Are You Handling a Deceased Estate or Probate?

Selling property as an executor is a little bit different from the usual sales process and understandably can be an emotional and stressful time, but you can rest assured that our team at Church Robinson are specialists in handling probate sales, so we can guide through the process.

In order to sell the property, there needs to be a ‘Grant of Probate’ issued, a legal document which confirms the validity of the will and has details of the executor who has the legal authority to sell the house. Obtaining a Grant of Probate can take 12 weeks plus, so bear this in mind when you're looking to sell.

In order to apply for the Grant of Probate, you will need to obtain a valuation of the deceased’s property and this will calculate the value of the property at the date the owner died, not the current selling price. We can help you do this by looking at the sold prices of comparable properties in the local area at the correct time and compile a report. This will also help you to demonstrate the true value of the home to any beneficiaries.

At this stage, you should also check the property’s title. You should be able to do this with the Land Registry. It's a good idea to ask your solicitor whether there are any restrictions on the property.

Once you've got the initial legal documents in place, selling a property after a death can be simpler than you may think as the property is chain free, so moving timescales are more flexible. Developers often see probate properties as a renovation opportunity.

Here's what we’ll do for you when selling your probate property:

• We'll help you obtain a valuation of the property
• We'll prepare a full suite of marketing material
• We'll contact our database of waiting buyers
• Viewings are usually accompanied and our key holding service enables us to show people around without disturbing you
• We'll endeavour to give you feedback within 48 hours and report back regularly
• Offers will be passed on immediately and we'll work very hard to achieve the right price for the estate
• When an offer is agreed we check out everyone in the chain, not just your buyer, to ensure the sale is proceed-able
• Our progression team will chase up mortgage lenders, solicitors and other estate agents involved in the chain to make sure everything runs smoothly in a timely manner
• You are guaranteed our support all the way to a successful completion