You didn't ask for this job. Let me make one part of it easier.
Somebody died, and now there's a house.
Maybe you're the executor. Maybe you're one of three siblings who has to agree on something. Maybe you're just the one who lives closest, so it fell to you. Either way, you're handling a real estate transaction on top of grief, on top of paperwork, on top of whatever else is happening in your life right now.
I've walked families through this many times. My job is to take the property piece off your plate and to move at whatever speed you need — including slowly. There's no version of this where I push you.
Call or text Gerald Wood at (281) 408-3045. No cost, no obligation, and a conversation now doesn't commit you to listing anything.
First: do you have the legal authority to sell yet?
This is where most families get stuck, and it's worth understanding before you do anything else.
Intending to sell and having the authority to sell are two different things. In Texas, you generally cannot sign a listing agreement or a sales contract on behalf of an estate until the probate court has appointed you and issued documentation of your authority.
- If there's a will and the court admits it, the court issues Letters Testamentary naming an executor. In Harris County these are typically issued a few weeks after the initial hearing.
- If there's no will, the court appoints an administrator and issues Letters of Administration, usually after an heirship determination.
Harris County has four probate courts handling these matters. Galveston County handles its own.
Independent vs. dependent administration — this changes everything about your timeline
Independent administration is the most common and most flexible form in Texas. Under it, the executor can list the property, negotiate, accept an offer, and close without going back to the court for approval at each step. If your loved one's will requested independent administration — or if all the heirs agree to it and the court grants it — the sale process looks a lot like a normal transaction.
Dependent administration means the court supervises nearly every action. To sell real property, the representative generally must file an application for authority to sell, satisfy notice requirements, and obtain a court order before closing. It's slower and involves more steps, and it's the default when someone dies without a will unless all the legal heirs agree otherwise.
Why this matters to you practically: these two paths have very different timelines, and marketing a property before you know which one you're on wastes everyone's time. Your probate attorney will tell you which applies. I'll build the selling plan around it.
There are also simpler paths for some estates — muniment of title, small estate affidavit, and affidavit of heirship each apply in specific circumstances. Whether any fits your situation is a legal question for your attorney, not for me.
If you don't have a probate attorney yet, I can refer you to several who work in the Harris and Galveston County courts. You'll hire them directly. I don't take referral fees on attorney introductions.
What I actually handle for you
The property itself, from wherever it stands today.
Contents and personal belongings. Most estate homes are still full. I coordinate estate sale companies, donation pickup, and cleanout services, and I sequence it so the family has time to go through things first. Nothing gets thrown away on my watch that a family member hasn't had the chance to look at.
An honest as-is versus prepare analysis. Estates frequently want to know: do we have to fix this place up? Usually the answer is no, or only slightly. I'll run the numbers on both — list as-is to the renovation and investor market, or do targeted work first — with realistic net proceeds and timelines for each. If as-is is the better outcome for your family, I will tell you that, even though it's the smaller commission.
Access to the investor buyer pool. I maintain an active investor pipeline. For estate properties in original or distressed condition, that often means a faster, cleaner, contingency-free sale — but only when it's genuinely the right answer, and only at a price that's actually fair to the estate. I'll show you what the open market would likely produce so you can compare honestly.
Coordination with everyone else. Your attorney, the title company, the CPA, and the other heirs. Estate sales have more parties than normal transactions, and someone has to keep them synchronized. That's me.
Communication with all the heirs, not just the one who called me. When multiple siblings are involved, information asymmetry is what turns disagreements into fights. Everyone gets the same updates.
Bilingual service. Every conversation and document available in English or Spanish.
Areas I serve for estate property
Southeast Houston and the surrounding communities, including:
77089 and the South Belt area · Sagemont · Pearland · Clear Lake · Webster · Friendswood · League City · Pasadena · Deer Park · Alvin · Galveston
Many estate properties in this area are homes bought new in the 1960s and 70s by original owners who stayed for decades. Pricing those correctly requires knowing which updates matter to today's buyer and which don't — which is exactly the analysis I do for every family I work with.
Questions families ask me
Can I sell the house before probate is complete? Generally you need court-issued authority — Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration — before you can contractually bind the estate. Under independent administration you typically don't need separate court approval for each step after that. Under dependent administration you generally do need court authorization to sell. Your probate attorney will confirm which applies to your estate.
How long does this take? It varies widely. Harris County typically issues Letters Testamentary within a few weeks of the initial hearing. From there, an independent administration sale can move at close to normal market speed. A dependent administration sale takes longer because of the application, notice, and court approval steps. Estates with disputes among heirs, unclear title, or outstanding debts take longer still.
What if the heirs don't agree? It happens often, and it's usually about the process rather than the property. My role is to give everyone the same accurate information — real comparable sales, real net-proceeds scenarios, real timelines — so the discussion is about facts rather than assumptions. When there's a genuine legal dispute, that belongs with your attorney.
Do we have to clean it out first? No. I can list an occupied or fully furnished estate home and coordinate the cleanout on a schedule that works for your family. Take the time you need.
Do we have to make repairs? Usually not. Many estate homes sell as-is, particularly in southeast Houston where there's a strong renovation-buyer market. I'll show you both scenarios with real numbers before you spend anything.
What about taxes on an inherited home? Inherited property generally receives a stepped-up cost basis as of the date of death, which can significantly affect capital gains if you sell. The specifics depend on your situation. Talk to a CPA or tax attorney — this is genuinely outside what a real estate agent can advise on, and I won't pretend otherwise.
What does it cost to talk to you? Nothing. Call, ask questions, and decide later. Many families call me months before they're ready. That's fine.
When you're ready
Gerald Wood, Broker Associate · Bridgecrest Properties Call or text: (281) 408-3045 Email: geraldwood007@gmail.com Available 7 days a week · Se habla español
There's no pressure and no timeline from my end. If you want to talk through your options and then not do anything for six months, that's a completely reasonable use of a phone call.
Contact Gerald · Free Home Valuation · En Español
Important: Gerald Wood is a licensed Texas Broker Associate, not an attorney or a tax advisor. Nothing on this page is legal or tax advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Texas probate procedure varies by estate, by county, and by the specific facts of your situation. Always consult a licensed Texas probate attorney about your estate and a CPA or tax professional about tax consequences. Gerald works alongside your attorney — he doesn't replace one.
Gerald Wood, Licensed Texas Broker Associate, TREC License #651317-B · Bridgecrest Properties. Equal Housing Opportunity. TREC Information About Brokerage Services (IABS) · TREC Consumer Protection Notice