Sell a house with a reverse mortgage, including one you inherited.
HBS buys houses directly for cash and as is. When the last borrower dies or moves out, an FHA reverse mortgage comes due, and the servicer's notice starts the clock for heirs. We can make an as-is cash offer and close through a title company that pays off the servicer, as long as the sale meets HUD's rules.
200+ homes bought·100+ renovations completed·4.5+ star seller reviews
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.
How FHA reverse mortgages work when the house is sold.
These are HUD's rules for FHA-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs), the federal reverse mortgage. A private reverse mortgage follows its own loan documents.
When the loan comes due
A HECM becomes due and payable when the last borrower dies and the home is not the principal residence of a surviving borrower. With HUD approval, it can also come due if the home stops being a borrower's principal residence, a borrower is away more than 12 consecutive months because of illness, or property taxes or insurance go unpaid.
The heirs' timeline
The servicer's notice gives heirs 30 days to pay off the loan, sell the home, or offer a deed in lieu, and the CFPB says that timeline may be extended up to six months. HUD requires the servicer to start foreclosure within six months of the due date unless HUD approves more time.
The 95 percent rule
If the loan balance is more than the home is worth, heirs or the estate can sell for at least the lesser of the balance or 95 percent of the appraised value, and HUD caps the closing costs that can be deducted. Heirs who keep the home can pay the lesser of the balance or 95 percent of the appraised value.
No personal liability
An FHA reverse mortgage is non-recourse: the borrower has no personal liability for the balance, and the lender cannot get a deficiency judgment, so heirs are not personally on the hook for a shortfall.
Spouses not on the loan
An eligible non-borrowing spouse who is named in the loan documents, was married to the borrower at closing, and lives in the home can defer repayment after the borrower's death by establishing a legal right to stay within 90 days and keeping taxes, insurance, and upkeep current. The CFPB says this applies to loans from August 4, 2014 onward.
Florida probate and authority to sell
A personal representative's powers begin when the court issues letters. If the will grants no power of sale, title to estate real property does not pass until the court authorizes or confirms the sale, and existing mortgages stay attached. A protected homestead is not an estate asset, so a probate attorney should confirm who signs.
What can affect your as-is cash offer.
| Input | How it affects the offerPlain English |
|---|---|
| Loan balance and value | If the home is worth more than the payoff, the estate keeps the proceeds above it; if not, HUD's 95 percent rule sets the floor. |
| Servicer deadlines | The due date, any extensions, and foreclosure timing shape how fast the sale must close. |
| Authority to sell | Letters of administration, a court order, or a homestead determination decide who signs. |
| Condition | Deferred maintenance and belongings left in the house are priced as is. |
How the property and local records can change the sale.
Pinellas County
Pinellas probate cases run through the Sixth Judicial Circuit. If the house is a protected homestead, a probate attorney should confirm who can sign the deed before closing.
Hillsborough County
Hillsborough probate cases are handled in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, where the personal representative's letters or a court order give a title company the authority it needs.
Pasco County
Pasco is also in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. Ask the servicer for the payoff and the current timeline as soon as someone has authority to act for the estate.
Hernando County
Hernando probate runs through the Fifth Judicial Circuit, and the same HUD timeline applies wherever the home is located.
What to gather when a reverse mortgage is involved.
The servicer's letters set the clock. Share them early, along with who has authority to sell.
Servicer letters
The due-and-payable notice, payoff statement, and any extension approvals.
Authority to sell
Letters of administration, the will or trust, or a note that probate has not started.
Loan details
The servicer's name and contact, the loan number, and any non-borrowing spouse information.
Condition and belongings
Photos, repairs you know about, and what the family wants to keep.
How the cash sale moves from first call to closing.
Send the address and the servicer's letter
Share the due-and-payable notice or payoff statement and who has authority for the estate.
Get an as-is cash offer
We compare the offer with the payoff and, if the loan is underwater, HUD's 95 percent minimum.
Close and pay off the servicer
The title company obtains the payoff, pays the servicer at closing, and the mortgage is released.
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.
24 CFR 206.125 (acquisition and sale of the property)
Heirs' 30-day options, the 95 percent floor, deed in lieu, and foreclosure timing.
Open official source24 CFR 206.27 (mortgage provisions)
When the loan comes due and the non-recourse rule.
Open official source24 CFR 206.55 (non-borrowing spouses)
When a spouse who is not on the loan can defer repayment.
Open official sourceCFPB: Selling a home with a reverse mortgage
Selling while the borrower is alive.
Open official sourceHUD Mortgagee Letter 2023-23 (Cash for Keys)
Optional cash-for-keys amounts for deeds in lieu and short sales.
Open official sourceFlorida Statutes, s. 733.613 (sales of estate real property)
When a personal representative needs court approval to sell.
Open official sourceReverse Mortgage cash-sale questions.
You can pay off the loan, sell the home, or give the lender a deed in lieu. The servicer's notice gives 30 days to act, and the CFPB says the timeline may be extended up to six months.
No. FHA reverse mortgages are non-recourse. Heirs can sell for at least the lesser of the balance or 95 percent of the appraised value, or keep the home by paying that amount.
Yes. HUD lets borrowers prepay without penalty at any time, and the loan is paid off from the sale at closing.
With HUD approval, the loan can come due if a borrower is away for more than 12 consecutive months because of physical or mental illness.
An eligible non-borrowing spouse named in the loan documents can defer repayment if they meet HUD's conditions, including establishing a legal right to stay within 90 days of the borrower's death.
HUD lets servicers offer it, but it is optional: up to $7,500 plus up to $5,000 of probate costs when a deed in lieu or short sale is completed within 365 days of the due date, and less after that.
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.
Get My Cash Offer