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Inheriting a house in Philadelphia usually comes at a hard time, with grief, paperwork, and a property that often needs work. This guide covers the basics: who can legally sell an inherited house, how probate starts at the Philadelphia Register of Wills, how Pennsylvania inheritance tax works, and what selling as-is for cash looks like if that’s the route you choose.
I’m Nick Maccini, a local Philadelphia investor and the founder of Nick Buys Houses. My team and I have done 400+ deals since 2020. I’m not an attorney, so confirm the details with the official offices linked below.
Step one: figure out who has authority to sell
Someone usually has to be officially appointed to handle the estate before an inherited house can be sold. In Philadelphia that runs through the Register of Wills, which also serves as the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court. The office probates wills, issues letters of administration when a Philadelphia resident dies without a will, and acts as an agent for filing and paying inheritance taxes.
The Philadelphia process applies when the person who died was a Philadelphia resident at the time of death, or held real property in Philadelphia without holding personal property in any other state (City of Philadelphia).
If there’s a will: letters testamentary
When someone dies with a will and assets in their name only, the will has to go through probate, which proves that the will is valid. If you’re named as the executor, you complete a petition for probate and grant of letters testamentary with the Register of Wills. Once the will and the executor are officially recognized, the executor can move forward with administering the estate. (Begin the probate process with a will).
If there’s no will: letters of administration
When someone dies without a will (“intestate”), the Register of Wills appoints someone to administer the estate, usually a spouse or child of the person who died. To be recognized as administrator, you file a petition for grant of letters of administration and pay the estate administration fees (Begin the probate process without a will).
If there are several heirs, they have to agree. They can either renounce in favor of one administrator or act together as co-administrators. If they can’t agree, one or all of them may petition for a hearing, and the Register of Wills may decide whom to appoint, including an independent administrator if needed.
Whoever signs for the estate at settlement needs that legal authority, so if your family disagrees about selling, sort it out early.
What to bring to the Register of Wills
The Probate Department is in City Hall, Room 180, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except holidays, and the phone number is (215) 686-6255. According to the City, you’ll need:
- The original will, if there is one.
- An original death certificate.
- An estimate of the estate’s value.
- A valid, current form of ID.
- Payment for the fees, which depend on the size of the estate (see the Register of Wills fee schedule). The office accepts Visa, Mastercard, a certified check, or a money order.
Staff will help you complete the paperwork, but they can’t give legal advice. The City also publishes a virtual probate procedure.
Pennsylvania inheritance tax basics
Pennsylvania inheritance tax is a percentage of the value of a decedent’s estate that passes to beneficiaries and heirs. The rate depends on the heir’s relationship to the person who died (PA Department of Revenue):
- 0% on transfers to a surviving spouse, or to a parent from a child aged 21 or younger.
- 4.5% on transfers to direct descendants and lineal heirs.
- 12% on transfers to siblings.
- 15% on transfers to other heirs, except charitable organizations, exempt institutions and government entities exempt from tax.
Property owned jointly between spouses is exempt from inheritance tax.
When inheritance tax is due
Inheritance tax is due at the time of death and becomes delinquent nine months after the death. If it’s paid within three months of the death, a 5% discount is allowed. When the person who died was a Pennsylvania resident, the payment goes to the Register of Wills of the county where they lived, which for a Philadelphia resident is the Philadelphia Register of Wills (Make an inheritance tax payment). The return itself is Form REV-1500, and the Department of Revenue treats a return as timely if it’s filed within nine months of the date of death, or within 15 months if the six-month statutory extension was granted (Inheritance Tax Q&A).
How the tax applies to your estate, and to a sale, is a question for an estate attorney or tax professional.
If nobody ever probated the estate
Sometimes a relative died years ago, nobody opened an estate, and the deed is still in their name. The City calls this a tangled title. It often happens when someone inherits from a relative who died without a will, or who died before probate was finished. Without a clear title, it’s hard to get home loans, grants, or homeowner’s insurance (Get help with clearing your home’s title).
The Register of Wills’ Title Clearance Unit helps qualified residents work through probate and transfer the title. It’s in City Hall, Room 183, and the phone number is (215) 686-6262. The City’s Division of Housing and Community Development also funds the Tangled Title Fund, a grant for eligible low-income people whose name isn’t on the deed of the home they live in.
Selling an inherited house as-is
Many inherited houses haven’t been updated in years and still hold a lifetime of belongings. Fixing everything before listing takes money and time the estate may not have, while taxes, utilities, and insurance keep coming due.
On disclosures: Pennsylvania’s Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law requires most sellers of residential property to give buyers a written disclosure statement. Transfers by a fiduciary in the course of administering a decedent’s estate are exempt from that chapter (68 Pa.C.S. § 7302). Ask your attorney what that means for your sale.
When you sell to us, you don’t make repairs and you don’t have to clean the house out first. We buy as-is. See our How We Buy Houses page for the full process.
How a cash sale of an inherited house works with us
- Reach out. Call (215) 792-3189 or fill out our short form. Tell us where the estate stands.
- Walkthrough. We look at the house in person or virtually, which helps when heirs live out of state.
- Cash offer. You get an offer with no obligation. Share it with your co-heirs and your attorney.
- Settlement. We close once the estate has authority to sell, on a date that works for you.
What you can expect:
- We buy as-is, with no repairs.
- We pay the settlement costs.
- We can help with moving costs when needed.
- We can close within 7 days of clear title, and most sales close within 30 days from start to finish.
We buy across Philadelphia (see our Philadelphia County page) and in nearby Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware counties (all areas we serve).
I live out of state and needed to let go of one of my houses. Nick made it a very seamless process. I highly recommend.
Adam Zak, Google review
Inherited house FAQ
Can I sell an inherited house in Philadelphia before probate is finished?
Whoever signs for the estate needs legal authority to sell. That usually comes from the Philadelphia Register of Wills as letters testamentary (with a will) or letters of administration (without one). Ask an estate attorney about timing in your case. We can make an offer at any point and close once the estate is able to sell.
Where do I start probate in Philadelphia?
At the Register of Wills Probate Department in City Hall, Room 180. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except holidays, and the phone number is (215) 686-6255. Bring the original will if there is one, an original death certificate, an estimate of the estate’s value, and a valid ID.
How much is Pennsylvania inheritance tax?
It depends on who inherits: 0% for a surviving spouse (or a parent inheriting from a child aged 21 or younger), 4.5% for direct descendants and lineal heirs, 12% for siblings, and 15% for most other heirs. The tax becomes delinquent nine months after the death, and paying within three months earns a 5% discount.
Do I have to fix up or clean out the house before selling?
Not if you sell to us. We buy inherited houses as-is, so you don’t need to make repairs or clear out belongings first.
Who pays the settlement costs?
We pay the settlement costs, and we can help with moving costs when needed. We can close within 7 days of clear title, and most sales close within 30 days from start to finish.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a Pennsylvania attorney, a tax professional, or a HUD-approved housing counselor about your situation. Office details and tax rules were checked on November 2, 2026, from the official sources linked above. Confirm them with the office before you go.
Talk to us about your inherited house
If you’re deciding whether to keep, rent, or sell, a no-obligation cash offer gives you a real number to compare. Call (215) 792-3189 or request an offer online. You can also learn more about me.