Rated as local experts, with top ratings
Read the reviews yourself on each public profile.
Houses we’ve bought
Scappoose, Oregon
An inherited double-wide, rebuilt
Decades of deferred maintenance and unsafe additions. We bought it as-is, then renovated it into a clean, move-in-ready home.
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North Portland, Oregon
A family home, sold as-is after years of hoarding
We bought it as-is, helped the family move before closing, and took on the cleanup ourselves.
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Milwaukie, Oregon
A hoarder house, bought as-is
Decades of belongings in every room. We bought it as-is and closed in about 30 days, with no cleanup from the family.
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Salem, Oregon
An inherited manufactured home
An out-of-state owner inherited a home with roof leaks and mold. We bought it as-is and closed in about 30 days.
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Albany, Oregon
A double-wide in an Albany park
The owner was behind on space rent and property taxes. The sale paid off both, and she kept her belongings.
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Get a cash offer for your house
We’ll come see it
Relax, we can buy that house. We’ve already bought inherited homes, rentals with tenants, mobile homes and houses that need work. Here’s how it goes, so you know what to expect. The full process is on our how it works page.
Tell us about the house
Scott or Dylan calls you back. Tell us where the family is in probate, if it applies, and what the house looks like.
We see the house
Dylan walks the house with you. By the end of the appointment, you will have a verbal, ballpark offer. If the offer seems reasonable, then the final number and terms will be decided on mutually, and both sides will enter into a purchase agreement.
Sign Final Closing Documents
Sign when it works for you. You can go down to the title company to sign, or we can send a notary to you, whatever is easiest works for us.
“We’ve been in business in Portland and across Oregon since 2018, and many sellers have trusted us to buy their house. Selling an inherited house that is going through probate takes patience. We work with the personal representative, the probate attorney, and the family. We are experienced with the process and get the sale of the house done quickly.”
Start with your address below
A team you can talk to about your house, from the first call to closing
An Oregon team with years of experience and an A+ from the BBB. Since 2018, we’ve helped homeowners across Oregon and Washington sell houses in every kind of situation.
Owner and founder of Better Off Home Buyers
Since 2018 buying houses in Oregon & Washington
We’re Scott, Dylan and Alejandra. We’ve been buying houses in Oregon and Washington since 2018, from our office in Portland.
When you call about your house, you talk to one of us. We come see the house with you, walk the property and make a verbal offer on the spot, and Scott walks you through every number.
Where are you with the house right now?
Inherited houses are not all in the same place. Find your starting point and the next step that fits it.
| Where you are | What it usually means | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| Someone just passed away and no one has been appointed yet | No one can sell the house yet. Authority comes first. | Talk to an Oregon probate attorney about who should be appointed and which process applies. We have an article about the top 5 probate attorneys in Portland. |
| Probate is open and there is a personal representative | Once the personal representative is appointed, they can start working with potential buyers, and sign an agreement to sell the house. The funds will stay in probate until the probate process has been completed. | Ask an attorney to open probate, and assign a personal representative. |
| Probate is finished | The funds can be distributed to the heirs and creditors. | Work with the attorney to distribute the funds, and close probate. |
| The house passed to you directly, through a will or trust | The heirs on the title can sell, and everyone on the title has to agree. | Decide together whether to keep, rent or sell, then get offers. |
| The house was in a trust or had a transfer on death deed | It may pass outside probate. The trustee or the new owner has the authority. | Confirm the paperwork, then we can move at your pace. |
| The family disagrees or lives far away | Time, travel and disagreement are what make this stall. | A single clear offer gives everyone the same number to work from. We can send a mobile notary to each of the heirs. |
What happens when you inherit a house in Oregon
Inheriting a house does not mean you can sell it the next day. Someone has to have legal authority to sign, the title has to be in order, and anything owed on the property has to be accounted for. Many people go through this during grief, while also sorting belongings and keeping up with taxes, insurance and utilities.
In Oregon, how a house is inherited depends on how it was owned. A house in the deceased person’s name alone usually goes through probate in the county circuit court, such as Multnomah, Washington or Clackamas County. Probate is the court-supervised process that settles debts, confirms who inherits and puts someone in charge of the estate. Smaller estates can sometimes use a simplified small estate process. A house held in a living trust, with a transfer on death deed, or with right of survivorship may skip probate altogether. The rules are in Oregon’s probate law, ORS Chapter 114, and an attorney can tell you which one applies to your house.
We are a home buying company, not a law firm. This page is general information and not legal or tax advice. An attorney confirms who has authority and what the court needs, and a CPA confirms taxes. If you do not have an attorney yet, see our list of Portland probate attorneys.
Can you sell an inherited house in Oregon? The steps in order
Yes. The order matters, because skipping a step is what causes deals to fall apart.
- Confirm who has the authority to sell. A personal representative, a trustee, or all the heirs on the title. A buyer cannot solve an authority problem.
- Find out what is owed. Mortgage, liens, back property taxes and utilities. These are normally paid from the sale proceeds at closing.
- Get the heirs on the same page. If there are several, everyone with an ownership interest needs to agree on selling.
- Decide whether to keep, rent or sell. Compare your options in the next section.
- Ask the attorney what the sale needs. Sales during probate need court approval. First you need a signed offer to present to the probate judge.
- Get an offer and close. The title company pays what is owed, and the rest goes to the heirs and creditors. During probate, the estate usually holds the money until it is distributed.
If you want the court side in more detail, read the probate process for a house in Portland and whether a house can be sold while in probate.
Keep it, rent it, fix it up or sell it as-is
Before you sell, it is fair to ask whether you should. Here is what each choice asks of you.
Keep it
Makes sense if someone will live there or the family wants to hold on to it. You take on the mortgage if there is one, property taxes, insurance and repairs. If there are multiple siblings involved, and once wants to live in it, generally this leads to a dispute.
Rent it out
Can bring steady income, but you become a landlord. Screening, repairs, rent collection and emergency calls are real work, and Oregon tenant rules are strict. A property manager costs extra. If there are multiple heirs, then the cash flow may not amount to much after it is divided between everybody.
Fix it up and list it
Can bring the highest price on paper if the house is in a good area. It also means money up front, contractors to manage and months before you see anything. Get repair estimates before you decide. If there are multiple heirs, decide who should be the one to fund the repairs, and manage the renovation process, and whether they should receive a larger portion for their extra work and financial risk.
Sell it as-is
Trades some top-dollar potential for speed and certainty. No repairs, no cleanout, no showings. This is usually the best fit when the house needs work, the heirs live far away, or everyone wants it settled. There are no disputes about who needs to stay and deal with the house, who pays for renovations, and who manages contractors.
If the house needs real work, see our guide on selling a house that needs major repairs. We explain the trade-offs of a cash sale on our cash sale vs agent page.
Selling to us compared with listing and with renting
| Topic | List with an agent | Sell to Better Off Home Buyers | Keep and rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repairs and cleanout | Usually expected before listing | None. We buy as-is | Needed to rent safely |
| Showings | Yes, and the house must be presentable | One visit to see the house | Showings to tenants |
| Timing | Depends on the market, the buyer’s loan and inspections | You choose the closing date once authority is clear | Ongoing, no end date |
| Commissions | Agent commission and closing costs | No commissions | Property manager fees if you hire one |
| Certainty | Buyers can back out after inspection or financing | Cash offer, no financing contingency | Depends on tenants and upkeep |
| Fits best when | The house is in good shape and the family has time | The house needs work, heirs are far away or time matters | You want long-term income and can manage it |
Selling as-is can bring a lower price than a fully renovated listing. Compare both before you decide. We explain the trade-off on our cash sale vs agent page.
Checked us out? Let’s talk about your house
We call you back to hear what’s going on with your house and your plans, with no pressure to sell.
We buy houses in any condition and in any situation, across Oregon and Washington.
Common problems that make an inherited house hard to sell
Here is how each one shows up, and what helps.
Several heirs who do not agree
Disagreement over price, timing or whether to sell at all can freeze a sale for months. One clear offer lets everyone look at the same number. A probate attorney can explain each heir’s rights.
An owner who lives out of state
Flying in for showings, paying for yard work and handling utilities from far away wears people out. A direct sale can be handled remotely, with one visit from our side.
Decades of belongings and deferred repairs
Old roofs, outdated wiring, mold, a house full of a lifetime of things. The family should not have to fix or empty it just to sell. See also selling a hoarder house as-is.
Liens, back taxes or a mortgage
Unpaid balances come with the house. They are usually settled from the proceeds at closing, so ask for the payoff numbers early. They change what you actually keep.
Someone is still living there
A tenant, a relative or an occupant can block a normal sale. We can often buy anyway. See cash for keys and our landlord attorney list if you need legal help with a tenant.
Not knowing the tax bill
Most heirs owe less than they fear because of the stepped-up basis. Work through the tax consequences of selling an inherited house, then confirm with a CPA. The IRS explains basis in Publication 551.
Who pays for repairs and manages the renovation, if the house is fixed up before being sold
If the house is going to be fixed up before being sold, then somebody has to put up the money and manage the process. They may want to receive a larger share of the final price, while the other heirs may disagree.
We also buy houses that need major repairs, mobile homes and rentals with tenants, plus houses in good shape that simply need to sell.
What families say about selling an inherited house
Real Google reviews from people who sold a family house to us, in their own words.
“He explained the process of selling my mother’s home so easy. He was upfront and honest and provided me options. We were able to close within 30 days.”
“We had a home that needed massive repairs to bring up to liveable condition. As it was an estate sale not a lot of interest to restore ourselves. House had not been lived in in 12 years. Dylan and his team were easy to work with and we received a fair price for the property. Highly recommend.”
Read this review on Google →Questions about selling an inherited house in Oregon
Straight answers to what families ask us most about an inherited house.
Can I sell an inherited house in Oregon before probate is finished?
Often yes. A house can be sold while the estate is still in probate as long as the person signing has legal authority to sell, usually the personal representative the court appointed. Sales will need the court’s approval. The money from the sale usually stays with the estate until it is distributed to the heirs.
Do I need probate to sell an inherited house in Oregon?
Not always. A house that sat in a living trust, passed through a transfer on death deed, or was owned with right of survivorship may not go through probate at all. Smaller estates can sometimes use Oregon’s simplified small estate process instead of full probate. Which path applies depends on how the house was titled and what else the person owned, and an Oregon probate attorney can tell you in one conversation.
Who has to sign when an inherited house is sold?
Whoever has legal authority to sell. In probate that is normally the personal representative. If title already passed to the heirs, every heir named on the title has to agree and sign. A buyer cannot fix an authority problem by wanting to buy, so sort this out first. We can buy from a personal representative, from heirs, or from someone acting with a legal power on behalf of the family.
What if the heirs disagree about selling?
It is one of the most common reasons an inherited house sits for months. If one heir wants to keep it and another wants to sell, a probate attorney can explain each person’s rights under Oregon law. A single clear cash offer often helps, because everyone is looking at the same number instead of guessing what the house might bring after repairs.
Do I have to clean out the house or make repairs first?
No. We buy houses as they are, including houses full of belongings, houses with deferred maintenance and houses with roof, mold or foundation problems. You can take what matters to the family and leave the rest. The condition of the house is built into our offer, so you do not pay for repairs or a cleanout before you sell.
Will I owe taxes when I sell an inherited house?
Usually less than people expect. The federal tax basis of an inherited house is generally reset to its market value on the date the owner died, so you are typically taxed only on any increase after that date. Oregon does not charge heirs an inheritance tax, although larger estates can owe Oregon estate tax, which the estate itself pays. We are not tax advisors, so confirm your numbers with a CPA. Our tax guide walks through an example.
What if the inherited house has a mortgage, liens or back taxes?
They are usually paid from the sale proceeds at closing through the title company, and you receive what is left. You should know the payoff amounts before you compare offers, because they change what you actually keep. We go over this with you as soon as we receive the title report so there are no surprises on closing day.
Can you buy an inherited house if someone is still living in it?
Yes, in many cases. A relative, a tenant or someone who moved in during a family crisis can make a traditional sale very hard, because buyers cannot see the house and lenders get nervous. Tell us who is living there and what the situation is, and we will explain the options. For tenants specifically, a landlord attorney should confirm what notices apply before anyone is asked to leave. We may need to offer them cash for keys.
How do you decide what to offer on an inherited house?
Line by line, on one page: what the house could sell for after repairs, what those repairs cost, and what’s left. Robert Laird, a licensed Realtor and general contractor on our team, helps us estimate what a house is worth after renovation. Dylan sees the house and makes the offer, so you talk to the same people from the first call to closing. You see every number before you decide, and the offer is yours to accept or decline. See how a cash sale compares with listing.
Guides for every stage of an inherited house
Read more when you want the detail.
The probate process for a house in Portland
How Oregon probate works and what it means for the house.
Can a house be sold while in probate?
What has to be true before a probate house can sell.
Tax consequences of selling an inherited house
Stepped-up basis, capital gains and how to report the sale.
Top 5 probate attorneys in Portland
A starting point for finding legal help.
Selling an inherited or distressed house
When the house also has repairs, occupants or tenant issues.
Selling a parent’s house during a move
For families helping a parent move before the house is inherited.
Ready to talk about the house?
Tell us where things stand. We will listen, look at the house and give you a straight answer, whether or not it ends in a sale.
Call (888) 827-0889We buy houses across Oregon and Washington. This page is general information and not legal or tax advice.