What to do with an inherited house: the first 30 days
When someone dies, the house is rarely the first thing on anyone's mind. But a few early steps protect it, and protect the family, while you grieve. You don't have to decide what to do with the house yet. You just have to keep it safe.
- The original will must be deposited with the Clerk within 10 days of learning of the death (Fla. Stat. 732.901).
- Don't cancel the insurance or the power. A vacant Florida house needs both.
- Don't sign a quitclaim deed or any document about the house you don't fully understand.
- There's no rush to decide whether to keep, rent, list, or sell.
Days 1 to 7: secure the house
- Lock it up. If you don't know who has keys, change the locks. Caregivers, neighbors, and old friends may all have one.
- Remove valuables and important papers to a safe place: jewelry, cash, firearms, checkbooks, and anything with account numbers.
- Photograph every room before anything is moved. It helps with insurance and prevents family arguments later.
- Throw out perishable food and take out the trash.
- Ask a neighbor to keep an eye out and give them your number.
- Take care of any pets and plants that depended on the person who died.
Vacant houses attract trouble, including squatters. Our work was featured on Tampa Bay 28 in a ride-along enforcing Florida's squatter law. The simplest protection is someone checking the house often and making it look lived in.
Days 1 to 10: find and deposit the will
Florida law (Fla. Stat. 732.901) says whoever has the original will must deposit it with the Clerk of the Circuit Court within 10 days of learning of the death. In Pinellas, that's the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Look in a desk, a file cabinet, a safe, a safe deposit box, or the office of any attorney the person used. A copy is helpful, but the original matters. If there's no will, that's okay. Florida's intestacy law decides who inherits. See inheriting a house with no will.
Days 7 to 21: keep the house insured and running
| Item | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Homeowners insurance | Call the carrier, report the death, ask about vacancy | Some policies change coverage when a house is empty |
| Flood insurance | Confirm whether there's a separate flood policy | Homeowners insurance usually doesn't cover flooding |
| Electric | Keep it on; set the AC to control humidity | Mold grows quickly in a closed Florida house |
| Water | Keep it on but check for leaks; some families shut the main valve between visits | A burst pipe in an empty house can run for days |
| Lawn | Keep it cut | Overgrowth leads to code violations and signals vacancy |
| Forward it to a family member | Tax bills, code notices, and loan letters must not be missed |
Keep receipts for everything you pay. Those are estate expenses, and you may be reimbursed later.
Days 14 to 30: gather the paperwork
The probate attorney will need these, and you'll need them to make any decision about the house:
- Several certified death certificates
- The deed, or the property's record from the Pinellas County Clerk's official records
- Recent property tax bills from the Pinellas County Tax Collector
- Mortgage or reverse mortgage statements
- Insurance policies
- Bank and account statements
- Any HOA documents
- A list of every heir with contact information
If you find statements from a reverse mortgage servicer, read our reverse mortgage guide soon. Heirs typically have 30 days to tell the servicer their plans.
This is also a good time to call a Florida probate attorney, even just for a first conversation. They can tell you whether the house needs probate at all, whether the estate is likely to qualify for summary administration, and what the next few months will look like. Bring your list of documents and your list of heirs, and the call will be far more useful.
What not to do in the first month
- Don't sign a quitclaim deed, power of attorney, or contract about the house unless you understand exactly what it does. Some people approach grieving families with papers that give away more than they realize. Have an attorney look first.
- Don't sell or give away valuable belongings before the attorney says it's okay. They belong to the estate.
- Don't move in or let someone move in without the other heirs agreeing in writing.
- Don't pay the deceased person's debts from your own money just because a collector calls. Heirs are generally not personally liable for those debts; valid debts are paid from the estate.
- Don't rush. Unless there's a deadline, such as a tax deed auction or a reverse mortgage timeline, you have time to think.
We're not attorneys, and this is general guidance, not legal advice.
Then, when you're ready: your options
| Option | Good fit when | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Keep it | Someone wants to live there and can afford it | Property taxes can rise sharply after the homestead exemption ends |
| Rent it | The family wants income and has someone to manage it | Repairs, tenants, insurance, and agreement among all heirs |
| List with an agent | The house is in good shape and the family has time | Repairs, showings, commission, and months of carrying costs |
| Sell to us | You want speed, certainty, and an as-is sale | Our cash offer is below full retail |
Pinellas Probate Home Buyers is the probate division of 131 Cash Home Buyers. When we buy, we pay the probate cost, typically about $3,000, not deducted from the heirs' share. For estates that qualify for summary administration, probate can often be completed in 24 to 48 hours once the heirs sign. If listing would clearly net your family more and you have time, we'll tell you. Whenever you're ready, call or text Alex at (727) 353-6206.
Questions families ask
How soon do we have to deal with an inherited house?
Should we cancel the utilities in an empty inherited house?
Someone asked me to sign a quitclaim deed. Should I?
Where do I file the original will in Pinellas County?
Can we hold an estate sale right away?
Keep reading
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.
Probate and the sale, handled in one place
Call or text Alex. He’ll ask a few questions about the house and the family, explain your options plainly, and tell you honestly whether selling to us makes sense.
- We pay the probate cost, typically about $3,000
- For qualifying estates, probate is often complete in 24–48 hours
- Closing about a week later at a licensed Florida title company
- The court doesn’t set your price or closing date. You and your family do.
Timelines depend on the estate. Formal administration or a family dispute takes longer, and we’ll tell you upfront.
Tell us about the house
Share the address and the best way to reach you. Alex will follow up, usually the same day.