You inherited a house in St. Louis. Here’s how this usually goes

Most people who call us about an inherited house open the same way: “I’m sorry, I don’t really know how any of this works.” That’s normal. Nobody learns this until they need it.

Here’s the plain version of what usually happens, in roughly the order it happens.

We’re REALTORS®, not attorneys or accountants. This is general information about how things typically work in Missouri, not legal or tax advice for your situation. For that you want an estate attorney — and if you don’t have one, we’re happy to hand you a few names with nothing attached.

You probably can’t sell it yet, and that’s normal

If the house was owned only by the person who died, it usually has to go through probate — the court process that moves property out of their name — before it can be sold. It’s a process, not a problem, and it happens to most families.

The single most useful question to ask an attorney early is when can we actually sell? The answer sets your whole timeline, and it’s much better to know it before you start getting the house ready than after.

A will doesn’t skip probate

This surprises almost everyone. A will tells the court who should get what. The court still runs the process.

What can keep a house out of probate are things set up in advance — a trust, or a beneficiary deed. If that was done, the path is usually much shorter.

You don’t have to empty it

Nothing has to be thrown away for a house to sell. We’ve listed plenty of homes that still had furniture in them.

Estate sale companies, clean-out services and donation pickups all exist, and we can point you at ones we’ve actually worked with. Emotionally, give yourself more time than you think you need — this is the part people underestimate.

When there are three of you and you don’t agree

Very common. Usually one sibling is local and doing all the work, one wants to keep it, and one wants it finished.

What helps is getting everyone the same information at the same time — the real condition, the real number, the real timeline — so the conversation stops being about feelings and becomes a decision. We’re happy to be on that call.

Two numbers, for an estate

Estates usually care about two things: how much, and how long. So we work out both routes and put them side by side — what a cash buyer would pay and roughly when, against what it would net listed and roughly when.

Sometimes the speed is worth more than the difference, especially when the estate is paying insurance, utilities and taxes every month it sits. Sometimes it clearly isn’t. Here’s how the two numbers work.

Taxes — ask a CPA

We don’t answer this one, and you should be wary of anyone in real estate who does. The rules around inherited property often work in your favour more than people expect, and a short conversation with an accountant can save real money.

We’ll tell you what the house is worth. A CPA tells you what that means for your taxes.

Questions families ask

Can we sell before probate finishes?

Sometimes, depending on how the estate was set up and what authority the court has granted. Ask an attorney early — it’s the question that shapes everything else.

What if a sibling is living in the house?

That changes things and the answer depends on the arrangement. Don’t guess at it and don’t change the locks. Get advice.

Do we need to fix anything?

No. Inherited houses are very often sold as-is, particularly when the heirs live out of town or the estate has no cash for repairs. More on selling a house that needs work.

What if we can’t find the deed?

Not a crisis. Property records are public and a title company can sort out most of it. Mention it early so nobody is surprised later.

Is there any cost to find out what it’s worth?

No. The walkthrough and both numbers are free, and there’s no obligation.

There’s no rush

If you want, we’ll walk the house with you, tell you honestly what it needs and what it’s worth, and lay out the options. Plenty of the families we do this for don’t sell for another year, and that’s completely fine.

Call or text Adam at 314-210-5115 — seven days, no obligation.