Selling an Inherited House in New Bedford, MA

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 the family wants to keep, tell us during the conversation so the written terms can say what stays with the house.

Property taxes, insurance, utilities, upkeep, and any mortgage payments can continue while the estate holds the house. The amounts depend on the property and its current accounts. You may have reasons to keep the house; if you decide a sale is right for you, we can talk about it as it stands.

Often, yes: an inherited Massachusetts house can be sold while estate administration is still underway. If the house is sold through the estate, the deed normally has to be signed by the personal representative appointed by the Probate and Family Court. Being an heir or named in the will is not enough by itself.

A personal representative can sell estate real estate to an arm’s-length buyer—someone dealing independently rather than as part of the estate. For the sale to be conclusive under Massachusetts law, either the will must give the representative power to sell or the court must grant a license to sell. A court license is permission to sell. If there is no will, a license is required, and the petition needs the interested parties’ consent or notice to them.

A surviving spouse or minor children may have a homestead estate that continues after death, which can affect who must sign. The closing may also need the Massachusetts estate-tax lien cleared before the deed is recorded: with a Department of Revenue release certificate or, when no estate-tax return is required, a recorded affidavit.

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.

Massachusetts calls its deed transfer tax the deeds excise. It is paid when the deed is recorded. For a sale price over $100, the standard rate is $2.28 for each $500 or fraction of $500 ($4.56 per $1,000). The person signing the deed is responsible under state law; in a sale, that is the seller. Some transfers are treated differently, so the closing professional confirms the amount.

When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the Massachusetts deeds excise. This does not pay the seller’s mortgage, liens, back taxes, or share of current property taxes.