You can sell an inherited house in Michigan, but only the person with legal authority over it can sign. Who that is depends on how the house was owned when your family member died, so start there.
Step 1: Find out who has the authority to sell
- The house was in a trust. The successor trustee named in the trust can usually sell it, often without probate.
- It was owned jointly with rights of survivorship. The surviving owner usually owns it now and can sell it.
- It was in your relative’s name alone. The house becomes part of the estate. The probate court appoints a personal representative and issues Letters of Authority (court form PC 572). That person signs the sale for the estate.
Get a copy of the deed from the county Register of Deeds if you’re not sure how the house was titled. If there’s a will, it usually names who should serve as personal representative.
Step 2: Check whether a small estate process applies
Michigan has shortcuts for small estates. For someone who died in 2026, the estate must be worth $53,000 or less. When valuing a house, a mortgage or lien on it can be subtracted, up to $264,000.
Only one of the shortcuts works for real estate: the Assignment of Property, which you file with the probate court and a judge signs. The simpler Transfer by Affidavit can’t be used if the person owned a house or land. Full probate is needed when the estate is larger, when heirs disagree, or when the family wants the will followed.
Step 3: Know the timeline
After notice of the probate is given, creditors have four months to file claims. Many Michigan estates wrap up within seven months to a year after the personal representative is appointed. A sale can often happen during that time once Letters of Authority are issued. Ask the estate’s attorney whether your estate needs court approval for the sale.
What you don’t have to do before selling
- Clear out the belongings. Take what matters to the family and leave the rest; we buy houses with contents left inside.
- Make repairs. We make offers on the house as-is.
- Live nearby. Heirs in other states can usually sign by mail or with a mobile notary. The title company arranges it.
Disclosure and taxes
Michigan’s Seller Disclosure Act normally requires a disclosure statement when a 1 to 4 unit home is sold. Transfers made in the course of probate administration, and transfers by a personal representative who doesn’t live in the house, are exempt.
If you’re thinking about keeping the house instead: in Michigan, a transfer of a residential property to a first-degree relative (such as a child) doesn’t uncap its taxable value, as long as it stays residential. That can keep the tax bill from jumping. If the family sells, the taxable value uncaps for the buyer.
Getting an offer
Tell us who holds the authority to sell and where the estate stands, even if probate hasn’t been opened yet. We’ll tell you what we can offer and work to the estate’s timeline. Tell us about the property.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Laws and city rules change, so check the sources below and talk to an attorney about your situation.
Sources
- Michigan Legal Help: an overview of Michigan’s small estate processes
- Michigan courts: Letters of Authority for Personal Representative (form PC 572)
- Nolo: Michigan probate, an overview
- Michigan Legislature: Seller Disclosure Act exemptions (MCL 565.953)
- MSU Extension: transfers to a first-degree relative don’t uncap taxable value