Selling a probate property
You can find a buyer and agree a sale before probate is granted, but you can't complete the sale until the executor or administrator has the grant. As a cash buyer we can agree terms early, exchange as soon as the grant arrives and complete quickly, or wait until it suits the family. We buy probate houses and flats in any condition.
Who this is for
- Executors and administrators selling a house or flat from an estate
- Families who live far away and need a straightforward sale
- Estates with properties that need work, clearing or are hard to mortgage
- Solicitors and agents handling estate sales
How it works
Address, condition and where you are with probate. You don't need the grant to talk to us.
We review quickly and make a cash offer within 24 hours, with no chain and no mortgage.
We exchange and complete to fit the probate timetable, and can take the property as it is, contents included by agreement.
How probate affects a sale
When someone dies, the person dealing with their estate usually needs a grant of probate (or letters of administration if there's no will) before they can sell a property in the deceased's sole name. You can value the property, market it and accept an offer before the grant, but the sale can't complete until you have it. GOV.UK says you should usually get the grant within 12 weeks of applying, and longer for paper applications.
Inheritance Tax, if any is due, usually has to be paid by the end of the sixth month after the death, and interest is charged after that. Some estates sell a property to help with this, so timing matters.
Sources: Applying for probate (GOV.UK) · After you've applied for probate (GOV.UK) · Pay your Inheritance Tax bill (GOV.UK)
Tax on the sale
If the property sells for more than its value at the date of death (the probate value), the estate may have Capital Gains Tax to pay on the gain. There are reporting deadlines for UK property sales. The estate's solicitor or accountant will advise on what applies.
Sources: Capital Gains Tax when someone dies, helpsheet HS282 (HMRC) · Report and pay Capital Gains Tax on UK property (GOV.UK)
Why executors use a cash buyer
Estate properties are often dated, need work or have been empty for a while, which can make them hard to mortgage. A cash buyer removes the risk of a buyer's mortgage falling through and can be flexible on timing. We've bought probate properties in Bournemouth that needed a quick exchange and a delayed completion, and we're happy to deal directly with the estate's solicitor.
Local examples
Probate purchases we've completed in Bournemouth.
Questions we're often asked
Can I sell a house before probate is granted?
You can market it and agree a sale, but you can't complete until you have the grant of probate or letters of administration. We can agree terms now and exchange as soon as the grant arrives.
Do you buy probate properties that need work?
Yes. We buy in any condition: dated, damp, needing full refurbishment or hard to mortgage. We can also agree to take the property with contents left in it.
How quickly can you complete?
Once probate is granted and the solicitors are instructed, we can move in weeks. We've also delayed completion where families needed more time.
Is your offer the full market value?
We'll explain how we arrived at our offer. A cash buyer's price reflects the work needed and the speed and certainty we provide, so it's worth getting an estate agent's valuation too and comparing.
Do I need to be in Dorset to sell?
No. Many executors we deal with live elsewhere. We can arrange access, keys and paperwork remotely with your solicitor.
Sources
- Applying for probate (GOV.UK)
- After you've applied for probate (GOV.UK)
- Pay your Inheritance Tax bill (GOV.UK)
- Capital Gains Tax when someone dies, helpsheet HS282 (HMRC)
- Report and pay Capital Gains Tax on UK property (GOV.UK)
Planning rules change. These links were checked when this page was last updated; your council's website has the current position.
Tell us about the property
No obligation, no pressure. Just a straight answer from the people who make the decisions.
