Selling a Home You Inherited? Do These Things Early, Before They Cost You the Sale.

By David Brough

Hey there, I'm Dave Brough, and I'm proud to be the owner of Anthony REALTORS. As a seasoned Fort Wayne Realtor, I've learned that putting clients first, staying accessible, and being a great listener and communicator are the keys to success.

We just closed the sale of an inherited home, and honestly, it was one of the more complicated deals we’ve handled all year. It came together in the end, but it taught us something every family should hear before they sell a home they’ve inherited: there are a handful of things you want in place early, and if you skip them, they can delay your closing, or even cost you the sale entirely. So here’s exactly what to do.

Here’s what happened. A family came to us to sell a home that had been passed down after a parent’s passing, and like a lot of inherited homes, the situation was layered. Several family members had a stake in the property, some living in different states, and the estate itself hadn’t been fully settled. Everyone had the best intentions, but because a few key things weren’t handled up front, the process got complicated fast. We ran into delays just getting the basic paperwork the closing required. Multiple people needed to sign off. Documents that should have been ready weren’t. And because the home hadn’t been inspected before it went on the market, some issues surfaced later that scared off early interest and led to more back-and-forth. Thankfully, we guided the family through all of it, coordinated with the title company and attorneys, and got it closed. But it didn’t have to be that hard, which is exactly why we’re sharing this.

First, decide up front who the single point of contact will be. When a home is inherited, several people are often involved, siblings, a surviving parent, other family, and everyone understandably wants a say. But when your agent, title company, and attorney are trying to have the same conversation with four different people and getting four slightly different answers, everything slows to a crawl and confusion creeps in. So pick one person to be the point of contact, one person the professionals communicate with, who then keeps the family informed. It isn’t about cutting anyone out; it’s about giving the process a clear channel so it can move. That one decision alone can save weeks.

Second, get the legal and estate side started as early as you can, because this is where inherited sales get stuck the most. Before a home can sell, a lot has to be true on paper. The estate usually needs to be properly opened. You’ll likely need documents like the death certificate ready. And depending on how the property was left and who’s on the title, there may be legal steps that have to happen in a specific order before anyone can sign. The common mistake: families wait until there’s an offer on the table to start dealing with this, and then the clock is ticking and everyone’s scrambling. Start early instead. Ideally before you even list, talk to an estate attorney and your title company so you know exactly what your situation requires. We’re not attorneys, and every estate is different, so this isn’t legal advice, it’s us telling you from experience that getting these wheels turning early keeps your closing on track.

Third, and we can’t stress this enough, get a pre-listing home inspection, every single time, with an inherited property. When you inherit a home, you usually didn’t live there. You often don’t know its history, what’s been maintained and what hasn’t, or what might be behind the walls. And many families who inherit a home aren’t in a position to pour money into repairs. A pre-listing inspection tells you exactly what you’re working with before a buyer’s inspector finds it at the worst possible moment. It lets you price the home accurately and honestly from day one. It gives buyers full transparency, which builds trust and cuts down on painful renegotiation after an offer. And it’s worth knowing that inherited and estate sales can have different disclosure rules than a typical sale, so an inspection report becomes a valuable, transparent picture of the home for everyone, whatever your specific situation. Ask your agent and attorney how disclosure applies to you, and get that inspection done early either way. It’s the single best move you can make.

So if you’ve inherited a home and you’re even thinking about selling, hear us: a little preparation up front changes everything. Choose one point of contact. Get the estate and legal side moving early. And get that pre-listing inspection, every time. Do those three things, and a sale that could have been stressful and uncertain becomes smooth and predictable.

And if it feels like a lot, that’s exactly what we’re here for. We’ve guided families through this, hurdles and all. If you’ve inherited a property anywhere in the Fort Wayne area, call or text us at (260) 308-4335, email us at david@anthonyrealtors.com, or visit anthonyrealtors.com. Let’s make this easy on you. (This is general information, not legal advice; please consult your attorney about your specific situation.)