Probate houses rarely fail on price. They fail on paperwork. This one on Selwyn Dr in Decatur is a good example, because the offer was never the hard part. The title was.
What the situation was
The house was being sold out of an estate. We agreed to buy it as-is. In an estate sale, the buyer’s offer is only the first step. A title company still has to be willing to insure the sale, and everyone who signs has to sign in the right capacity.
What went wrong
Three separate problems showed up before closing.
- A cloud on the title. An earlier contract on the property had been signed in the wrong capacity for an estate sale. That left a cloud on the title that had to be cleared up before a title company would insure the closing.
- Two title firms and an underwriter. More than one title firm was involved, and one of them brought in the title underwriter to review the problem. That adds time and more people who have to agree.
- A lien claim. A lien holder filed a memorandum on the title and asked for between $15,000 and $20,000 to release it. Whether the claim was valid was in dispute, so it could not simply be paid or ignored.
On top of that, a partner on the deal paid the property taxes to hold the sale together, and the main contact at one title office went out of office in the middle of the problem.
How it got to the closing table
Probate deals close because someone reads every line. That is the job we took on here, with the title firms, the lien holder, and our partner.
On the morning of closing, at 8 AM, we reviewed the settlement statement one more time and found two errors. A probate cost had been placed on the wrong side of the statement, and one payment was wrong. Both were corrected before signing. The closing happened at 10 AM on May 15, 2026.
What this means if you are selling a probate house
- Ask early whether anything on the title could block an insured sale. Do not wait for the closing date to find out.
- Make sure whoever signs the contract is signing in the right capacity for the estate.
- Do not accept a lien claim at face value, and do not ignore it either. Ask for it in writing and have the closing attorney review it.
- Read the settlement statement before closing day if you can, and again that morning.
If the house you are dealing with has an unclear title, an unfinished estate, or relatives who live out of town, that is the kind of sale we take on. We buy as-is for cash and we manage the closing details so you do not have to.