Sell an inherited house as-is, without the cleanout

Inheriting a house in New York

When someone dies owning a house in their own name, it usually passes through the Surrogate's Court in the county where they lived. Each of our nine counties has its own Surrogate's Court: Westchester in White Plains, Rockland in New City, Orange in Goshen, Putnam in Carmel, Dutchess in Poughkeepsie, Ulster in Kingston, Sullivan in Monticello, Greene in Catskill and Columbia in Hudson.

If there is a will, the named executor petitions for probate and receives Letters Testamentary. If there is no will, a family member petitions for Letters of Administration. Once letters are issued, the fiduciary generally has authority to sell the house, though some letters are restricted and need court permission. If the house was held in a trust, or jointly with right of survivorship, probate may not be needed at all. An estate attorney can tell you which applies.

Why heirs often choose a direct sale

Estate houses commonly come with decades of belongings, deferred maintenance and siblings who live in different states. Meanwhile, taxes, insurance, utilities and the risk of a vacant house keep adding up. We buy inherited houses as-is: you can take the keepsakes and leave everything else. We can work with the executor's timeline, including waiting for letters to be issued, and closings can be handled remotely through the attorneys for out-of-state heirs.

Insurance and vacancy

Many homeowner policies limit coverage once a house sits vacant for a period of time. If the house is empty, call the insurer to confirm coverage while the estate is settled.

Taxes to ask your accountant about

Inherited property usually receives a stepped-up cost basis, which can reduce capital gains tax on a sale. New York also has its own estate tax for larger estates. We are not tax advisors; please confirm with an accountant or estate attorney.

Selling when the house is still full of belongings

Families often worry about the cleanout most. Take your time removing what matters, and we will handle the rest after closing.

Where we buy

We buy in Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, Ulster, Sullivan, Greene, Columbia counties. See all areas.

Other situations

• Foreclosure
• Divorce
• Tired landlord
• House needs repairs
• Behind on taxes
• Relocation
• Avoid agent fees