Selling a house you inherited
An inherited house often comes with a lot attached: a full house of belongings, repairs nobody planned for, siblings in different cities, and a probate process. A cash sale can settle all of it at once.
- No repairs or cleaning
- No agent commissions
- You pick the closing date
- No obligation, ever
First: who can sign?
Before a house can be sold, someone has to have legal authority to sign. Usually that's the personal representative (executor or administrator) appointed by the court, or all of the heirs together.
- Tennessee (Memphis, Shelby County): estates go through the Shelby County Probate Court. If there's a will, the named executor is usually appointed. If there isn't, the court appoints an administrator.
- Mississippi (DeSoto County): estates go through chancery court. In DeSoto County that's the Chancery Court in Hernando.
If probate hasn't started yet, you can still get an offer. The buyer can wait for the court's paperwork before closing.
Several heirs
When a house goes to several family members, they all need to agree to sell, or the personal representative needs the authority to sell. A written cash offer helps here: it's a concrete number everyone can look at, and the proceeds are split at closing.
The belongings
Take what matters to the family, and leave the rest. Clearing out the house after closing is the buyer's job.
Talk to a probate attorney
This page is general information, not legal advice. For your own estate, talk to a probate attorney in Tennessee or Mississippi.
How it works
Tell us about the house
Two minutes, no photos needed. With your OK, we share it with one local cash buyer, not a list of strangers.
Hear from the buyer
If the buyer is interested, they look at the property, usually walk it with you, and any offer comes in writing.
Close when you want
Say yes and close at a local title company on your date, or say no. You never pay us anything.
Questions
Can I sell before probate is finished?
You can get an offer and sign a contract. Closing has to wait until the person signing has authority from the court.
The house is behind on taxes or the mortgage. Is that a problem?
No. Back taxes and the loan are paid off from the sale proceeds at closing.
Who actually buys my house?
Cotton Row Home Offers doesn't buy houses. We introduce you to one local cash buyer, who decides whether to make an offer and, if you accept, closes with you at a title company. We may be paid by that buyer for the introduction. You never pay us.
Is there any obligation?
No. Getting an offer costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
Will I get a lot of calls?
No. Your details go to one local cash buyer, not a list. Our AI assistant calls you to go over the property, between 10 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. Central, Monday to Saturday. If you miss the call, it tries again later, at most three calls in all. It says it is an AI, and you can tell it to stop calling at any time. In some cases, such as a home or a phone number in Mississippi, a person from our team calls you instead.
Why does an AI assistant call me?
So you get answers fast, usually within minutes of your request. It asks a few questions about the house, may give you a rough idea of what cash buyers pay for similar homes nearby, and, with your OK, passes your answers to the buyer. A buyer who is interested usually follows up within 24 hours. The call is recorded and transcribed, and the assistant never makes an offer.