the personal representative’s authority. A state or county public administrator needs court approval before selling estate real estate.
Do I have to put the inherited house in my own name first?
You can sell in the estate's name once the estate is opened — no need to put the house in your own name first. If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.
What happens to the belongings in the house?
Sell an inherited house without cleanout, repairs, or hauling away a lifetime of belongings — we take it as it is. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. If there are belongings you want to keep, tell us; the written terms can say what stays with the house.
Can I sign the sale papers from outside Michigan?
Sell from anywhere in the country — we can send a notary to you, and you don't have to attend settlement or even visit the property.
What happens after I ask about an offer?
We give written cash offers in 24 hours. You get a written offer and written terms before you commit, and we close through a title company.
What transfer taxes apply to a Michigan house sale?
For an ordinary taxable sale, Michigan state real estate transfer tax is $3.75 for each $500 of the property’s value at the time of sale, or part of $500. County real estate transfer tax is generally another 55 cents for each $500, or part of $500. State and county exemptions are separate, so the county, sale value, and any exemption need to be checked for the actual sale. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Michigan state and county real estate transfer taxes. This does not pay a seller’s mortgage, liens, back taxes, or share of current property taxes.
Related Alpena resources
Talk with us about the inherited house
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form to share the Alpena address and what you know about the estate.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the property address and what you know about the estate.