By Gia Freer, Broker of Record, PBP Real Estate — twenty-six years selling homes from Boca Raton to the Palm Beaches, including estate and probate sales.
For most estates, the best way to sell a probate home in Palm Beach County is a full open-market listing, started as soon as the personal representative has authority to sell. Cash investors will find you first — they watch probate filings — but an open-market sale typically brings the estate meaningfully more money, and the probate timeline usually leaves room to do it properly. The right choice depends on the estate's timeline, the home's condition, and whether the heirs agree.
The three ways to sell, side by side
| Open-market listing | Direct sale to a cash investor | Wait until probate closes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical price outcome | Highest — the full market competes | Lowest — a discount for speed and condition is built into the offer | Market risk cuts both ways while you wait |
| Speed | Weeks to list; sale can close during administration | Fastest — days to contract | Slowest |
| Carrying costs (taxes, insurance, upkeep) | Run until closing | Stop soonest | Run the longest |
| Works when the home needs repairs | Yes — sell as-is or make targeted preparation | Yes | Repairs still needed later |
| Typically best for | Most estates — maximizing what heirs receive | Estates that must liquidate immediately | Rarely the plan — usually a result of heir disagreement |
How a probate sale works in Palm Beach County
- Probate is filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Palm Beach County (Fifteenth Judicial Circuit). Florida has two main forms: summary administration (generally for smaller estates or when the death occurred more than two years ago) and formal administration, where the court appoints a personal representative.
- The personal representative's authority to sell the home depends on the will and the court's letters of administration; in some cases a court order approving the sale is required. Your probate attorney confirms which applies — before the home goes under contract, not after.
- The home can usually be listed and marketed while administration is under way, so the estate is not waiting idle. Closing is coordinated with the attorney so title passes correctly.
- On price: independent research consistently shows open-market sales bring more than private ones. A 2023 Bright MLS–Drexel University study of more than one million transactions found MLS-listed homes sold for 17.5% more than comparable off-MLS sales, and Zillow research found off-MLS sellers typically gave up 1.3–1.5% even in simple cases. An unsolicited cash offer on a probate home is priced for the buyer's profit, not the estate's.
Questions families ask us
Can we sell the house before probate is finished?
Often, yes. In a formal administration the personal representative can usually sell during the process — sometimes with a court order approving the sale. Timing and authority are legal questions for the estate's probate attorney; our role is to have a written opinion of value prepared and the home ready and marketed so the sale is ready when the authority is.
Should we just take a cash offer and be done?
Sometimes speed genuinely matters more than price — but decide with numbers, not pressure. Compare the cash offer against a written opinion of value for the home on the open market, including as-is. The gap is usually larger than families expect.
Does the home need repairs before it can be sold?
No. Probate homes sell as-is every week in Palm Beach County. The question is whether targeted, inexpensive preparation would return more than it costs — that is a case-by-case calculation we put in writing for the personal representative.
What if the heirs disagree about selling?
Disagreement among heirs is common and usually resolvable once everyone sees the same numbers: a written opinion of value, the carrying costs of waiting, and the net to the estate under each option. Where disagreement runs deeper, that is a matter for the estate's attorney.
Who pays the real estate commission in a probate sale?
The estate does, out of the sale proceeds at closing — the same as any other sale. Heirs do not pay out of pocket.
Handling an estate property from Boca Raton to the Palm Beaches? Find out what the property is worth — a written opinion of value from Gia, after she has seen the property. No obligation, and we work alongside your probate attorney.
PBP Real Estate, LLC provides real estate services only. This page describes the real-estate process and is not legal or tax advice. For legal questions about the estate, consult a Florida probate attorney.