What we do with the house and its contents
We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. We buy houses in Charleston and Kanawha County.
Sell an inherited house without cleanout, repairs, or hauling away a lifetime of belongings — we take it as it is. You can decide what the family wants to keep; you do not have to arrange a cleanout or repairs before talking with us.
While the estate is being settled, bills for utilities, property taxes, insurance, and upkeep may continue. A sale is one option to compare; you do not have to assume what the family should do with the house.
What happens next
- Tell us the Charleston address and what you know about the house, belongings, and estate.
- We give you a written cash offer in 24 hours, with written terms before you commit.
- If you decide to proceed, a title company handles the closing.
The title company checks the estate documents, deed, and title requirements for the specific sale. You can review the written terms before deciding whether to move forward.
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 would keep
Compare a written offer with what a listing could leave after costs. Use your own assumptions for repairs, cleanout, monthly bills, and closing costs; the calculator is an estimate, not a property-specific appraisal or offer.
West Virginia estate rules and transfer taxes
Often, an inherited house can be sold before probate is finished, but who signs depends on the will and the estate appointment. The executor must be formally qualified before acting for the estate. If there is no will, the county commission or its clerk handles appointment of an administrator.
If the will gives the executor power to sell real estate that was not specifically left to someone else, the executor may sell unless the will says otherwise. If the will directs a sale, the executor or an administrator with the will annexed may carry it out. When there is no will, the house passes to the heirs. Without a usable power to sell, have the title company or a qualified attorney confirm who owns the property and who must sign.
We help coordinate the sale, but we do not provide legal advice. The title company or a qualified attorney can confirm who has authority to sign for the estate.
Real estate may still be reached to pay the decedent's debts. A surviving spouse may also have an elective-share claim, subject to a time limit after death. Have the title company or a qualified attorney review the actual estate, deed, and any liens that need to be paid or released at closing.
West Virginia's real estate transfer excise tax is $1.10 per $500 of value. The additional county excise tax is $0.55 per $500 at the base rate and may be raised by the county commission to $1.65 per $500. The combined tax is $1.65 per $500 at the base rates, up to $2.75 per $500 at the maximum. The county clerk also collects a $20 Affordable Housing Fund fee before recording. Ask the Kanawha County Clerk or title company which rate and requirements apply to the deed.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the West Virginia real estate transfer excise tax and the additional county excise tax. Your mortgage balance, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate.
State sources: W. Va. Code § 44-1-1 · § 44-1-4 · § 44-8-1 · § 42-1-2 · § 44-8-7 · § 42-3-1 · § 42-3-4 · § 11-22-2 · § 11-22-1.
Local help and seller reviews
If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one. The Kanawha County Clerk is the official county-office contact for local seller inquiries. Ask the office which current county record or contact applies to an estate or deed question.
We work with executors and estates regularly. The title company or a qualified attorney can confirm the authority and signing requirements for the specific property.
What sellers say about USA Home Buyers
Questions and contact
Inherited-property questions
Can you sell an inherited West Virginia house before probate is finished?
Often, yes, but who signs depends on the will and the estate appointment. An executor must be formally qualified before acting for the estate. If there is no will, the county commission or its clerk handles appointment of an administrator. A title company or qualified attorney can confirm who may sign for this house.
Do I have to put the house in my own name before selling?
You can sell in the estate's name once the estate is opened — no need to put the house in your own name first. The title company or a qualified attorney can confirm the proper signer and deed for the actual estate. We help coordinate the sale, but we do not provide legal advice. The title company or a qualified attorney can confirm who has authority to sign for the estate.
Who can sign if there is no will?
When there is no will, West Virginia law provides for appointment of an administrator through the county commission or its clerk, and the real estate passes to the heirs. The appointment and title records determine who may sign; have the title company or a qualified attorney review the actual documents.
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. You can tell us what the family wants to keep; you do not have to arrange a cleanout before discussing a sale.
Can I sign if I live outside West Virginia?
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 transfer taxes apply when an inherited house sells?
West Virginia charges real estate transfer excise taxes, including an additional county excise tax. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the West Virginia real estate transfer excise tax and the additional county excise tax. Your mortgage balance, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate.
How does the sale process work?
Tell us about the house and the estate. We give you a written cash offer in 24 hours, with written terms before you commit. If you choose to proceed, a title company handles the closing and confirms the documents and signatures needed for that property.
Talk with us about the inherited house
Call 888-274-5006 or send the address and what you know about the estate.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Tell us what the estate needs to work through and what you know about the property.