Inherited and estate homes
What to do when you inherit a house in New Jersey
Start by protecting the house: lock it up, keep the heat, electric and water on, and call the homeowners insurance company. Then find the will and talk to an estate attorney, who will tell you who has the authority to sell the house. You do not have to decide anything about selling right away.
Step by step
The first few weeks after inheriting a house
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Secure the house
Lock up, take photos of each room, and move valuables and important papers somewhere safe. Keep the heat, electric and water on, and if the house will sit empty through the winter, have it winterized.
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Call the homeowners insurance company
Let them know the owner has passed or moved out. Many policies limit coverage once a home is vacant for a period of time, so ask what the policy requires and whether you need a vacancy policy.
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Find the will and talk to an estate attorney
The attorney will tell you who has the authority to sell the house and what needs to happen first. In New Jersey, probate goes through the Surrogate's Court in the county where your parent lived. How probate works in New Jersey.
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Gather the house paperwork
The owner's title insurance policy from when the house was bought, the deed, recent property tax bills, homeowners insurance, any mortgage, home equity or reverse mortgage statements, and, in an adult community, the association documents and fee statements.
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Do not rush the clean out
Before anything is thrown away or donated, make sure family members have what matters to them and that nothing of value or importance is lost. Clean outs and repairs worth doing.
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Get a realistic value
An honest estimate of what the house is worth helps the executor, the attorney and the family plan. A value as of the date of death may also be needed by the estate's tax advisor.
Paperwork
Documents to gather for an inherited house
- The owner's title insurance policy from when the house was bought
- The deed, if you can find a copy
- Recent property tax bills
- The homeowners insurance policy
- Mortgage, home equity or reverse mortgage statements
- In an adult community, the association documents and fee statements
- A durable power of attorney, if a parent is alive but can no longer manage the sale
Write it down
Information to keep in one place
Families are asked for the same codes, account numbers and phone numbers again and again. It helps to keep them together, stored with the estate papers, and to share codes by phone rather than by email or text.
- Getting in: door and lockbox codes, the garage keypad code, any community gate code, the mailbox key, and who else has a key.
- Security system: the alarm company, account number, the code to turn it off, and the verbal passcode.
- Utilities: electric, gas, water, sewer, trash, heating oil or propane, and internet, with the account number from the latest bill. Keep these accounts open and paid until closing.
- Service companies: lawn and snow, pest control, plumber, heating and air conditioning, and any home warranty.
- The association: for a home in an adult community or a homeowners association, the management company, contact, monthly fee and due date.
- Who to call: the executor, estate attorney, tax advisor, insurance agent, mortgage or reverse mortgage servicer and the town tax collector.
- Where things are: the main water shutoff, electric panel, gas shutoff and important papers.
Printable version
The checklist and a house record to fill in
Our free guide includes this checklist with boxes to tick and a three page house record with spaces for codes, accounts and phone numbers. No sign up.
Download the guide (PDF)Common questions
Questions about inheriting a house in New Jersey
What is the first thing to do when you inherit a house in New Jersey?
Protect the house. Lock it up, photograph each room, move valuables and papers somewhere safe, keep the heat, electric and water on, and call the homeowners insurance company. Then talk to an estate attorney about who has the authority to sell.
Do you need probate to sell an inherited house in New Jersey?
Usually, yes. The house can often be prepared and listed while the estate is being settled, but the sale can only close once the executor or administrator has been appointed by the county Surrogate's Court and the required tax waiver is in place. Your estate attorney will confirm the timing.
Who can sell an inherited house in New Jersey?
The executor named in the will, or the administrator appointed by the court if there is no will, signs on behalf of the estate. If the house was already transferred into the heirs' names, all of the owners sign.
Should you tell the insurance company when the homeowner dies?
Yes. Let the homeowners insurance company know the owner has passed or moved out. Many policies limit coverage once a home is vacant for a period of time, so ask what the policy requires and whether you need a vacancy policy.
Should you keep the utilities on in an inherited house?
Yes. Keep the heat, electric and water on, and keep the accounts paid until closing so the house stays heated, lit and insured. If it will sit empty through the winter, have it winterized.
We are real estate agents, not attorneys or tax advisors. This is general information to help you know what to ask. Your estate attorney and tax advisor should guide the legal and tax decisions for your family's situation.
Talk it through
No pressure, just a plan
Tell us a little about the house and where things stand. We will help you figure out the next step, even if that step is not selling.
Call or text either of us. There is no cost to talk it through.