Inherited a House in Colorado?

You Don't Have to Figure Out What Comes Next Alone.

We help Colorado families navigate what comes next when they inherit a home. Whether you are working through probate, deciding between a Realtor and a cash sale, facing repairs, sorting through years of belongings, or considering selling the property as-is, we can help you understand your options and connect you with the right resources.

You do not have to sell the house to us for us to help.

1

Tell Us About Your Property

Complete the Get My Cash Offer form or call directly. Tell us about the property, its condition, your situation, and any timing needs.

2

Receive a Cash Offer

If the seller moves forward, FCHB coordinates with title and works toward a closing date that fits the seller’s needs, subject to title and transaction requirements.

3

Choose Your Closing Date

Our promise:

You do not have to sell your home to Fair Cash Home Buyers for us to help. Sometimes we buy the home, sometimes a Realtor is the better fit, and sometimes you simply need help understanding probate, title, or the right next step.

Losing a parent or someone you love is hard enough. Then there is the house.


There may be years of belongings to sort through, bills and paperwork to find, family members to coordinate with, questions about probate, repairs that have been put off, and a property you may not even know whether you should keep, list, or sell.

You don't have to make all those decisions at once.

Fair Cash Home Buyers helps Colorado families understand their options when they inherit a home.

1

Tell Us About Your Property

Complete the Get My Cash Offer form or call directly. Tell us about the property, its condition, your situation, and any timing needs.

2

Receive a Cash Offer

If the seller moves forward, FCHB coordinates with title and works toward a closing date that fits the seller’s needs, subject to title and transaction requirements.

3

Choose Your Closing Date

A simple place to start

Tell us what is going on. We will help you understand your options and what your next step might be. No obligation. No pressure to sell.

“I Inherited My Parent’s House. What Do I Do Now?”

This is one of the most common questions families have after losing a parent or loved one. You may be asking:

Can I sell my parent’s house after they die?

How do I sell an inherited house?

Can I sell an inherited house during probate?

Do I need a probate Realtor or real estate agent?

Do I need an attorney for probate in Colorado?

What if there is no will?

What if my siblings inherited the house with me?

Do I have to clean out the house before selling it?

Should I repair the house before I sell?

What is my parents’ house worth?

Should I use a Realtor or a cash buyer?

Can I sell an inherited house as-is?

What happens if there is still a mortgage?

What if I live outside Colorado?

Who actually has authority to sell the house?

You don't need to know all those answers before contacting us. Sometimes the most valuable thing we can do is help you figure out which questions to answer first.

First: Find Out How the House Is Owned

Before deciding how to sell an inherited house, you need to understand what legally happens to the property after the owner dies. Not every house goes through probate. How the property was titled can make a significant difference.

  • A surviving joint owner
  • A beneficiary deed
  • A trust
  • A will
  • No will
  • Property owned solely by the person who died


If the home was owned solely by the person who died and does not otherwise pass outside the estate, probate may be necessary before the property can ultimately be transferred. If probate is required, the court can appoint a Personal Representative to administer the estate. The Personal Representative receives court-issued documentation establishing authority to act for the estate.


Before entering into a sale, make sure the person signing the contract has authority to sell the property.

You May Not Need to Hire a Probate Attorney in Colorado

Hearing the word probate does not automatically mean you need to hire an attorney and spend thousands of dollars. Colorado provides probate forms, instructions, and Self-Help Centers specifically for people representing themselves.


You may handle a straightforward, uncontested estate through informal probate without hiring an attorney to manage the entire process. This can be true whether the person who died had a will or not.

Not having a will does not automatically mean you need to hire an attorney.

When Might Someone Handle Probate on Their Own?

Self-represented probate may be worth exploring when the estate is relatively straightforward. For example:

  • Family members agree about what should happen.
  • There is no dispute over property ownership.
  • No one is challenging the will.
  • No one disagrees about who should serve as Personal Representative.
  • There are no complicated trust issues.
  • There is no litigation.
  • The heirs generally agree on whether to keep or sell the home.
  • The assets and debts are reasonably understandable.


Being self-represented is sometimes called proceeding pro se. You still have to follow the Colorado probate process and complete the required forms correctly, but you do not necessarily need to pay an attorney to complete every step for you.

You pick the date that works best. We close on your timeline.

3

Choose Your Closing Date

How Much Does It Cost to File Probate in Colorado?

Colorado’s current court filing fee to open a probate estate is approximately $229. There can be other expenses depending on the estate, including:

Certified copies

Copies of court documents

Recording fees

Publication or notice expenses

Property-related expenses

Professional services you choose to use

For a simple, uncontested probate handled primarily by the family, you can complete the court and administrative portion of the process for well under $1,000.

That is not a guarantee. Every estate is different. But families should know that probate does not automatically mean spending thousands of dollars on an attorney.

You pick the date that works best. We close on your timeline.

3

Choose Your Closing Date

Family members disagree about who should be Personal Representative.

Family members disagree about who should be Personal Representative.

When Should You Consider Hiring or Consulting an Attorney?

Heirs disagree about who owns the property.

Someone contests the will.

Heirs disagree about who owns the property.

Heirs disagree about whether to sell the house.

Someone living in the property refuses to leave.

There are complicated creditor claims.

A trust is involved, and you do not understand its terms.

Ownership or title is unclear.

More than one estate may be involved.

Litigation has started

There are allegations of wrongdoing.

You do not feel comfortable managing the process yourself.

You also do not necessarily have to choose between “do everything myself” and “pay an attorney to handle everything.” Some families complete routine probate tasks themselves and consult an attorney only when a specific legal question arises.

Important

Fair Cash Home Buyers is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We can help you identify Colorado court resources and recognize when a question may be better answered by an attorney.

Free Probate Self-Help Resources in the Denver Metro Area

Colorado courts have Self-Help Centers for people who do not have an attorney. These centers can provide procedural information, help identify forms, explain court terminology, and point you toward additional resources. They cannot give legal advice or represent you.

Denver County Probate Self-Help

Denver Probate Court Self-Help Center

1437 Bannock Street, Room 230

Denver, CO 80202

303-606-2502

Jefferson County Probate Self-Help

Jefferson County Court Resource Center

100 Jefferson County Parkway, Suite 2040

Golden, CO 80401

720-772-2501

Adams County Probate Self-Help

Adams County Justice Center Self-Help Center

1100 Judicial Center Drive

Brighton, CO 80601

303-654-3213

Arapahoe County Probate Self-Help

Arapahoe District Court Self-Help Center

7325 S. Potomac Street

Courthouse II, Room 131

Centennial, CO 80112

303-645-6845

Douglas County Probate Self-Help

Douglas County Self-Help Center

4000 Justice Way

Castle Rock, CO 80109

720-437-6112

Colorado Statewide Probate Forms and Resources

If you are unsure which forms you need, the Colorado Judicial Branch provides statewide probate forms and self-help information.

Colorado Probate Forms and Self-Help Resources:

Tell us the date you need and we will determine what is realistic based on title and transaction requirements.

Flexible Closing

Colorado Probate With a Will

Colorado provides specific probate instructions and forms for estates with a will. One primary resource is JDF 906 - Instructions for Probate With a Will. An informal probate may include asking the court to admit the will and appoint a Personal Representative.

Colorado Probate Without a Will

If the person died without a will, probate is still possible. Colorado provides JDF 907 - Instructions for Probate Without a Will. When someone dies without a valid will, Colorado intestacy laws determine who inherits. The lack of a will does not, by itself, mean the estate must become a complicated or contested probate.

Once You Understand the Estate, What Should You Do With the House?

There is not one right answer. Most families have three basic choices.

Option 1: Keep the Inherited House

  • Live in the house
  • Let another family member live there.
  • Keep it as a second home.
  • Rent it
  • Repair it
  • Hold the property and decide later.



Before deciding to keep the property, it can help to understand the mortgage balance, property taxes, insurance, HOA obligations, maintenance costs, deferred repairs, property condition, and rental potential. You do not have to sell simply because you inherited the house.

Option 2: Sell the Inherited House With a Realtor or Real Estate Agent

For many families, listing the house on the traditional real estate market is the best solution. A Realtor for inherited property or real estate agent for an inherited house may make sense if:

  • The house is in relatively good condition.
  • You have time to prepare it for sale.
  • You can clean out the property.
  • You are willing to make repairs or improvements.
  • Maximizing market exposure is important.
  • You are comfortable with showings.
  • You have time for inspections and negotiations.
  • You are not in a hurry to close.


If listing the house is the better option, we will tell you.


We can help connect you with an experienced local real estate professionals. Our goal is not to buy every house. Our goal is to help you make a good decision.

Option 3: Sell the Inherited House As-Is

For other families, a traditional listing creates more work than they want to take on. You may want to sell an inherited house as-is if:

  • The house needs significant repairs.
  • It has not been updated in decades.
  • There are belongings throughout the property.
  • You live outside Colorado.
  • The property is vacant.
  • There is deferred maintenance.
  • Family members do not have time to manage contractors.
  • You do not want repeated showings.
  • You want a more predictable closing.
  • Convenience matters more than preparing the house for retail sale.



Fair Cash Home Buyers purchases Colorado properties directly. If the property fits what we buy, we can make you an offer based on its current condition. You're not obligated to accept.

Do I Have to Clean Out My Parent’s House Before Selling It?

Not necessarily. This can be one of the most overwhelming parts of inheriting a home. A parent may have lived in the house for 20, 30, 40, or even 50 years.

  • Furniture
  • Clothing
  • Family photographs
  • Tools
  • Holiday decorations
  • Documents
  • Collections
  • Boxes in the basement
  • A garage full of belongings
  • Things no one in the family knows what to do with



Before you hire a dumpster or spend weeks emptying the property, talk with us.


If Fair Cash Home Buyers purchases the house directly, you may be able to leave unwanted belongings behind. Keep what matters to your family. Then we can talk about options for everything else. If we do not buy the house, we are happy to refer you to estate-sale companies, donation organizations, cleanout companies, movers, and storage resources.

Can I Sell an Inherited House Without Making Repairs?

Yes. A house doesn't have to be remodeled before you can sell it. You may be dealing with:

  • An older roof
  • An outdated kitchen
  • Old flooring
  • Water damage
  • Deferred maintenance
  • An older furnace
  • Foundation problems
  • Plumbing issues
  • Electrical issues
  • A property that has not been updated in decades



You can repair the property and list it traditionally, or explore selling the inherited house without repairs. Fair Cash Home Buyers can look at the property exactly as it sits today. That gives you something concrete to compare against the cost, time, and potential return of repairing and listing the house

Realtor vs. Cash Buyer for an Inherited House

A question we hear frequently is: “Should I use a Realtor or sell my inherited house for cash?” The answer depends on what matters most to you.e

A Realtor May Be the Better Choice If:

  • The house is market-ready
  • You have time
  • You are willing to prepare the property.
  • You want maximum exposure to retail buyers.
  • You are comfortable with inspections and negotiations.

A Direct As-Is Sale May Be Worth Considering If:

  • The house needs significant work.
  • You do not want to clean everything out.
  • You live out of state.
  • You want fewer moving pieces.
  • The property is vacant.
  • You do not want to manage repairs.
  • Timing or certainty is important.

Neither option is automatically right for everyone. Sometimes the right answer is: do not sell anything yet. You may need to address probate, title, family, or financial questions first.

What If Several Siblings Inherited the House?

This is very common. One sibling may want to sell. Another may want to keep the house. Someone may be living in it. Another sibling may live across the country. Each person may have a different emotional connection to the property.



Before focusing on selling the house, determine:

  • Who owns the property?
  • Who is the Personal Representative?
  • Is probate required?
  • Does the Personal Representative have authority to sell?
  • Are all owners in agreement?
  • Is anyone currently living there?
  • Is there a mortgage?
  • Are there liens?
  • Does anyone want to buy the other heirs and keep the home?

If there is a genuine ownership or family dispute, that is a good time to involve a qualified attorney. Fair Cash Home Buyers will not pressure one family member to decide for everyone else. Avoid anyone who is pressuring you to sell quickly.

Tell us the date you need and we will determine what is realistic based on title and transaction requirements.

Flexible Closing

What If I Inherited a Colorado House but Live in Another State?

You may live hundreds or thousands of miles away from the property. That can make it difficult to check on the house, meet contractors, clean it out, prepare it for sale, coordinate showings, handle belongings, or manage maintenance.


You do not necessarily need to travel to Colorado to start understanding your options. We can begin with a conversation and help gather basic information about the property. If you decide to sell the inherited property from out of state, you can coordinate many parts of the transaction remotely with the right title and real estate professionals.

What If There Is Still a Mortgage?

If your parent or loved one had a mortgage, the loan does not simply disappear when they pass away.


The first step is to contact the mortgage servicer, report the death, and ask what documents are needed. This may include a death certificate, will, or court documents showing who has authority to act for the estate.


The executor or Personal Representative may also qualify as a successor in interest, depending on how ownership passes. Federal mortgage-servicing rules give confirmed successors important rights to communicate with the servicer and receive information about the loan.


If you are told, “We can’t talk to you because you’re not on the loan,” ask for the deceased borrower or successor-in-interest department.


Fair Cash Home Buyers can help you understand what to ask for, organize the documents, coordinate with the title company, and help you work through the real-estate side of the process.


You do have rights, and you do not have to figure this out alone.

What About Taxes When Selling an Inherited House?

Taxes deserve professional attention. Inherited-property tax rules are different from simply selling a property you purchased yourself. For federal tax purposes, the tax basis of inherited property is generally related to its fair market value around the date of the owner’s death. However, exceptions and individual circumstances can change the calculation.


Consider asking a CPA or tax professional about:

  • Date-of-death property value
  • Tax basis
  • Capital gains
  • Improvements
  • Estate-related tax questions
  • Documentation you should keep


Fair Cash Home Buyers does not provide tax advice, but we are happy to coordinate with your CPA or other professional.

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You Can Call Us Even If We Never Buy Your House

This is one of the most important things on this page.



You do not have to decide to sell your house before calling Fair Cash Home Buyers. And calling us does not mean you have to sell to us.

  • Sometimes buying the house makes sense.
  • Sometimes we tell a family, “You should probably list this one with a Realtor.”
  • Sometimes the first call should be to the probate court.
  • Sometimes you can complete a straightforward probate yourself.
  • Sometimes you really should talk with an attorney.
  • Sometimes you need an estate-sale company, cleanout company, contractor, CPA, or title company.


Sometimes you need someone who understands real estate to explain the choices in plain English.

Our goal

Help you move from “I have no idea what I am supposed to do with my parent’s house” to “I understand my options and know what I should do next.”

How Fair Cash Home Buyers Can Help

This is very common. One sibling may want to sell. Another may want to keep the house. Someone may be living in it. Another sibling may live across the country. Each person may have a different emotional connection to the property.


Before focusing on selling the house, determine:

  • Understand your different home-sale options.
  • Get an idea of the property’s condition.
  • Understand what the property may be worth.
  • Explore an as-is cash sale.
  • Compare a cash buyer with listing through a Realtor.
  • Find a real estate agent for an inherited house.
  • Locate Colorado probate self-help resources.
  • Identify questions to ask an attorney.
  • Identify questions to ask your CPA
  • Locate estate-sale resources
  • Find cleanout resources
  • Navigate an inherited property from out of state.
  • Coordinate with the Personal Representative
  • Work with your title company.
  • Determine practical next steps.

And if we are not the right answer, we will tell you.

Frequently Asked Questions About Selling an Inherited House in Colorado

  • Can I sell an inherited house in Colorado?

    Generally, you can ultimately sell inherited real estate, but who has authority to sell it and what process is required depends on how the property was titled and how the estate is being administered.

  • Do I need an attorney for probate in Colorado?

    Not necessarily. Colorado provides probate forms, instructions, and Self-Help Centers for people representing themselves. Straightforward, uncontested estates may sometimes be handled without hiring an attorney to administer the entire probate.

  • Can I probate an estate without a will?

    Yes. Colorado has a probate process for estates where the person died without a will.

  • Can I probate an estate myself if there is a will?

    Potentially. Colorado provides forms and instructions for self-represented individuals seeking informal probate of a will.

  • How much does probate cost in Colorado?

    The current basic filing fee to open a probate estate is approximately $229. Additional costs can apply. A straightforward self-represented estate may cost well under $1,000 in court and administrative expenses, but costs vary by estate.

  • Can I sell an inherited house before probate is finished?

    Possibly. It depends on the estate, how the property is titled, who has been appointed, and the Personal Representative's authority. Get appropriate legal or title guidance when necessary.

  • Can I sell a house while it is in probate?

    A Personal Representative may have authority to sell estate property depending on the circumstances. Confirm authority before entering into a sale.

  • Can I sell an inherited house as-is?

    Yes. One option is selling the property in its existing condition rather than completing repairs and renovations first.

  • Can I sell an inherited house without a Realtor?

    A Realtor is not required for every real estate transaction. Compare a direct sale against a traditional listing before deciding which option fits your circumstances.

  • Should I use a Realtor for an inherited property?

    Possibly. If the home is market-ready and maximizing exposure to retail buyers is the priority, an experienced real estate agent may be the better choice.

  • What is a probate Realtor?

    A probate Realtor or probate real estate agent generally refers to a real estate professional experienced in transactions involving estates and inherited property. A real estate agent does not replace an attorney when legal advice is required.

  • Do I have to clean out my parent’s house before selling it?

    Not always. Fair Cash Home Buyers may be able to purchase certain properties with unwanted belongings still inside.

  • Can I sell an inherited house without repairs?

    Yes. You can explore selling the property as-is and compare that option with repairing it and listing it traditionally.

  • What if my siblings and I inherited the house together?

    Determine ownership, authority to act, whether probate is required, and whether everyone agrees about what should happen. Consider legal advice when heirs or owners disagree.

  • Can you help if I inherited a Colorado home but live out of state?

    Yes. We can start remotely and help you understand your next steps without requiring you to travel to Colorado immediately.

  • travel to Colorado immediately. What if Fair Cash Home Buyers does not want to buy my house?

    We can still help. We can point you toward a Realtor, attorney, CPA, title company, court resource, estate-sale professional, cleanout company, or another appropriate resource.

You Don’t Have to Know the Answer Today

  • You do not have to clean out the entire house first.
  • You do not have to make repairs first.
  • You do not have to know whether probate is required before asking questions.
  • You do not automatically have to hire an attorney simply because someone said “probate.”
  • You do not have to know whether you want a Realtor or a cash buyer.
  • You don't have to decide today.

Start by telling us what is going on.

We will listen. We will help you understand the options. And if Fair Cash Home Buyers is not the best solution, we will help point you toward one that may be.

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Important Information

Fair Cash Home Buyers is a real estate investment and home-buying business. We are not a law firm, accounting firm, or tax advisory firm. Information provided here is for general educational purposes and is not legal, tax, or financial advice.


Probate, title, ownership, creditor, and tax circumstances vary from estate to estate. Colorado court Self-Help Centers provide procedural information but cannot provide legal advice. Court fees, contact information, and procedures can change. Confirm current requirements with the Colorado Judicial Branch before filing.

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Reference Sources

For current filing requirements, fees, and self-help information, confirm directly with official sources before publishing or periodically during website maintenance.


Fair Cash Home Buyers

Serving the Denver Metro Area and surrounding communities.

Matt Smith

(720) 782-1555

Legal Disclaimer

Each property is subject to inspection. Offers may vary based on property condition, market conditions, and other factors. We value honesty and transparency in all our transactions.

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