Sell a Florida house in probate on the estate's timeline.
HBS buys houses directly for cash and as is. When an owner dies, someone needs legal authority before the house can be sold, and in Florida that usually runs through the probate court or a trust. You can ask for an as-is cash offer while the estate attorney handles authority, so the family can compare it with repairing and listing.
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We buy houses across Florida, from our home base in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco & Hernando counties. Every purchase depends on property fit, a signed agreement, and title.
What house do you want to sell?
Start with the property address. You do not need photos, repair estimates, or paperwork.
What decides when a probate house can be sold.
Florida probate is a court process, so timing depends on who has authority to sign, whether the house is protected homestead, and what the estate owes. These are the questions families usually ask first.
Who can sign
In a formal administration, the court appoints a personal representative, and the estate attorney confirms whether that person can sell the house and whether a court order is also needed. If the house was held in a trust, the trustee may be able to sell without probate.
Summary administration
Florida allows a shorter process, summary administration, when the estate subject to administration, minus property exempt from creditors, is worth $150,000 or less (the 2026 Legislature raised the limit from $75,000), or when the owner died more than two years ago. An estate attorney can tell you whether it fits.
Protected homestead
If the house was the owner's homestead and a spouse or minor child survives, Florida limits how it can pass by will. A surviving spouse who receives a life estate may elect a one-half interest instead, but generally must do so within six months of the death. These rules decide who inherits and who must sign.
Creditor claims and timing
Once the notice to creditors is published, most claims must be filed within three months, or within 30 days after service for creditors who must be served. The estate attorney can tell you whether a sale can close before that period ends.
Owners who lived outside Florida
When the owner lived in another state and left a house here, Florida usually needs its own ancillary administration. A personal representative who does not live in Florida generally must be a relative the statute lists, such as a child, parent, sibling, niece, or nephew.
Heirs who disagree
When relatives co-own an inherited house and cannot agree, Florida's Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act gives co-owners a court process with valuation and buyout rights before any sale. Talk with an attorney before it reaches that point.
What can affect your as-is cash offer.
| Input | How it affects the offerPlain English |
|---|---|
| Authority and court status | Whether a personal representative is appointed, letters are issued, or court approval is required mostly affects timing, so the target closing date reflects it. |
| Condition and belongings | Any written offer identifies which repairs and belongings HBS agrees to take on if the sale closes. |
| Mortgage, liens, and taxes | A mortgage, reverse mortgage, liens, or unpaid taxes are usually paid from the proceeds at closing when the numbers allow. |
| Carrying costs | Taxes, insurance, utilities, lawn care, and association dues add up while the estate holds the house. |
How the property and local records can change the sale.
Hillsborough County
Estates often include a Tampa or Brandon house with heirs living elsewhere, so remote signing and a clear closing checklist matter.
Pinellas County
Long-held St. Petersburg and Clearwater homes may carry flood history that the estate must disclose when it sells.
Pasco County
Holiday and New Port Richey estates can include older homes or mobile homes, and the title company confirms how a mobile home is titled.
Hernando County
Spring Hill estates may include a paid sinkhole claim, which Florida requires a seller to disclose.
What to gather before asking about a probate house.
The estate attorney handles authority. These details help us make a realistic offer while that work continues.
Probate case status
Share the case number, whether letters of administration were issued, and who the personal representative is.
Will, trust, or deed
How the owner held title, and any will or trust, decides who can sign and when.
Mortgage, liens, and taxes
Mortgage or reverse mortgage statements, tax bills, and association notices help estimate the payoff.
Condition and belongings
Photos and a rough list of what the family wants to keep or leave make the offer more precise.
How the cash sale moves from first call to closing.
Send the address and estate status
Tell us whether probate has started, who the personal representative is, and what timeline the family wants.
Get an as-is cash offer if the house fits
The written offer accounts for the house's condition and agreed belongings, so the family can compare it with the work and likely net of listing.
Close when authority is in place
The estate attorney confirms authority and any court approval; the title company reviews the court file, payoffs, and signing options before closing.
More help for this Florida home sale.
Check the rules behind this page.
These primary sources explain the rules summarized above. They are not legal, tax, or insurance advice; an attorney, CPA, insurance professional, or building official should confirm how they apply to your property.
Florida Statutes, s. 735.201 (summary administration)
When an estate can use Florida's shorter summary administration.
Open official sourceFlorida Statutes, s. 732.4015 (homestead devise limits)
Limits on leaving a homestead by will when a spouse or minor child survives.
Open official sourceFlorida Statutes, s. 732.401 (homestead descent and spouse election)
The surviving spouse's life estate and the six-month election.
Open official sourceFlorida Statutes, s. 733.702 (creditor claims)
Deadlines for creditor claims after the notice to creditors.
Open official sourceFlorida Statutes, s. 734.102 and s. 733.304
Ancillary administration for owners who lived in another state; s. 733.304 covers nonresident personal representatives.
Open official sourceFlorida Statutes, s. 64.202 (heirs property)
Definitions for Florida's Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act.
Open official sourceFlorida Statutes, s. 709.2109 (when a power of attorney ends)
A power of attorney terminates when the principal dies.
Open official sourceProbate cash-sale questions.
Yes, once someone has legal authority to sell. In a formal administration that is usually the court-appointed personal representative, and the estate attorney confirms whether a court order is also needed. You can agree on terms earlier, but closing waits for authority.
It depends on the estate. Summary administration is the shorter process for estates that qualify, and formal administration includes at least the three-month creditor claim period after the notice to creditors is published. Your attorney can estimate your timeline.
Usually not in your own name unless title already passed to you, for example through a trust, survivorship ownership, or a deed that transfers at death. A power of attorney ends when the person dies. An estate attorney can tell you which path applies.
It depends on who holds title and authority. A personal representative with authority may be able to sell estate property, but protected homestead and co-owned inherited property follow different rules, and disagreements can end up in a partition case.
No. If belongings may remain through closing, HBS must agree and the contract should identify what is accepted.
Get a cash offer for your house as is.
727-497-7766Start with the address and what is going on. There is no obligation to accept the offer.
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