Inheriting a house in Mobile, Alabama can feel like two things at once — a gift from someone you loved, and a responsibility you didn’t ask for. Maybe your parents left you their home off Dauphin Street. Maybe an aunt in Semmes passed and now you and your siblings are sitting around a kitchen table, wondering what to do with a property that needs a new roof, a lot of sorting, and decisions nobody wants to make.
You’re not alone. Every month, our team at Heartland Buys talks with families across Mobile County who are trying to figure out how to sell an inherited house in Mobile, AL without losing months of their lives to probate court, out-of-state siblings, and a home that’s sitting empty. This guide is the plain-English version of what we wish every family knew before they started.
Do You Have to Go Through Probate in Alabama?
In most cases, yes. Unless the home was held in a living trust, was owned with a right of survivorship, or is part of a very small estate, the property has to pass through probate before it can be sold. Probate is the court process that confirms the will (if there is one), appoints someone with legal authority to act for the estate, pays any remaining debts, and transfers title to the heirs.
For estates valued at less than $34,611 in personal property (Alabama’s current small-estate threshold — no real estate), there is a summary procedure. For everything else, including any inherited home, expect formal probate through the Mobile County Probate Court.
The Mobile County Probate Court is located downtown and handles filings in person, by mail, and through e-filing for attorneys. If you need to ask a question about a specific case, the records line is (251) 574-6000.
The Mobile County Probate Timeline (Realistically)
Most estates in Mobile County take six to twelve months to fully probate. The creditor-claim period alone runs six months — that’s state law, not something a judge can shortcut. If the will is contested, if an heir can’t be located, or if there’s disagreement over who serves as personal representative, a probate case can stretch to eighteen months or longer.
That said, you usually do not have to wait for probate to close before you start the sale process. Once the court issues Letters Testamentary (if there was a will) or Letters of Administration (if there wasn’t), the appointed personal representative has the authority to list, negotiate, and — with court approval when required — sell the home. In many cases, a sale can close while probate is still pending on the estate’s other assets.
Who Actually Has the Power to Sell?
Only the court-appointed executor or administrator can sign a listing agreement or a purchase contract for the estate. If Mom left four kids and named one of them in the will, that person files the petition, gets appointed, and acts on behalf of the estate. The other three heirs don’t sign the closing documents — the personal representative does.
If the will is silent, or there is no will, the court will appoint an administrator. Alabama law has an order of priority — surviving spouse, then adult children, then other next of kin. If the heirs can’t agree, the court can appoint a neutral third party.
The practical takeaway: if you’re one of five siblings inheriting a house in West Mobile, you don’t need all five signatures to sell. You need the personal representative’s signature, the court’s approval when the will or a specific sale requires it, and — ideally — family consensus so nobody shows up at the courthouse to contest things.
What About Taxes?
Good news first: Alabama has no state inheritance tax and no state estate tax. You won’t owe the state a dime for inheriting the property itself.
Federal estate tax only kicks in on very large estates (the 2026 exemption is around $13.99 million per individual), so for almost every family we work with in Mobile and Baldwin County, it’s a non-issue.
The tax to watch is federal capital gains. Here’s where inherited property has a big advantage: the IRS uses a “stepped-up basis,” which means the tax basis of the home resets to the fair market value on the date of the original owner’s death — not what they paid for it in 1978. If Grandma bought her house in Midtown for $18,000 decades ago and it’s worth $220,000 when she passes, your basis is $220,000. Sell it quickly for around that number and you owe little or nothing in capital gains.
If you hold the home for years after inheriting and values rise, then sell, you’ll pay capital gains on the difference between the sale price and the stepped-up basis. Always talk to a CPA or tax attorney before closing — what we’ve written here is general education, not tax advice.
Three Paths to Sell an Inherited House in Mobile, AL
1. Traditional listing with an agent. If the home is in good condition, probate is squared away, and you don’t mind the process of staging, showings, inspections, repairs, and a 30-to-60-day closing, this path usually gets the highest gross price. Expect 5-6% in commissions and 2-3% in closing costs off the top. In Mobile’s 2026 market, average days on market for a traditional listing sit in the 60-day range.
2. For Sale By Owner. You save the listing commission but take on everything yourself — photos, MLS access (usually via a flat-fee service), showings, disclosures, negotiation. This works if the home is clean, marketable, and you have the time and stomach for it. Out-of-state heirs often struggle here simply because they can’t be present for showings.
3. Sell as-is to a local cash buyer. This is the path most inheritors we meet with actually choose, for a few reasons: no repairs, no cleanout required (we buy with the stuff still inside), no financing contingencies, and a closing timeline you control — usually 7 to 21 days once the executor has authority to sell. The trade-off is a lower price than a fully renovated open-market sale. The math often works out close, though, once you subtract repair costs, holding costs (insurance, utilities, lawn care), and commissions from a traditional listing.
How Heartland Buys Works With Executors
We buy inherited houses in any condition across Mobile County, Baldwin County, and the Florida Panhandle. We’ve helped families close on homes filled with 40 years of belongings, homes with active code violations, homes with damaged roofs from the last hurricane season, and homes that haven’t been lived in since 2019. None of that is a problem on our side.
When you call us, we’ll run comparable sales in the neighborhood, ask a handful of questions about condition, and give you a cash offer — usually the same day or the next morning. If you accept, we coordinate with the attorney handling probate, wait for the court approvals the case needs, and close at a local title company. You don’t pay commissions, you don’t pay for repairs, and you don’t have to clean out the house before closing.
When It’s Worth Waiting, and When It Isn’t
Sometimes the best move is to wait. If the home is in a high-demand pocket of Fairhope or Spanish Fort, is in good condition, and the family has the time and bandwidth to manage a traditional sale, you’ll likely net more. If the property is vacant, needs work, is far from where the heirs live, or the family just wants the chapter closed — a cash sale usually beats letting the house sit empty and accrue costs for another six months.
A vacant house in Mobile doesn’t stay static. Insurance gets harder and more expensive after 60-90 days of vacancy. Copper and HVAC components get stolen. Storms happen. Carrying costs quietly eat the inheritance. There’s no “right” answer — only the one that fits your family.
A Few Common Questions
Do we need to clean out the house before you buy it?
No. Take what’s meaningful and leave the rest.
Can you buy if probate isn't finished?
What if one sibling wants to sell and another doesn't?
Do you pay fair prices?
Next Steps
If you’ve inherited a home in Mobile, AL and you’re not sure what to do next, the best first call is to a probate attorney — and the second call is to us. We’ll give you a straight answer on what the home is worth as-is, what it would likely sell for renovated, and which path makes the most sense for your family. No pressure, no obligation.
Ready to find out what your property is worth — code violations and all? Call us at (251) 325-1091 or visit heartlandbuys.com for a free, no-obligation cash offer.
About Heartland Buys
Heartland Buys is a local home buying company serving Mobile, Baldwin County, and the Florida Panhandle. We buy houses in any condition — no repairs, no commissions, no hassle. Call us at (251) 325-1091 or visit heartlandbuys.com for a free, no-obligation cash offer.