We buy the house and handle the contents
An inherited house can keep bringing property-tax, insurance, utility, upkeep, and mortgage bills while the estate is being handled. Which costs continue depends on the house and the estate.
Sell an inherited house without cleanout, repairs, or hauling away a lifetime of belongings — we take it as it is. You can take the belongings you want to keep; tell us what you want left, and the written terms can address the contents and access. 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 Covington address, the house’s condition, what is still inside, and what you know about the estate. You do not need every estate question answered before you call.
2. Review the written offer
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours. You get written terms before you commit and can review them before deciding.
3. Close through a title company
If you choose to proceed, the title company reviews the closing file and confirms the documents and signatures needed for this property and estate.
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. The calculator lets you adjust assumptions for the house.
Open the Covington home-sale net-proceeds calculator →Kentucky estate rules and taxes
Who can sign
A Kentucky court appoints a personal representative—the executor named in a will or an administrator. See the state’s appointment rule. If the will gives the representative power to sell real estate, the representative can usually sell without a separate court order. Kentucky’s general list of personal representative powers does not include selling land when that power is absent; the will and current estate record matter.
Without sale authority in the will, the representative can ask the District Court for an order granting the power to sell under KRS 389A.010. The court gives notice to everyone with an interest in the house. The order must be final and the time to appeal must expire before the property can be conveyed; a certified copy is recorded with the deed under KRS 389A.015.
A surviving spouse may have rights in the house even if not named on the deed. Kentucky’s surviving-spouse rules changed effective July 15, 2026; the title company or a qualified attorney can review how the current law and estate documents apply. See KRS 392.020.
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.
Transfer and inheritance taxes
Kentucky’s real estate transfer tax is 50 cents for each $500 of value or fraction of $500—about 0.1%. The grantor, or seller, owes it under KRS 142.050, and the county clerk collects it before the deed can be recorded. Some transfers are exempt, so have the title company confirm whether an exemption applies to your sale.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the Kentucky real estate transfer tax.
This does not pay a seller’s mortgage balance, liens, back taxes, or share of current property taxes.
Some heirs may owe Kentucky inheritance tax, though close family is exempt. The Kentucky Department of Revenue inheritance-tax information explains the state rules; ask a qualified tax professional about an individual estate or heir’s tax situation.
Kenton County estate and deed offices
These offices handle different records. The court-clerk page is a general probate contact route; the County Clerk handles real-estate recording, the PVA handles assessment records, and the Sheriff handles county property-tax collection. City Finance is a separate route for City of Covington property-tax billing.
Kenton County District Civil/Probate Court
A general probate-information and court-clerk contact route. The estate file and the decedent’s circumstances determine the correct venue and who may sign.
230 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor, Covington, KY 41011 · (859) 292-6523.
Kenton County Clerk — real-estate records and recording
Use the County Clerk’s real-estate pages for deed-recording requirements and recorded-record routes.
1840 Simon Kenton Way, Covington, KY 41011 · (859) 392-1650 for other services. Check the real-estate pages for recording-specific information.
Kenton County Property Valuation Administrator
The PVA handles assessed-value, parcel, and property-record questions; it does not collect property taxes.
1840 Simon Kenton Way, Suite 3300, Covington, KY 41011 · (859) 392-1750.
Kenton County Sheriff’s Office — property taxes
Contact the Sheriff’s Office about a Kenton County property-tax bill or collection question. City property-tax billing is a separate route.
1840 Simon Kenton Way, Suite 1200, Covington, KY 41011 · (859) 392-1800.
City of Covington Finance Department
Use City Finance for City property-tax billing, payment, and other City finance inquiries.
City Hall, 20 W. Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 · (859) 292-2180.
If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.
Testimonials are real, from our transactions, verified and approved by our attorneys.
What sellers say about USA Home Buyers
Questions about selling an inherited house
Inherited-property questions in Covington, KY
Can I sell an inherited Kentucky house before probate is finished?
Often, yes. A Kentucky court first appoints a personal representative. If the will gives that representative power to sell the real estate, the representative can usually sell without a separate court order. Without that power, the representative generally needs a District Court order, and the order must be final with the appeal time expired before the property can be conveyed.
Who can sign for an inherited house in Kentucky?
The court-appointed personal representative—an executor or administrator—may handle the sale when the will gives that power. If it does not, the representative can ask the District Court for an order granting the power to sell, with notice to everyone with an interest in the house. A certified copy of the final order is recorded with the deed. Have the title company or a qualified attorney review the actual estate and title records.
Do I have to put the inherited 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. If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one. 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.
Could a surviving spouse have rights in the house?
A surviving spouse may have rights in the house even if not named on the deed. Kentucky changed its surviving-spouse rules effective July 15, 2026; ask the title company or a qualified attorney to review the actual deed and estate documents.
What taxes apply to an inherited-house sale in Kentucky?
Kentucky’s real estate transfer tax is 50 cents for each $500 of value or fraction of $500. The grantor—the seller—owes it under the statute, and some transfers are exempt. Some heirs may owe Kentucky inheritance tax, though close family is exempt. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the Kentucky real estate transfer tax. This does not pay a seller’s mortgage balance, liens, back taxes, or share of current property taxes.
Do I need to clean out or repair the inherited 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. You can tell us what you want to keep, and the written terms can say what remains in the house.
Can I sign the sale papers from outside Kentucky?
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. Remote signing does not change who has authority to sell the property.
What happens after I ask about an offer?
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours. You can review the written offer and terms before you commit. If you choose to proceed, the closing is through a title company.
Can USA Home Buyers confirm who has authority to 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.
Related Covington resources
Talk with us about the inherited Covington house
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form to share 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.
Share the property address and what you know about the estate.