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. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.
You can set aside the belongings the family wants to keep. If items remain, tell us what is staying; we can discuss access and contents in the written terms. You do not need to hire a cleanout crew before asking about a sale.
While an estate-owned house is being handled, it can continue to cost money for property taxes, insurance, utilities, upkeep, and any mortgage. Those bills continue whether or not the family has decided to sell; you can decide what belongings to keep before agreeing to a sale.
What happens next
1. Talk through the property
Share the address, condition, contents, and timing. Let us know what estate papers you have and what still needs to be checked.
2. Read the offer and terms
We give you the offer in writing. You can review the written terms before you commit and decide whether the offer fits.
3. Close through a title company
If you choose to proceed, the title company reviews the deed, estate authority, and closing documents for the actual property.
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 keep
Compare the written offer with a listing estimate after costs, using assumptions that fit the house. A sale price by itself does not show what you keep.
Open the Niles home-sale net proceeds calculator →Michigan estate rules and taxes
Start with the person and the parcel
Niles has city parts in both Berrien and Cass Counties. A city name, ZIP code, or tax-bill name does not safely choose the probate court or deed office. For a Michigan resident, the first testacy or appointment case ordinarily follows the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. A property-location route can apply for a nonresident. Confirm the decedent’s domicile, the parcel’s county, and the actual probate docket before choosing an office.
Who can sign for the estate?
Being named in a will is a nomination, not an appointment. A personal representative’s powers start when the Probate Court appoints them. The appointed representative should obtain current certified Letters of Authority and check any real-estate limits, restrictions, expiration, and court orders. Michigan law gives personal representatives default powers over estate property, but the will, supervised-administration orders, fiduciary duties, and title can limit the route. A public administrator needs court approval to sell the decedent’s real property; a petition asks for approval but is not the court’s order.
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.
A Michigan small-estate sworn statement is not a way to transfer a house: that procedure requires the estate to include no real property. A separate court-order route has statutory expense and adjusted-value conditions. Ask a Michigan probate lawyer and title professional to check the actual signer, deed, and court route.
Transfer tax and recording
Michigan has separate state and county real-estate transfer taxes. For a covered, nonexempt transfer, the state rate is $3.75 for each $500 or fraction of $500 of total value. The ordinary county rate is 55 cents per $500 or fraction in a county with fewer than two million people. Michigan law places state-tax liability on the seller or grantor, but the instrument, value, exemption, county branch, and contract allocation affect the actual transaction. Probate or inheritance status does not automatically exempt a later sale to a buyer.
The Berrien and Cass County fee pages checked September 2, 2026 list a $30 recording charge and $3 for each additional instrument assigned or discharged after the first. Other instrument-specific charges and exceptions can apply, so this is not a complete deed or closing total. The new owner generally files Michigan’s Property Transfer Affidavit with the local assessor within 45 days; that filing and any assessment uncapping are separate from transfer-tax exemptions.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. This does not pay your mortgage, liens, back taxes, or your share of current property taxes. The title company can confirm the actual tax and recording treatment for the deed and parcel.
Local estate and deed offices
If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one. First confirm the estate’s county and current court file; these offices are routes for verified Berrien or Cass matters, not a venue decision for a particular house.
Berrien County
Probate Court
Estates, trusts, and wills are among the court’s listed subject matters.
811 Port Street, 4th Floor, St. Joseph, MI
269-983-7111 ext. 8365
Open the official Berrien County page →Berrien County
Register of Deeds
County office for real-property documents and deed recording.
701 Main Street, 3rd Floor, St. Joseph, MI 49085
269-983-7111 ext. 8562
Open the official Berrien County page →Cass County
Probate Court
Use the court route only after confirming that the actual estate belongs in Cass County.
60296 M-62, Cassopolis, MI 49031
(269) 445-4475
Open the official Cass County page →Cass County
Clerk/Register Office
County Clerk/Register route for deed and recording questions.
120 N Broadway, Cassopolis, MI
Open the official Cass County page →Official estate, tax, and recording references
- Berrien County deceased-estates guidance
- Berrien County Register of Deeds fees
- Cass County recording requirements
- Michigan Estates and Protected Individuals Code
- Michigan Letters of Authority form (PC 572)
- Michigan petition for approval of a real-estate sale (PC 681)
- Michigan state real-estate transfer-tax statute
- Michigan county real-estate transfer-tax statute
- Michigan Property Transfer Affidavit (Form 2766)
For information about evaluating a buyer and reviews, see Niles buyer reviews and trust guidance.
Questions and contact
Questions about selling an inherited house in Niles
Can I sell the house in the estate’s name?
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.
Does being named in a will let me sign for the estate?
No. A will nominates a personal representative; the Probate Court appoints that person. The appointed representative should check the current certified Letters of Authority for real-estate limits, other restrictions, and expiration. The actual will, court orders, title, and estate file can affect who signs.
Which county handles probate for a Niles house?
Niles has city parts in both Berrien and Cass Counties, so the city name, ZIP code, or tax-bill name does not choose the probate court. The first Michigan testacy or appointment case ordinarily follows the decedent’s county of domicile at death; a property-location route can apply for a nonresident. Confirm the decedent’s domicile, the parcel’s county, and the actual probate docket before contacting an office.
Can small-estate paperwork transfer a Michigan house?
The Michigan sworn-statement route does not transfer a house: it requires that the estate include no real property. A separate court-order route has statutory expense and adjusted-value conditions, so the “small estate” label alone does not show that an inherited house can be transferred or sold.
What transfer taxes and recording charges might apply?
Michigan has separate state and county real-estate transfer taxes. For a covered, nonexempt transfer, the state rate is $3.75 per $500 or fraction of $500 of total value; the ordinary county branch is 55 cents per $500 or fraction for a county under two million people. The deed, county, value, exemptions, and contract allocation matter. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. This does not pay your mortgage, liens, back taxes, or your share of current property taxes.
Do I have to repair the house or remove everything first?
No. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. Sell an inherited house without cleanout, repairs, or hauling away a lifetime of belongings — we take it as it is. You can set aside belongings the family wants to keep and discuss what remains in the written terms.
Can I sign if I live outside Michigan?
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.
Talk through the inherited property
Call 888-274-5006 or send the property address and the estate questions you are sorting out.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the property address and phone number.