Inherited property
Sell a house you inherited in North Carolina, repairs and all.
If a North Carolina house came to you and you have no plans to fix it up, rent it out or clear it out, we can buy it for cash in its current shape and close on a date you choose.
Is this you?
Heirs deciding what happens to the family house.
The bills on an inherited house keep arriving whether anyone lives there or not. Property taxes and insurance come due, the utilities need to stay on, and someone has to check on the place so it stays secure.
Most heirs we talk with are already busy with work, children and a home of their own. If the estate is still open with the clerk, start with selling a probate home instead.
- The house is yours now, or will be when the estate wraps up
- You are too far away to keep an eye on it
- It needs repairs you would rather not pay for
- Furniture, clothes and boxes still fill the rooms
- Taxes, insurance and utility bills land every month
The choices
Four ways to handle a house you inherited.
Selling to us for cash is one choice. If you ask, we can also prepare a proposal for listing the house on the open market, so the family can weigh both.
Keep the house
Makes sense when one heir wants to move in and can handle the mortgage, taxes and upkeep, or can buy out everyone else's share.
Rent the house
Adds monthly income. Someone still has to deal with tenants, repairs and the stretches when the house sits vacant.
Repair it and list it
Repaired houses often sell for more, as long as the family can fund the work and wait out the months of fixing, cleaning and showings. Ask us about our Equity Protection Program as well.
Sell it to us as it is
A single written offer with no repairs and nothing to haul off. The closing can happen in about seven days when the title comes back clear.
If the roof is bad, water has gotten in or the foundation is failing, read about selling a house with major repairs to see how those problems change the numbers.
The process
How a sale to us works for North Carolina heirs.
Our part is the house and the purchase. The legal and tax questions belong to your attorney, the clerk's office and your tax preparer.
We buy inherited houses throughout North Carolina, and it is fine if every heir lives out of state. Our how we buy houses page walks through each step.
- Take out what the family wants to keep.
Gather the will, important papers, photos and anything with sentimental value. Leave the rest behind for us to deal with.
- Send us the address or give us a call.
Let us know the condition, whether someone is living there and how many heirs share the house.
- Look over a written cash offer.
We base the number on where the house sits, what it needs, how old the roof and mechanical systems are, and what houses within a mile have sold for lately.
- Pick the closing date.
A North Carolina real estate attorney handles the closing and confirms who needs to sign. We can close in about a week with a clear title, or months later if that works better for the family.
Seller reviews
Heirs who sold the family house to us.
Barrington was very easy to work with on the purchase of the house that I grew up in. They were always available whenever there was a question about the process before, during & after. The process was very simple and quick. I felt good working with them and believe that they will make my old home a new home for a great family once again.
Very painless process. I talked with the group at Barrington about buying my mum’s house. The process was relatively simple and aggravation free unlike others I’d read about.
Questions from heirs
What heirs want to know before they sell.
Can we sell the house with the furniture still in it?
Yes. Take whatever you want to keep and leave everything else. We buy houses full of furniture and personal items and handle the cleanout after we close.
Does the estate have to be settled before we sell?
North Carolina law treats the house as passing to the heirs, or to the people the will names, at the moment of death, and a sale still needs the right signatures. Every heir who owns a share has to sign the deed, or someone with legal authority signs for them. When the heirs sell inside the first two years after the death, expect the closing attorney to ask the personal representative for a signature too. This is general information, so ask a North Carolina attorney what your situation requires.
Will we owe taxes when the inherited house sells?
North Carolina has no estate tax and no inheritance tax. Federal income tax can still come into play, and for federal purposes an heir's starting basis is generally what the property was worth when the owner died. Save any date-of-death appraisal and your closing statement, and have a CPA work through the numbers. We buy houses and do not give tax advice.
Some of the heirs live out of state. Is that a problem?
No. We can see the house and make an offer even if every heir lives hours away. Your closing attorney will go over whose signatures are needed and how heirs in other places can sign.
Would listing the house be better for us?
That depends on the house. An updated house and a family with time to wait may net more on the open market, and we can prepare a listing proposal for you. If the house needs work or the family wants to be finished, selling for cash means no repair work, no showings and no commission.
Send the address of the inherited house.
Expect a call from a specialist to go over the details with you. You are free to turn the offer down.
Before you pay for a cleanout
Know the cash price before you put money into the house.
A written offer costs nothing to request, and it gives the family a firm number to set beside repair bids and a listing.