In Richland County, it takes anywhere between 8 to 12 months. This doesn’t mean you can’t sell an inherited house if you have the legal authority to do so. Since you don’t need to wait the full year, you can sell it to a professional cash buyer like High Noon Home Buyers. Before considering a sale, you will need to go through the process of being appointed the Personal Representative (Executor). Once appointed, you can legally sell the property before probate is closed. If you sell through a cash buyer, you can walk away clean without ever having to deal with ongoing property taxes or holding costs again.
I had arrived early in the morning at a house in Columbia that was an inherited property. Standing on the porch swing, awaiting my arrival was the daughter who inherited the property about three months prior. The house belonged to her parents. Her mother passed away after living in the home alone for the last five years of her life. “When my father passed, she wanted to stay here until she passed herself. And now I’ve had this house,” she told me. “It’s been three months since she passed, and I don’t know if I can hang onto this much longer”.
She had a mug of coffee in her hand. But she set it down to hand me over some papers. The latest property tax bill. An invoice for a quote on an HVAC system repair. What she was facing was thousands of dollars worth of expenses. I’ve seen these papers so many times, along with the looks of frustration and defeat on the faces of clients. But leave it to my team and me at High Noon Home Buyers to turn those looks into some kind of relief.
After double-checking that she was the executor of her parents’ estate (and yes, I always do a double-check for proof), we decided to go over the property together. She certainly got her cash offer in Columbia after we had checked the place from top to bottom. Imagine the look of satisfaction on her face knowing she didn’t have to go one more month worrying about the money dwindling out of the estate bank account.
If you’re contemplating the idea of selling an inherited property, I’d be remiss if I didn’t provide you with an explanation of how it all works. Here in Richland County, the probate process starts through the Richland County Probate Court in Columbia. They handle the estate administration, executor appointments, and creditor claims. Let’s go over what usually happens in the first 30 days:
I also want to talk about the 8-month creditor period. I’ve had one client in Dentsville vent to me about this. South Carolina requires creditors to file claims against the estate within this 8-month period after notice publication. Want to know one of the reasons why probate takes so long in the state? It happens to be this creditor period.
The client said to me one day, “My father had credit card debt around the time he died. There were also medical bills, personal loans he had to pay off, and who knows what else.” I could hear the frustration in his voice. Yes, creditors will have the opportunity to collect such things as well as tax obligations as well. On top of that, there’s the family disputes, complicated estates, and anything else that can drag this out longer.
Finding home buyers in Dentsville via the traditional route is going to be a nightmare. For that reason, if you have the legal authority to sell the house, my team and I can get a deal done even if the probate process is taking more time than it needs to.
Yes. I have been asked questions like this several times. One recent client thought she had to wait a year before she could finally sell the home she inherited from her late grandmother. Yet, I told her that she had the authority to sell at any time so long as she had the Letters of Administration in her hand. Just like that, the property was sold in about a week and a half.
Even if probate closes, you can sell the inherited property to us in as-is condition. It’s one more reason why High Noon Home Buyers is the best option for you instead of going the traditional route. I also think it’s the best option for the estate as well considering how much money can be lost just for waiting alone.
Now that I mentioned the traditional route being a nightmare, I think I should elaborate further on why it is that way. The traditional sale may seem like the easy route to take. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I have walked through many houses, from a duplex in Irmo to a single-family home that was on the outskirts of Rosewood. The 1970s carpet, a faulty HVAC system, and water stains on some of the ceilings aren’t going to cut it in a traditional market.
One client said, “A realtor told me that I should ‘freshen up’ the place if I ever want to see a single offer. What kind of crap is that? I don’t even have enough money to play with to freshen this damn place up.”
He wasn’t kidding either. I did the math myself. Let’s break it down:
Grand total: $23,050. Oh I’m not finished yet. I haven’t even gotten to the commissions and fees. This is the brutal reality of the Columbia housing market.
So let’s say the house is valued at $250,000. Now, let’s take the 6 percent Realtor fee (which is $15,000). Then you have the closing costs, buyer inspection repairs, 45 to 60 day closing timeline. Put it all together, and it is a massive ton of money you already lose out on. Even talking about this is making my stomach turn.
I hear of clients losing almost their whole equity on all of this alone. Why risk that happening to you when there’s another option?
This next option is the clearest path you can take. We buy your house in Irmo and provide you with a clean exit. Even if the probate phase is still going on, you can sell the house fast to High Noon Home Buyers. My team and I are ready to make sure that your inherited property will be taken off your hands in as little as 7 to 14 days. We help you during the probate process so long as you have the legal authority to sell the house.
The best part about this is that we buy probate houses in as-is condition. Meaning you don’t need to deal with repairs, cleanouts, inspections, open houses, or agent commissions. So go ahead and leave behind the old furniture, trash, appliances, clothing, and boxes of unneeded things in the attic. We’ll dispose of them properly. Just remember to take what you need, like family heirlooms or anything else that has sentimental value.
The way it works is this: first, you need to make sure you have the legal authority to sell the inherited property. So I highly advise you to gather the documents that prove this beforehand. Then, you give my team and me a call, and we’ll come over to perform a property evaluation. After we verify you have the legal authority to sell the house, we provide a cash offer. It’s up to you when the closing date should be.
Are there ways to avoid probate in SC? There could be a way, but the one thing I should mention is that this applies before a death occurs. So these are the options to be aware of:
Yes, probate is avoidable in a sense. However, it takes advanced planning, and I hardly ever see anyone taking a chance on that.
Normally, yes. If the property was left to multiple siblings, they all need to be in agreement regarding the sale. However, the officially appointed Personal Representative needs to handle the actual execution of the legal sales document on behalf of the estate.
No you don’t. Sorting through an estate can be an emotionally draining process. You can take the family heirlooms and sentimental items that you can keep. Just leave the rest and you’re good to go.
The loss of a relative or a loved one can be tough. However, if they left property for you and selling it is the best possible option, my team and I at High Noon Home Buyer can assist you. All you have to do is contact us as soon as you can and we’ll look over the property. From there, we’ll give you a cash offer that is reasonable for you. Don’t wait any longer or it can cost you more.
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