What we do with the house and its contents
Sell an inherited house without cleanout, repairs, or hauling away a lifetime of belongings — we take it as it is. You can take the items the family wants to keep; no repairs, cleaning, or cleanout are required to sell the house to us.
A house can keep bringing carrying costs while the estate sorts out its next steps: mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, utilities, and upkeep. We can consider the house in its current condition, with the belongings that remain.
What happens next
- We talk through the Los Angeles address, the house’s condition and contents, access, timing, and what you know about the estate.
- We give you a written offer and written terms before you commit. You can review them and decide whether they fit.
- If you choose to proceed, the title company checks the deed, title, payoff, and estate signing authority, then handles closing documents with the authorized signer.
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.
Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.
What you keep
Compare our written offer with an estimate of what a listing might net after repairs, commissions, carrying costs, and closing costs. Adjust the calculator assumptions for this house.
Compare your home-sale net proceeds →California estate rules and taxes
Who can sign and how the sale proceeds
Often, an inherited California house can be sold before probate is finished, but only the court-appointed personal representative—the executor or administrator appointed to handle the estate—can sign a sale for the estate. Having a will, being named in it, or being an heir does not by itself establish current signing authority.
With full authority under the Independent Administration of Estates Act, the representative can sell without a court confirmation hearing after giving heirs and beneficiaries a Notice of Proposed Action at least 15 days before acting. If someone objects, the sale goes through court supervision.
With limited authority, a sale of estate real property requires court supervision. The court considers the sale at a confirmation hearing where others may overbid; a private sale generally must bring at least 90% of a recent appraisal.
Some surviving spouses or heirs may qualify for a simpler court procedure, such as a spousal property petition. For deaths on or after April 1, 2025, a primary-residence petition may be available for a qualifying home valued up to $750,000. A recorded loan or lien must be paid or released at closing.
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.
California documentary transfer tax
For a covered sale with consideration over $100, counties charge documentary transfer tax of $0.55 for each $500 of value, or fraction of $500—$1.10 per $1,000. The taxable amount does not count a lien or loan that remains on the property after the sale. The county recorder collects the tax when the deed is recorded. A city may take half of the county rate as its own share, credited against the county tax, while some cities add a larger transfer tax. The purchase agreement can allocate the cost; escrow should confirm the applicable city tax and taxable amount for the property.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the county documentary transfer tax and any city transfer tax. Mortgage balances, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes remain separate.
California law and tax sources
- California Probate Code § 10501 — actions requiring court supervision under limited authority
- California Probate Code § 10511 — sale of real property with full authority
- California Probate Code § 10586 — notice of proposed action
- California Probate Code § 10589 — effect of an objection
- California Probate Code § 10309 — court confirmation and minimum sale price
- Judicial Council Form DE-260 — report of sale and petition for order confirming sale
- California Revenue and Taxation Code § 11911 — documentary transfer tax
- California Revenue and Taxation Code § 11931 — city tax credit against county tax
Local help and reviews
If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.
The court and recorder can point you to current public procedures and records. The estate file, deed, and title review—not family relationship alone—determine who can sign for this property.
Los Angeles County Superior Court — Probate Division
Find the court’s current probate information and filing route. The estate file determines the process for a particular property.
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
The county recorder records deeds and provides documentary transfer tax information. Escrow can confirm the recording and tax requirements for a specific sale.
California Courts Self-Help — when formal probate may not be needed
Review the court’s overview of simpler transfer procedures. Eligibility and the right procedure depend on the estate and property.
Questions about an inherited house
Inherited-property questions
Can I sell an inherited Los Angeles house before probate is finished?
Often, yes, if the sale is handled by the court-appointed personal representative—the executor or administrator appointed to act for the estate. The representative’s authority matters: a sale with full authority follows a different route from a sale with limited authority, which requires court supervision.
Who can sign for an inherited house in California?
For a sale by an estate, the court-appointed personal representative signs for the estate; being an heir or a named executor alone does not establish current authority. The title company or a qualified attorney can confirm the appointment, authority, deed, and required signatures for the property.
What happens if the representative has full authority to sell?
With full authority under the Independent Administration of Estates Act, the representative can generally sell without a court confirmation hearing after giving heirs and beneficiaries a Notice of Proposed Action at least 15 days before acting. If someone objects, the sale goes through court supervision.
What if the representative has limited authority?
A sale of estate real property with limited authority needs court supervision. The court considers the sale at a confirmation hearing, where others may overbid; a private sale generally must bring at least 90% of a recent appraisal.
Can a spouse or heir use a simpler procedure instead of formal probate?
Some surviving spouses or heirs may qualify for a simpler court procedure, including a spousal property petition. For deaths on or after April 1, 2025, a primary-residence petition may be available for a qualifying home valued up to $750,000. The court or a qualified attorney can confirm eligibility and the filing route.
What transfer tax applies when a Los Angeles house sells?
For a covered transfer with consideration over $100, California counties charge documentary transfer tax of $0.55 for each $500 of value, or fraction of $500. A city may take half of that rate as its share, credited against the county tax, while some cities add a larger tax. Escrow should confirm the property’s city, tax base, and applicable total. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the county documentary transfer tax and any city transfer tax. Mortgage balances, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes remain separate.
Do I have to empty or repair the inherited house before selling to you?
No. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. You can take the belongings the family wants to keep; you do not have to haul away everything that remains before asking about a sale.
Can I sign from outside California?
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 to a mortgage or lien on an inherited house?
Recorded loans and liens must be paid or released at closing. The title company confirms the payoff and recorded requirements for the property; mortgage balances, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes are separate from our closing-cost payment.
Related Los Angeles resources
Talk through the inherited house
Call 888-274-5006 or send the Los Angeles property address. We buy houses as-is in the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County.
Call 888-274-5006We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.