Sell an Inherited House in Philadelphia

Inherited a House in Philadelphia? Here’s the Path Through Probate, Taxes and Siblings

An inherited house is rarely just a house. It’s probate paperwork at the Register of Wills, Pennsylvania inheritance tax, a property full of a lifetime’s belongings, monthly bills on a home nobody lives in — and, often, several heirs with different opinions. We’ve helped many Philadelphia-area families through exactly this, and the process is more manageable than it looks from the starting line.

The Pennsylvania basics, in plain English

• Probate: the executor (or an administrator, if there’s no will) gets appointed at the county Register of Wills and receives “letters” — the legal authority to sell. In Philadelphia that office is in City Hall; it’s a same-week process in most straightforward estates.
• PA inheritance tax: 4.5% for children and grandchildren, 12% for siblings, 15% for others — and there’s a 5% discount for paying within three months. Selling the house creates the cash to pay it.
• Tangled title: if the deed is still in a parent’s or grandparent’s name from years ago, you’re not alone — it’s one of Philadelphia’s most common property problems, especially in Kensington, West Philly and Southwest Philly. It’s fixable, and we’ll work through it with you rather than walking away.

Why heirs choose a direct cash sale

• No clean-out. This is the big one. Take the photos, the documents, the keepsakes — we buy the house with everything else still in it.
• No repairs on a dated house. Most inherited homes haven’t been updated in decades. We buy as-is, so the estate doesn’t fund a renovation.
• A clean number for multiple heirs. One written cash offer, with the math shown, is something three siblings in three states can evaluate and split cleanly — no months of listing decisions by committee.
• The carrying costs stop. Taxes, insurance, utilities and worry end at settlement, which can be as soon as the estate paperwork allows — we move on your timeline, not ours.

We buy inherited properties across Philadelphia and in Montgomery, Delaware and Bucks County. Not sure where the estate stands legally? Call anyway — we’ll help you figure out what step you’re actually on. It costs nothing.