What you should know
The two kinds of administration, and why it matters for the sale
Dallas County has three statutory probate courts, and most estates that pass through them are independent administrations: the will names an independent executor, the court issues letters testamentary, and from there the executor acts without going back to the judge for each step. If the will also grants a power of sale — most attorney-drafted wills do — the executor can sign a contract and a deed on the house with no separate court order.
A dependent administration is court-supervised. The administrator applies for an order to sell, the court reviews the terms, and the sale is confirmed afterward. It adds a few weeks and some filings. We've bought through both. It just changes the timeline, not whether you can sell.
If there's no will, or the estate is small, an attorney may steer you toward an heirship proceeding or a Small Estate Affidavit instead of full administration. Whatever the route, the title company will tell us what it needs to insure the sale, and we'll build the contract around it.
Your executor's checklist for the house
Secure it: change the locks, stop mail delivery or forward it, and let a neighbor know it's empty. Insure it: most homeowner's policies stop covering a house that's vacant more than 30–60 days, so call the carrier and ask about a vacancy endorsement — or plan to sell quickly. Pay the taxes: the estate is responsible, and the homestead exemption ended with the decedent, so budget for a higher bill. Inventory it: Texas requires an inventory of estate assets, and the house's value on the date of death is the number you'll need.
Then decide how to sell. A listing means a licensed agent, repairs the estate has to fund, showings, and a buyer's financing contingency. A cash sale to us means one walkthrough, a written number, and a closing the court's timeline allows.
What "fair" means when you're selling for an estate
You have a duty to the heirs to get a reasonable price, and heirs sometimes worry a cash sale means a fire sale. Our offers come in writing with the reasoning attached: what renovated houses in that neighborhood have sold for, what this one needs, what it costs to carry, and our margin. It's a document you can put in the estate file or show a sibling who lives out of state.
The number will be below a fully renovated resale price — that gap is the repairs and the risk we're taking on. It's often not below the estate's actual net from a listing after commissions, repairs, concessions, and months of carrying costs. We'll lay both out.
Working with your attorney
Texas generally requires executors and administrators to be represented by an attorney in probate court. We work directly with them: they review the contract, we send the title company what it needs, and closing waits for letters or the court's order. If you don't have an attorney yet, we can suggest several in Dallas who charge flat fees for uncontested estates.
