Selling an Inherited House in Richmond, VA

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. USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.

You can take the belongings you want to keep and leave the rest under the written sale terms. Utilities, insurance, upkeep, and property taxes can keep adding to the cost of carrying the house.

What happens next

1. We talk through the house, its condition and contents, occupancy, and where the estate process stands.
2. We review title, any mortgage payoff, and who can sign.
3. You get a written offer and written terms before you commit, and we close through a title company.
4. If you accept, we coordinate the next steps with the person authorized to sign.

Close as fast as 7 days when title and closing details allow.

No agent commissions when you sell to us. No fees.

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.

Virginia estate authority and sale costs

Who may sign

Virginia real estate generally passes at death to the people named in the will or to the heirs. An executor may sell only after appointment through the circuit court clerk and when the will directs a sale or gives the executor that power, or a court grants the power. Otherwise, heirs or beneficiaries generally sign the deed together; if they cannot agree, a circuit court can order a sale.

A sale by heirs or beneficiaries within one year after death can be challenged by the deceased owner's creditors unless no court action over estate debts is started and no report of debts is filed within that year. A court-ordered sale in the first year is protected when the sale money goes to a court-appointed commissioner. A surviving spouse may sometimes have a right to stay in the home.

Virginia Code references: §64.2-200, §64.2-521, §64.2-105, §64.2-509, §§64.2-534 and 64.2-535, §8.01-81, and §64.2-308.16.

Virginia transfer and closing costs

Virginia's grantor tax is 50 cents for each $500 of the greater of the sale price or value, about 0.1%. Separate state and, where adopted, local recordation taxes may also apply. Exemptions and transfers with little or no consideration can change the amount; the settlement agent confirms the figures. See Virginia Code §58.1-802 and §58.1-801.

When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Virginia state and local recordation taxes, grantor tax and any applicable regional WMATA capital fee, regional congestion relief fee or regional transportation improvement fee.

Mortgage balances, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes are separate from those closing costs.

Richmond estate and deed offices

Richmond is an independent city, so the relevant offices are Richmond city offices rather than county offices. The Circuit Court Clerk is the local clerk's office, and the Deeds office handles Richmond city deeds and land records. If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.

• Office of the Circuit Court Clerk — Richmond city clerk-office information.
• Circuit Court Clerk — Deeds — Richmond city deeds and land-records office.