Selling an inherited house in the Belleair area

Three towns, one name

The Town of Belleair grew up around the Belleview Biltmore, the grand hotel Henry Plant opened in the 1890s. Most of the old hotel is gone now, but the restored Belleview Inn remains, and the town is known for its golf courses, mature trees, and a mix of older estate homes and mid-century ranches.

Belleair Bluffs is a small city along the bluffs above Clearwater Harbor, with homes and a local shopping district along West Bay Drive.

Belleair Beach sits on the barrier island across the water, mostly single-family homes on the Gulf and Intracoastal, plus condominiums.

Each municipality has its own local government, and building permits are handled differently in each (Pinellas County, for example, issues them for Belleair Beach). Probate is the same for all three, through the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court.

First question: does it even need probate?

Many longtime homeowners in this area did estate planning. If the house was in a revocable living trust, the successor trustee can usually sell it without probate. If the deed names a joint owner with survivorship rights, or there is a transfer-on-death or enhanced life estate ("Lady Bird") deed, the house may pass directly to the named person.

Probate is generally needed only when the house was titled solely in the deceased person's name. Look at the most recent recorded deed, which you can find through the Pinellas County Clerk's official records search. If the house is in a trust, we can still buy it, and there is no probate cost to cover. We are not attorneys, and a probate attorney can confirm what applies.

Belleair Beach: storms and condos

Belleair Beach was hit hard by Helene's storm surge in 2024. Older ground-level homes on the island took on water, and in flood zones the FEMA 50% rule requires substantially damaged homes to be brought up to current flood standards, often by elevating or rebuilding. We buy flood-damaged single-family homes there as-is.

We do not buy condos. If the inherited property is a condo unit in Belleair Beach or anywhere else, a listing agent or a condo-focused buyer is the better path, and we will say so.

If the estate needs formal administration

Homes in this area often carry higher values, so an estate here is more likely to go past the $150,000 limit for summary administration. When that happens, the court appoints a personal representative to manage the estate. A notice to creditors is published, and creditors generally have three months from the first publication to file claims under Fla. Stat. 733.702.

That does not mean the house has to sit untouched for months. With the court's authority, the personal representative can usually sign a contract to sell while the estate is still open, and the closing is scheduled when the attorney says the estate is ready. We are flexible on timing in those cases. Our guide on selling a house during probate explains how that usually works.

Our process

One walkthrough, then a written cash offer. If a well-kept Belleair home would clearly bring more on the open market and you have time, we will tell you that plainly. If you choose us and probate is needed, we pay an independent licensed Florida probate attorney, typically about $3,000 including court fees, and it is not deducted from the heirs' share. If the estate qualifies for summary administration, the filings are often wrapped up within a day or two of the family signing. Larger estates are more likely to need formal administration, which takes several months or longer. See the Pinellas County probate process.

Pinellas Probate Home Buyers is the probate division of 131 Cash Home Buyers. Call or text Alex at (727) 353-6206.

We’re a home-buying company, not attorneys. This page is general information about Florida probate, not legal advice; an independent licensed Florida probate attorney represents the estate in every probate we pay for. Last updated November 2026.