This is a collaborative post
Most people who inherit a house opt to sell it. Property is simply worth too much to decline the sum. On top of this, in many cases, the value of the property needs to be split between many descendants. So, selling an inherited property is commonplace. Of course, just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s always easy.
First, the property has to go through probate. The only way to get around this is to be a co-owner of the property before the death of its owner. Even then, you’d still need to send the death certificate to court for validation. If not contested, probate can be over and done within a few months. Next, the house will be ready for the market.
Getting your inherited house ready for sale
As noted, you can’t sell an inherited house straight away. While in probate, you won’t be able to fully sell the house. However, you can get to preparing the house and you can even line up some viewings. Before you do the latter, though, it’s best to do the former.
Your first three steps to preparing the property for sale are cost-effective but necessary. Especially in an inherited home, which likely hasn’t been redecorated in a while, it’d be wise to paint the walls. Paint isn’t expensive and can do wonders to add some additional shine to a room. It’s easy to spot a new coat of paint, too, making it all seem fresh.
Next, shine the floors. This could mean buffing the wooden floors or polishing them. Or, it could mean hiring a hefty carpet cleaner. It’s important to get all of the floor grime out of the way. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, thoroughly clean the bathrooms. Those white plumbing fixtures need to be pure white.
Then, it wouldn’t hurt to invest in some stagecraft. More competition is always created for homes that present well. It can be expensive on the face of it, but it’s good to modernise the aesthetic in this way. This is especially true for inherited homes where the furniture is usually outdated or well-worn.
Alternatively, skip the market
If you’ve inherited a home, it can be inconvenient to get it set for sale. It may be on the other side of the country. Or, it might just be too much hassle to turn up for viewings and the like. Perhaps you don’t have time in your life to cater to putting a house on the market and dealing with all of the paperwork.
Even if this is the case, you can still go about selling a house in probate. Many of the time-consuming responsibilities can be sidestepped by going with a cash house buyer. Even if the house is in poor condition, the platform will buy it from you. You will quickly get a free cash offer. From there, if an offer’s accepted, you don’t even need to bother with the paperwork. Selling the probate property to an online platform lets them handle the documentation on your behalf without charge or hidden fees.
When trying to sell an inherited home, it’s important to spruce it up to make the most of the opportunity. Alternatively, a quick sale can be completed online.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post