Frequently Asked Questions
Maybe you have a few questions about Mass Probate Pros and our services. Here is a collection of some questions people ask us, along with our answers. If you still have a question, please contact us anytime. We would be happy to answer it, whether it’s about the Massachusetts probate or foreclosure processes in general, or the different ways we can buy your house.
FAQs on our home-buying process
Q: What makes Mass Probate Pros different from other house-buying companies?
A: Bryan is a Massachusetts-based homebuyer who has been a Personal Representative and understands the probate process well. His team has a similar background and all of us understand the logistical hurdles that probate presents. We also understand that there are many “we buy houses” companies out there with lots of marketing, some less trustworthy than others. Many of these companies are not local Massachusetts homebuyers and most do not have the personal experience with probate that our team does. Our goal is to efficiently present you a convenient option to sell your inherited home and help you manage any obstacles you may be facing with probate.
Q: Will you be listing my house on the MLS or actually buying it?
A: Great question. We’re not agents, and we don’t list houses. We are professional home buyers: We buy houses that meet our purchasing criteria, and we don’t use bank financing so you don’t have to worry about our ability to close on a deal. After purchasing, we may repair the house and resell it to another homeowner or keep it as a rental ourselves.
Q: How are you different from a real estate agent?
A: Real estate agents list properties and hope that someone will buy them. The agent shows the properties to prospective buyers if there are any (the average time to sell a property in many markets right now is 2-3 months) and then takes a percentage of the sale price if they find a buyer. Oftentimes, the agent’s commission is 3 to 6% of the sale price of your house. If it’s a $500,000 house, you’ll pay between $15,000 to $30,000 in commissions to an agent.
Agents provide a great service for those that can wait 2+ months to sell and who don’t mind giving up some of that sale price to pay for the commissions. But that’s where we’re different. We’re not agents, we’re home buyers. Our company buys the house directly from you. Since we pay with all cash and purchase the house from you, we can make a decision to buy your house within a couple of days (sometimes even the same day). Again, we make our living by taking the risk to buy the house with our own cash, repair the house, and market it ourselves to find a buyer.
Looking for this to be broken down further? Here’s a comparison chart to give an overview:
| Selling w/ an Agent | SOLD To Mass Probate Pros | |
|---|---|---|
| Commissions / Fees: | Up to 6%, paid by you, the seller | None |
| Who Pays Closing Costs? | 2% on average is paid by you, the seller | We pay all costs. |
| Inspection & Financing Contingency*: | Yes, sales can fall through. | None needed |
| Appraisal Needed: | Yes, the sale is often subject to appraisal. | No, we make cash offers. |
| Average Days Until Sold: | +/- 91 Days | We provide immediate cash offers. |
| Number of Showings: | It Depends | 1 (Just Us) |
| Closing Date: | 60-90+/- days after accepting the buyer’s offer | The date of YOUR CHOICE. |
| Who Pays For Repairs? | Negotiated during the inspection period | We pay for all repairs. |
Q: Do you pay fair prices for properties?
A: We often buy houses at prices below the current market value with the intention of reselling them at a profit to new homeowners. Our aim is to secure a reasonable discount on a property in exchange for the speed and convenience that our cash home-buying process provides. Through our experience, we’ve found that many sellers aren’t necessarily anticipating a substantial windfall from their property. Instead, they appreciate the benefits of a cash offer, a quick closing process without waiting for financing, and the freedom from investing time, effort, or expenses in property repairs or agent fees.
DOWNLOAD our free guide that walks you through the Pros and Cons (plus the cost and timeline) of selling your house to a real estate investor versus the pros, cons, and costs of the other two alternatives – listing with an agent or selling it yourself.
Q: How do you determine the price to offer on my house?
A: Our process is very straightforward. We look at the location of the property, what repairs are needed, the current condition of the property, and the value of comparable houses sold in the area recently. Taking these pieces of information into consideration, we come up with a fair price that works for both of us.
Q: Are there any fees or commissions to work with you?
A: This is what makes us stand out from the traditional method of selling your house: there are NO fees or commissions when you sell your house directly to us compared to listing fees, where up to 6% comes out of your pocket. We’ll make you an offer and, if it’s a fit, then we’ll buy your house with no hassles and no fees. We’ll often pay for the closing costs, too. We make our money after we pay for repairs on the house and sell it for a profit. We’re taking the risks on whether we can sell it for a profit or not. Once we buy the house from you, the responsibility is ours and you walk away without the burden of the property and its payments, as well as cash in your hand.
Q: Is there any obligation when I submit my information?
A: There is absolutely zero obligation for you. Once you tell us a bit about your property, we’ll take a look at things, maybe set up a call with you to find out a bit more, and make you an all-cash offer that’s fair for you and fair for us. From there, it’s 100% your decision on whether or not you’d like to sell your house to us. We’ll let you decide what’s right for you.
Q: What happens if we can’t agree on a cash price? Are there other ways you buy houses?
A: Yes! If the cash price does not meet your goals with the property, we have an option where we can partner with you: we pay for any needed repairs on the property and manage the completion of the repairs, then we arrange to have the property listed and sold on the market. We agree ahead of time on an equitable split of the profits once the property is sold by a realtor. This option is sometimes popular with folks who do not need to sell the property quickly but who also might not have the funds or bandwidth to complete the repairs that are often needed before listing a property on the market. This option likely yields a bigger profit for you than an off-market cash offer, though requires more time since it involves completing home repairs and listing the updated property on the MLS.
Q: Do you offer any other services?
A: We do! In addition to connecting you with any probate related specialists who are local to you (attorneys, appraisers, cleaners, etc), we can help you with any questions that you have about the Massachusetts probate process, especially as it relates to your inherited property.
Another service we provide is a lending partnership program. If you are interested in partnering with us on a real estate project as a lender, we always have projects happening and can offer our partners strong returns on funds that they contribute to our projects. This option is popular with heirs who have received inheritance from a loved one’s estate and are looking to grow it in a passive and sustainable way. Please contact us to learn more about our current real estate projects and how your partnership could yield you competitive returns on your money.
FAQs on Selling a House During Probate in Mass:
Q: Can I sell my inherited house during probate in Massachusetts?
A: Yes, you can sell a house during probate in Massachusetts. There are a number of steps to follow to enable the sale and ensure it goes smoothly. If you are the personal representative, the will of your deceased loved one may or may not explicitly give you the Power of Sale which allows you to proceed with sale of the property. The Power of Sale can not be used until the Personal Representative is appointed and bond approved.
Q: What are the rules of the Power of Sale?
A: As stated above, the Power of Sale must be given to the personal representative explicitly in the will. With a Power of Sale, the property must be sold for value, so options like Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure is not considered a sale. Power of Sale may be used in Informal Probate or Formal Probate, but a PR in Late & Limited Probate does not have Power of Sale regardless of what the will says. If you’re unsure if the will grants you a Power of Sale, your probate attorney can help you determine that.
Q: Can I sell the property without Power of Sale?
A: If there is no Power of Sale included in the will, or there is no will, you (the PR) will need to petition the probate court for a License to Sell which will give you the power to sell the property. The PR can petition for the License to Sell even if they have the Power of Sale as an added liability protection in case something goes wrong with the home sale. The PR must have a signed Purchase and Sale Agreement from a buyer in order to petition for a License to Sell. Additional requirements for the PR to obtain the License to Sell is an inventory of the estate’s assets, approval from the other heirs, the terms/sale price, and an accurate description of the property to be sold.
Q: Can I sell even if the property or estate has unpaid debts?
A: Yes, you can. Massachusetts has a creditor period of 1 year which means that creditors have 1 year to issue claims for the estate to repay a debt. Proceeds from the estate can not be dispersed to devisees (heirs) before the 1 year period is complete, but YOU CAN sell inherited properties inside of the creditor period. In fact, many personal representatives find that the proceeds of an inherited house sale early during the probate timeline can help to cover the debts and fees of the estate.
Q: Can I sell my inherited house without a will in Massachusetts?
A: Yes, you can sell your inherited property without a will in Massachusetts, though the timeline to sell may be longer. Probate proceedings in Massachusetts are governed by the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code or MUPC. If there is no will, the decedent (deceased loved one) is deemed “intestate” and the court will appoint a personal representative that is usually a close relative to oversee and administer the estate.
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