10/09/2026
Twelve heirs. No will. One of them living in the house, collecting rent, refusing to sell.
That was the file I inherited a few months ago.
The parents had passed without a will, which meant the home went to the siblings — except one sibling had also passed, so his share split four ways among his kids. Add it up: twelve people who all had to agree.
Eleven wanted to sell. One didn’t.
And the one who did want to sell most badly had priced the home at $250,000 — about $75,000 over what the comps actually supported.
I didn’t argue the number. I listed it at $200,000 and let it sit. It sat for weeks. She called, frustrated, ready to drop to $189,000. I showed her the comps again. It sat again. We landed at $179,000 — and that’s where the offer came in.
The holdout heir who was renting it out? Once I offered to let him manage a rental and split the net income with the family instead, he decided selling was simpler. He didn’t need convincing — he needed an alternative to see wasn’t actually better.
Twelve signatures. Zero lawsuits. Zero family blowups.
If you’re navigating an inherited property with no will involved: the title company — not family opinion — determines who’s legally entitled to sign, through something called an affidavit of heirship. Get that filed early. It removes the guesswork before it turns into an argument.
