Selling an Inherited House in Trenton, NJ

What we do with the house and its contents

A house can keep bringing carrying costs while the estate is being handled: property taxes, insurance, utilities, upkeep, and any mortgage payments can continue. Selling is one option; inheriting a house does not mean you have to sell it.

If selling is right for you, you do not need to make the house sale-ready first. Sell an inherited house without cleanout, repairs, or hauling away a lifetime of belongings — we take it as it is. Let us know which items the family wants to keep and what will stay with the house.

What happens next

1. Talk with us about the address, the house, its contents, and where things stand with the estate.
2. We review the property as-is and give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
3. You can review the written offer and terms before you commit. If you choose to sell, closing is through a title company, which can confirm the estate documents and signing requirements for the property.

Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.

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 the written offer with a possible listing using your own estimates for costs and carrying expenses. The calculator is a planning tool; use the estate and property figures that apply to this house.

New Jersey estate rules and taxes

Who can sign for the estate?

If there is a will, the executor named in it applies to Mercer County Surrogate's Court. A will cannot be probated until ten days have passed after the death. The Surrogate issues Letters Testamentary and an executor short certificate as proof of the executor's authority. If there is no will, a close relative can apply to be administrator beginning on the fifth day after death. A surviving spouse or partner has first right; relatives with an equal or earlier right generally must sign a renunciation or receive notice. The Surrogate issues Letters of Administration and short certificates to the appointed administrator.

Unless the will or a court order limits the power, New Jersey generally lets an executor or administrator sell estate real estate at public or private sale. That general power does not cover a house the will leaves to a specific person. The title company or a qualified attorney can confirm who has authority to sign for the estate.

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.

Inheritance tax and deed-transfer costs

New Jersey has an inheritance tax. Before a decedent's real property is transferred, the state generally requires written consent called a tax waiver, issued by the Division of Taxation. Form L-9 may be used when a New Jersey resident died on or after January 1, 2018, the property passes to qualifying close family such as a spouse, child, grandchild, or parent, and the form's other conditions are met. Other inheritances usually require an inheritance-tax return first, and tax may be due. Unpaid inheritance tax can remain a lien on the property for up to 15 years. New Jersey has no estate tax for deaths on or after January 1, 2018.

New Jersey's realty transfer fee is generally paid by the seller when the deed is recorded. A separate graduated percent fee can apply to a home sale over $1 million unless the transfer is exempt. Read the New Jersey Division of Taxation realty transfer fee guidance →

When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including New Jersey's realty transfer fee and any applicable graduated percent fee. Your mortgage, liens, back taxes and share of current property taxes are separate.

Local estate and deed help

If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.