Inheriting a house is rarely simple
Most people who call us about an inherited house are dealing with several things at once. They are grieving. They may live out of town, or even out of state. Siblings or cousins may each have an opinion. The house may be full of belongings, need repairs, or be sitting vacant while the utility bills, insurance and property taxes keep coming. And very often the deed is still in the name of the person who died.
None of that means you are stuck. It does mean that before an inherited house can be sold, someone has to answer a basic question: who has the legal authority to sign the deed? A buyer's title company will not close until that question has a clear answer on paper.
First question: how did the house pass?
In Missouri, being an heir or being named in a will does not, by itself, put the house in your name. How ownership actually transfers depends on how the property was held when the owner died. The most common situations we see are:
- A beneficiary deed. Missouri allows an owner to record a beneficiary deed (a transfer-on-death deed) that names who receives the property at death. If one was properly signed and recorded before the owner died, the property can often pass to the named beneficiary without probate.
- Joint ownership with survivorship. If the house was owned by a married couple or by joint owners with a right of survivorship, the surviving owner generally keeps the property, and a death certificate may be much of what is needed to show it.
- A living trust. If the house was deeded into a trust, the successor trustee usually handles the sale under the trust's terms.
- A will. A will generally has to go through probate before it transfers real estate. The personal representative named by the court is the person who can sign for the estate.
- No will and no planning. When there is no will, Missouri's intestacy law decides who inherits — generally a surviving spouse and children first, then more distant relatives. Title usually has to be cleared through a probate proceeding, a small estate affidavit, or another court process before the heirs can sell.
You can often learn a lot just by getting a copy of the most recent deed from the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the house sits and checking whether any probate case has been filed on Missouri Case.net. Our free review can help you make sense of it.
Common snags with inherited houses
Even when the family agrees, inherited houses often have problems that stall a normal sale:
- The estate was never probated. Years can go by with the house still in a deceased person's name. The longer it sits, the more heirs may have passed away too. See our page on probate houses in St. Louis.
- Several heirs share ownership. When a house passes to several people, each typically owns a fractional share, and all of them (or a court) must be involved to sell the whole property. We explain this in detail on our heirs' property in Missouri page.
- Back taxes. Property taxes often go unpaid after an owner dies. In Missouri, unpaid real estate taxes can eventually lead to a tax sale. Read more on selling a tax-delinquent house.
- Old mortgages, liens and paperwork errors. A paid-off loan that was never released, a judgment against the deceased owner, or a mistake in an old deed can all show up when a title company searches the records. Our title problems page covers these.
- Condition and contents. Many inherited houses need repairs or are full of a lifetime of belongings, and vacant houses can be harder to insure.
Your options for an inherited house
There is no single right answer, and a direct sale to us is not always the best one. Some families keep the house or rent it out. If you plan to sell, these are the realistic paths:
1. Clear the title and list with an agent
If the house is in good shape and the title clears easily, listing it will often bring the highest price. The trade-offs are time, repair costs, commissions and carrying costs until it sells.
2. One heir buys out the others
If one family member wants the house, the others may sell their shares to that person. This usually still requires clearing title and agreeing on a fair value.
3. Sell as-is to a direct buyer
A direct sale to a buyer like Messy Title STL trades some top-dollar potential for speed and certainty: no repairs, no cleanout, no waiting on financing. When the title is messy, a direct buyer who understands curative title can sometimes buy the property with the problem still unresolved and take on the cleanup — depending on the situation.
How Messy Title STL helps
We start with the records: the chain of title, meaning the history of deeds, estates and liens affecting the property. That tells us who owns it today, what is clouding the title, and what a clean sale would require. Then we lay out your options in plain English, including the ones that do not involve us.
If you decide to sell to us, we can buy the house as-is. When court filings are needed — for example, opening a probate estate or filing a quiet title action — those steps require a licensed Missouri attorney. We are not a law firm and we do not give legal advice, but we are glad to work alongside the family's attorney.
What to gather before you call: the owner's death certificate (if available), any will or trust documents, a copy of the deed, recent property tax bills, any mortgage statements, a list of family members who may be heirs, and a probate case number if one exists. Don't worry if you don't have all of it.
We work with inherited houses throughout St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County. To get started, send the free review form or call (314) 226-8616.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell an inherited house in St. Louis before probate is finished?
Sometimes. If the house passed outside of probate — through a beneficiary deed, survivorship or a trust — probate may not be needed at all. If the house is part of a probate estate, the personal representative can often sell it while the estate is still open, with or without court approval depending on the type of administration. If no estate was ever opened, title usually has to be cleared first, although a buyer experienced with title issues may be able to structure a purchase around it. An attorney can tell you which rules apply to your situation.
Do all of the siblings have to agree to sell?
If the house passed to several heirs as co-owners, generally every owner has to sign to sell the whole property, unless a court orders otherwise. If the house is in a probate estate, the personal representative handles the sale under the court's rules. When family members disagree, it helps to start with a clear picture of who owns what share — which is what our free review is designed to provide.
Do I have to clean out or repair the house first?
Not if you sell to us. We buy houses as-is, including houses that need major work or are still full of belongings. If you plan to list with an agent instead, repairs and a cleanout will usually help the sale price.
Will I owe taxes when I sell an inherited house?
It depends on your situation. Under federal tax law, inherited property often receives a "stepped-up" basis equal to its value at the date of death, which can reduce or eliminate capital gains if the house is sold soon after. Talk with a tax professional about your specific circumstances — we can't give tax advice.
Is the review really free? Am I obligated to sell?
Yes, the review is free and there is no obligation. We'll tell you what we find and what your options are, even if the best option for you is not selling to us.
Not legal advice. Messy Title STL is a real estate investment company. We are not a law firm, we are not attorneys, and we are not a title insurance company. Nothing on this website is legal, tax or financial advice. Every situation is different; for advice about your specific situation, talk with a Missouri-licensed attorney or tax professional.