What we do with the house and contents
Sell an inherited house without cleanout, repairs, or hauling away a lifetime of belongings — we take it as it is. You can set aside what the family wants to keep and tell us what will stay; the written terms should match what is agreed for the property and its contents.
Keeping a house can mean ongoing costs such as utilities, insurance, upkeep, and mortgage payments. The house may matter to your family; compare those carrying costs with the sale options that fit your plans.
What happens next
- We talk about the address, condition, contents, timing, and estate documents you have.
- We give you a written offer and written terms before you commit.
- A title company handles closing and checks the documents and signing requirements.
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.
You choose whether to accept, decline, or compare the written terms with another option.
What you keep: compare the estimated net
Compare the offer with an estimated listing net after likely selling costs and carrying costs, using assumptions you can edit.
Open the Johnson City home-sale net-proceeds calculator →Who can sign, and what Tennessee taxes apply
In Tennessee, a house usually passes at death directly to the heirs or people named in the will. The will can instead direct that the house be handled as part of the estate. A personal representative is the person appointed by the probate court; the court’s letters show that person’s authority. When a will puts the house under the personal representative’s control or gives that person power to sell, the personal representative can usually sign. Otherwise, the heirs or beneficiaries who own the house generally all need to sign the deed.
If the estate’s other assets cannot pay its debts, the personal representative or a creditor can ask the court to order a sale of the house, with everyone who has an interest included in that case. Tennessee’s small-estate process covers personal property only, not a house. Estate debts can still affect a sale, so the title company or a qualified attorney should confirm who must sign. These rules are in Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 31-2-103, 30-2-402, and 30-4-102. For Washington County, the Probate Court’s Clerk and Master grants letters.
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.
Tennessee realty transfer tax
Tennessee charges this state tax when the deed is recorded. It is 37 cents for each $100 of the price paid or the property’s value, whichever is greater; a $100,000 sale owes $370. By law, the buyer pays the tax. The county register of deeds collects it for the state. The Tennessee Department of Revenue’s recordation-tax page has more information.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Tennessee's realty transfer tax. Your mortgage, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate.
Local estate and deed offices
Johnson City spans Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties, so use the county for the property address when looking up deed records. These offices help locate records; they do not determine signing authority for every estate.
If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one. The Washington County probate link above is county-specific; ask the court or your attorney which probate office handles an estate in another county.
Carter County Register of Deeds
Carter County's official site is the starting point for current office and deed-record information.
Open the county site →Sullivan County Department of Register of Deeds
Use the county office site for current deed-record and office information.
Open the county site →Washington County Register of Deeds
Use the county office site for current deed-record and office information.
Open the county site →We're not attorneys and this isn't legal advice. It's what we've learned buying houses in situations like yours for more than 20 years. If you want advice on your specific situation, talk to an attorney — we're glad to work alongside yours.
Questions about selling an inherited house?
Call 888-274-5006 or send the property address in the form. We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
Inherited Property Questions — Johnson City, TN
Can I sell an inherited Tennessee house before the estate is finished?
Often, yes, once the right person or people sign. Tennessee real estate usually passes at death to the heirs or people named in the will, unless the will directs that the house be handled as part of the estate. The will, court letters, deed, and title review determine which route applies.
Who can sign the deed for an inherited house?
If the will puts the house under the personal representative’s control or gives that person power to sell, the personal representative can usually sign. Otherwise, the heirs or beneficiaries who own the house generally all need to sign. Estate debts or a court order can affect the sale, so have the title company or a qualified attorney confirm the signers. 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.
Does Tennessee’s small-estate process cover a house?
No. Tennessee’s small-estate process covers personal property, not a house. The deed, will, estate file, and title review still matter for real estate.
Do I have to clean out or repair the inherited house first?
No. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. You can keep the belongings the family wants and tell us what will remain in the house.
Can I sign from somewhere else?
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. The title company and estate professionals still confirm the signing and authority requirements for your sale.
What is Tennessee’s realty transfer tax?
Tennessee charges a realty transfer tax when a deed is recorded. The rate is 37 cents for each $100 of the sale price or property value, whichever is greater; a $100,000 sale owes $370. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Tennessee’s realty transfer tax. Your mortgage, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate.
What happens after I ask about an offer?
We talk through the address, condition, contents, and estate questions; then we provide a written offer and written terms before you commit. Closing is through a title company, which reviews the documents and signing authority.