{"id":3607,"date":"2025-11-30T02:00:49","date_gmt":"2025-11-30T10:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=3607"},"modified":"2025-12-01T18:04:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T02:04:10","slug":"probate-realtor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/probate-realtor\/","title":{"rendered":"The Role of a Probate Realtor And When You Need One"},"content":{"rendered":"

When a homeowner dies intestate (without a will), it can trigger a lengthy legal process called probate<\/a>. During this legal process, a court sorts through a deceased person\u2019s property and determines which assets belong to whom. And if you\u2019re on the buying or selling end of a probate home sale, it can be shocking to find out just how different the full process can be from a standard sale.<\/p>\n

Simply put, if you\u2019re trying to buy or sell a home, and the homeowner died without a clear trust, you may need to start looking for a probate real estate agent to help you through the process. Here, we\u2019ll explain how probate home sales work, as well as the actions you can take if you need to start a probate sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\n \"homelight\n <\/div>\n \n

Work With a Top Probate Agent<\/h3>\n

Top-performing agents sell homes faster and for more money than average agents. When selling a house in probate, maximizing the home sale can best serve the estate’s interests.<\/p>\n \n

\n Find Agent<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Note: <\/strong>A Realtor\u00ae is not the same as a real estate agent, though they\u2019re similar. Realtors <\/a>are licensed real estate agents and professionals who are official members of the National Association of Realtors. They subscribe to the Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice<\/a>, designed to ensure that real estate professionals serve the best interests of their clients.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Traditional home sales vs. probate home sales<\/h2>\n

There are major differences between standard home sales and probate home sales<\/a>. According to Rick Ruiz<\/a>, a top Las Vegas real estate agent who has probate expertise and 23 years of experience, the differences between standard home sales and probate sales boil down to two key things:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The time the process takes<\/li>\n
  2. The uncertainty both buyers and sellers may feel as the process drags on<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u201cThe purchase or the sale has to be ratified by the court because when somebody doesn\u2019t die with a clear will, trust, title, et cetera, the court serves as the fiduciary for the state and has to ensure that the estate does get the maximum possible price and proceeds for the sale,\u201d Ruiz explains.<\/p>\n

    Standard home sales tend to happen faster than probate sales<\/a>. That\u2019s because, with traditional sales<\/a>, you act in your own interests, whatever that means to you. You can set your own timeline for the home sale, for example, and you\u2019re free to list your property<\/a> at any time and at any price.<\/p>\n

    With traditional sales, it often takes about three weeks to get an offer for your home<\/a> \u2014 and you are free to choose whether to accept the offer. Once accepted, you\u2019ll likely have a 30- to 60-day escrow period, and once all the final contracts<\/a> are signed, you can sell the home without any need for court supervision.<\/p>\n

    Alternatively, when you\u2019re the executor or personal representative<\/a> selling a home during probate, you act in the interest of the decedent\u2019s estate. This means you need to follow state probate laws<\/a> and any potential directives from the probate court judge when setting the price and, in some cases, the timeline<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Due to these regulations, probate property sales can be significantly different from a traditional home sale. \u201cIt takes the seller longer to dispose of the asset because of the need to hire a probate attorney<\/a>, do the discovery process, and get the administrator appointed,\u201d Ruiz says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    When you need to sell a home during the probate process, it\u2019s absolutely essential that you hire a seasoned probate real estate agent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":324,"featured_media":38882,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[326,319],"tags":[491,494,413,412,414,417],"class_list":["post-3607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inheritance","category-selling-advice","tag-basics","tag-estate-planning","tag-probate-attorney","tag-probate-real-estate","tag-probate-real-estate-agent","tag-probate-realtor"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Role of a Probate Realtor And When You Need One<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When you need to sell a home during the probate process, it\u2019s absolutely essential that you hire a seasoned probate real estate 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