We buy the house and handle the 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 belongings the family wants to keep; tell us what should stay so the written terms can address the contents and access.
Mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, utilities, and ordinary upkeep can keep adding up while the house remains in the estate. Which costs continue depends on the house and the estate. You do not have to clean or repair the house to ask us about buying it.
What happens next
1. Talk through the house
Share the Somerset address, the house’s condition, what is inside, and what you know about the estate. You can call before you have every estate document in hand.
2. Review the written offer
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours. You receive written terms before you commit and can review them before deciding.
3. Close through a title company
If you choose to proceed, the title company reviews the closing file and confirms the documents and signatures needed for this property and estate.
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 may keep
Compare a possible listing result with what you might actually net after costs. The calculator lets you adjust the assumptions for the house.
Open the Somerset home-sale net-proceeds calculator →Pennsylvania estate rules and taxes
Who can sign for the estate
In most estates, the executor can sell the house without going to court under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3351. If the will leaves the house to one specific person, that person signs too. The executor’s authority and the estate papers still matter for the particular property.
If the executor is not authorized to sell under Pennsylvania law or the will, the executor can ask the county Orphans’ Court for permission under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3353, including when a will specifically leaves the house to someone. The court decides whether the sale is desirable for the estate’s administration and distribution. A missing signature alone does not mean the court will approve a sale. It is less common than people fear, and you can call us before you know which applies.
“Letters testamentary” or “letters of administration” are papers from the county Register of Wills that show who can sign for the estate. You can call us before you have them in hand.
Pennsylvania inheritance tax
Pennsylvania inheritance tax depends on who inherits. These rates and categories are from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue:
| Who inherits | Pennsylvania inheritance tax |
|---|---|
| Spouse | 0% |
| Parent inheriting from a child age 21 or younger | 0% |
| Child age 21 or younger inheriting from a parent who died in 2020 or later | 0% |
| Children, grandchildren, and other direct descendants | 4.5% |
| Brothers and sisters | 12% |
| Most other heirs | 15% |
The tax is owed from the date of death. Paying within three months takes 5% off, and it becomes late after nine months. Many families pay it from the house sale. Ask a qualified tax professional how the rules apply to your estate.
Realty transfer tax and closing costs
Pennsylvania’s realty transfer tax is 1% on covered transfers. A local transfer tax may also apply; the property’s municipality and the transaction determine the applicable amount. The county Recorder of Deeds records the transfer document and collects state realty transfer tax, often together with local tax. See the Pennsylvania realty transfer tax guidance.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Pennsylvania realty transfer tax and any local realty transfer tax that applies.
When you sell to us, we pay the transfer tax.
These promises do not pay the seller’s mortgage, liens, back taxes, or share of current property taxes.
Somerset County estate and deed offices
The county Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans’ Court is the local route for estate records; the Recorder of Deeds handles recorded land records. An office location does not by itself determine probate venue or who can sign for a particular estate.
The Borough of Somerset and Somerset Township are separate municipalities. Somerset is the county seat, and the surrounding township is not part of the borough; confirm a property’s municipality by its address. See the Borough of Somerset history.
Somerset County Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans’ Court
Use the county office for wills-and-estates records and current filing information.
Somerset County estate office →Somerset County Recorder of Deeds
Use the county office for recorded deeds and land-record questions.
Somerset County deed records →For an Orphans’ Court matter, the statewide Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court Clerks directory lists county contacts. If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.
What our sellers say
“After my mother passed, my brother and I inherited her house off Derry Street. Neither of us lives in Harrisburg anymore, and the thought of cleaning it out and making repairs before listing felt impossible. USA Home Buyers made us a fair offer and closed in 12 days. We didn't have to touch a thing.”
“I was four months behind on my mortgage and the notices were stacking up. I didn't even know I could sell and still come out with money. USA Home Buyers explained the whole thing, the offer was fair, and we closed before things got worse. Huge weight off my shoulders.”
“I had a tenant who stopped paying rent and refused to leave. I was paying the mortgage out of pocket for months. USA Home Buyers bought the property with the tenant still in it. That was the end of my landlord days. Done.”
Questions about selling an inherited house
Inherited-property questions in Somerset, PA
Can I sell an inherited 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.
Who can sign for an inherited house in Pennsylvania?
In most estates, the executor can sell the house without going to court under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3351. If the will leaves the house to one specific person, that person signs too.
What do letters testamentary or letters of administration show?
They are papers from the county Register of Wills that show who can sign for the estate. You can call us before you have them in hand.
What if the executor is not authorized to sell?
The executor can ask the county Orphans’ Court for permission under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3353, including when the will specifically leaves the house to someone. The court decides whether a sale is desirable for the estate’s administration and distribution. A missing signature alone does not mean the court will approve a sale.
How much is Pennsylvania inheritance tax?
Pennsylvania inheritance tax depends on who inherits: 0% for a spouse and certain parent-child transfers; 4.5% for children, grandchildren, and other direct descendants; 12% for brothers and sisters; and 15% for most other heirs. The tax is owed from the date of death. Paying within three months takes 5% off, and it becomes late after nine months.
Do I need to clean out or repair an inherited house before selling to you?
Sell an inherited house without cleanout, repairs, or hauling away a lifetime of belongings — we take it as it is. You can tell us which belongings the family wants to keep, and the written terms can address what remains.
Can I sign the sale papers from outside Pennsylvania?
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 after I ask about an offer?
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours. You can review the written offer and written terms before you commit. If you choose to proceed, the closing is through a title company.
Who pays the transfer tax if I sell to USA Home Buyers?
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Pennsylvania realty transfer tax and any local realty transfer tax that applies. When you sell to us, we pay the transfer tax. This does not pay a seller’s mortgage, liens, back taxes, or share of current property taxes.
Related Somerset resources
Talk with us about the inherited Somerset house
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form to share the property address and what you know about the estate.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Takes 2 minutes. No obligation.