If you inherited a house in Germantown and it is still full of someone else’s life, you can sell it as it sits. A cash buyer can take the house with the belongings inside, so you don’t have to sort, haul, or fix anything first. That is how we bought this home on McVay Road.
The house on McVay Road
This home in Germantown came to us as an inherited property. The family left the belongings and the junk behind. They didn’t clean it out, and they didn’t have to. We bought the house as-is and closed quickly.
What the house looked like when we started
The house was dated. Our crew photographed it when we started, and
the photos show:
- Parquet wood floors in the main rooms.
- Painted wood paneling on the walls, with holes and marks where
things used to hang. - A heavy black fireplace mantel in the living room.
- Bedrooms painted dark blue, bright blue, and lime green.
- A primary bathroom with green walls and a corner jetted tub.
- A detached garage and a big yard with mature trees.
Soon after, a dumpster sat in the driveway, and the crew had the old roof off down to the decking.
What it looks like now
- New plank flooring in the rooms we photographed.
- The black mantel and the wall paneling painted white and light
neutral colors. - The same corner jetted tub in the primary bath, now with new tile,
a new vanity and light walls.
Why a full house is hard to list
A house full of belongings can’t go on the regular market as-is. Retail buyers need to walk through and picture themselves living there, and they can’t do that when every room is still holding someone else’s things.
Lenders usually want repairs finished before they approve a loan. Listing means clearing the house, fixing it, showing it, and then waiting on a buyer’s financing. A cash sale skips those steps. You get one offer on the house as-is, and you choose the closing date.
Before you leave the rest behind
Leaving the junk is fine. Before you do, walk the house with your family and take out the things you can’t replace:
- Wills, deeds and trust papers
- Insurance policies, bank statements and tax records
- Family photos and heirlooms
- Anything another relative has asked to keep
Take photos of each room before anything leaves. That gives the family a record if questions come up later.
Probate questions go to an attorney
Before an inherited house can be sold, someone needs the legal authority to sign. In Shelby County that often runs through probate court, and the right path depends on whether there was a will and how the house was titled. We are not attorneys. If you have probate questions, talk to a probate attorney before you sign anything. Our guide on how to sell an inherited house in Memphis walks through the common situations.
If you’ve inherited a house in Germantown
You don’t have to have everything figured out before you call. Tell us about the house, and nobody will push you into anything. We buy houses as-is in Germantown, Memphis, Bartlett, Collierville and across
Shelby County. We can close in as little as 7 days once you are ready and the paperwork allows, or we can wait for a date that works for your family.
Spencer Buys Houses has bought homes in every condition across Memphis and Shelby County for over 10 years, with 400+ purchases, a BBB A+ rating and 4.9 stars across 113 Google reviews.
Call Spencer Buys Houses at (901) 621-8799 for a no-pressure conversation about your options.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to clean out an inherited house before selling it in Germantown?
No. Take what matters to you and leave the rest. We handle the cleanout after closing.
Do I have to make repairs before I sell?
No. We buy houses as-is including houses with dated rooms, worn floors or an old roof.
Can I sell an inherited house that is still in probate?
It depends on who has the legal authority to sell and what the court requires. A probate attorney can tell you where you stand.
How fast can you close on an inherited house?
We can close in as little as 7 days once the paperwork allows. If your family needs more time, you pick the date.
What if several family members inherited the house?
Everyone with a legal interest generally needs to agree to the sale. Talk to a probate attorney about how that works for your family.
What happens to the belongings we leave behind?
They stay with the house when you sell. You don’t have to rent a dumpster or schedule a haul-off.
Spencer Shadrach is the founder of Spencer Buys Houses in Memphis, TN. He has been buying homes across Memphis, Shelby County andthe Mid-South for over 10 years.