Selling an Inherited Home in Lantana: Probate, Homestead and Next Steps

If you need to sell an inherited house in Lantana, you are dealing with a small town and a short list of comparable sales. Lantana covers about 3 square miles between Lake Worth Beach and Boynton Beach. Many of its homes are older single-family houses and condo units, often owned by the same person for decades. So the work has two parts. First comes the legal side: probate or trust, Florida homestead rules and who can sign. Then comes the practical side: cleaning out the home, handling a condo association and setting a price that fits a market this size.

Key takeaways

• Title decides the path. A home in a revocable trust can often sell without probate, while a home in one person's name usually needs a court case.
• Florida homestead law can override a will when the owner left a spouse or a minor child.
• Creditors get at least three months to file claims, so The Florida Bar expects a simple probate to take five or six months.
• Inherited condos need an estoppel certificate from the association, which must issue it within 10 business days of a request.
• With 168 active listings in town as of October 1, 2026, pricing rests on a small set of comparable sales.

A quick look at Lantana before you sell an inherited house there

The town describes itself as an old Florida fishing village, and it was incorporated in 1921. Most of Lantana sits on the mainland along the Intracoastal Waterway. It also has a municipal beach of about eight acres with 745 feet of ocean frontage. The town provides its own water and sewer service, so you will deal with the town for the final utility bill.

The housing reflects that age. You will find modest single-family homes from past decades, villas, and condo buildings near U.S. 1 and the water. In many estates, the house still has its original layout, an older roof or systems that were last replaced long ago.

Because the town is small, a few sales can move the averages. That makes careful pricing more important here than in a big suburb with dozens of similar homes.

Early steps for the family

Take a breath. Nothing needs to sell right away. Still, a few early steps protect the home and its value.

• Change the locks if several people have keys.
• Call the insurance company, since vacant homes often have limited coverage.
• Keep the AC and utilities running to prevent mold and humidity damage.
• If it is a condo, tell the association manager about the death.
• Gather the will, any trust papers and the deed.

Also, anyone holding the original will must deposit it with the clerk within 10 days of learning of the death. For Lantana, that is the Palm Beach County Clerk's probate division in West Palm Beach.

Who has the right to sell an inherited house in Lantana?

Start by pulling the deed from the county's official records. The way the owner held title tells you who can sign.

A trust names the seller

If the home was deeded to a revocable living trust, the successor trustee can usually sell it without probate. The title company will ask for the trust and a death certificate. Our guide to selling a parent's home after a death covers the trust path in more detail.

Survivorship passes the home automatically

A married couple who owned the home as tenants by the entirety leaves it to the surviving spouse. Joint tenants with right of survivorship work in a similar way. In both cases, recording a death certificate is often enough.

Probate gives someone authority

When the deed lists only the person who died, someone usually must open probate. The court appoints a personal representative. If the will grants a power of sale, Florida Statutes section 733.613 lets that person sell without a court order. Otherwise, they need the court's approval.

Probate timelines in Palm Beach County

Lantana estates go through the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, and the Clerk of the Circuit Court keeps the files. There are two main types of administration.

Summary administration is the faster option. It is available when the estate subject to probate, minus exempt property, is worth $150,000 or less, or when the person died more than two years ago. Formal administration is the full process, and most estates with a house use it.

The Florida Bar says creditors generally have three months to file claims after the notice runs. So it expects a simple estate to take about five or six months. It also says a personal representative should always work with a qualified attorney.

Meanwhile, you can usually prepare the home and line up a listing. Our probate and inherited property page explains how our agents coordinate with the estate's lawyer on timing.

Homestead rules can change the heirs

If the home was the owner's primary residence, Florida's homestead rules come into play. They matter most when the owner left a spouse or a minor child.

Under section 732.4015, such an owner cannot leave the homestead to someone else by will, except to the spouse when there is no minor child. If no valid will controls, section 732.401 gives the spouse a life estate and the children the rest. Instead, the spouse can elect a one-half share as a tenant in common within six months after the death. That choice cannot be undone.

These rules can add people who must sign the deed. Also, the homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap end when ownership changes, so a later tax bill may rise. Ask your attorney to confirm homestead status early.

Condo steps when you sell an inherited house in Lantana

Many Lantana estates include a condo rather than a house. That adds association paperwork to the sale.

• Ask for the account balance, since dues and special assessments may have gone unpaid.
• Request an estoppel certificate once you have a buyer. Florida law requires the association to deliver it within 10 business days.
• Check whether the association must approve new buyers, and how long that takes.
• Ask whether the building is three or more habitable stories. If so, Florida requires milestone inspections, and buyers will ask for the results.

Getting these documents early helps you avoid a delayed closing. In addition, buyers feel more confident when the paperwork is ready before they write an offer.

Cleanout and condition

Emptying a home that someone lived in for 30 years takes time. So break it into steps.

1. Pull out important papers first, such as wills, deeds, tax bills and insurance policies.
2. Let family members pick keepsakes, and keep a written list.
3. Have valuable items appraised before they are sold or given away.
4. Then hire an estate sale company or a junk removal crew for the rest.

Next, look at condition. An older roof can make insurance harder to get, which limits financed buyers. Old electrical panels and plumbing raise the same concern. Fixing one big insurance issue sometimes pays for itself, while cosmetic work often does not. Keep receipts, because the estate usually pays these costs.

Pricing when you sell an inherited house in Lantana

According to Pure Equity's MLS data as of October 1, 2026, Lantana had 168 active residential listings with a median list price of $372,500. The median asking price per square foot was $339, and active listings had been on the market for an average of 120 days. These numbers mix condos and houses, and they are asking prices, not sale prices. See the live figures on our Lantana page.

For sales, Miami Realtors reported a countywide single-family median of $650,000 in August 2026, with 40 median days to contract. Condos and townhouses had a $300,000 median and took 69 days. Those county numbers include far larger towns, though. In Lantana, the best guide is a handful of recent sales on similar streets or in the same building.

Then pick a route. Some heirs sell as is to save time. Others clean, paint and fix the most obvious items to reach owner-occupants. An agent can estimate the net for both options before you decide.

Taxes after you sell an inherited house in Lantana

Heirs generally receive a stepped-up basis. IRS rules set the basis of inherited property at its fair market value on the date of death. So if you sell soon at a similar price, there may be little or no taxable gain. A date-of-death appraisal gives you a record of that value. Ask a CPA how it applies, especially when several heirs split the proceeds.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell an inherited house in Lantana before probate ends?

Often, yes. Once the court appoints a personal representative with authority to sell, you can list. Just allow time in the contract for any court approval.

How long does Florida probate take?

Creditors get at least three months after the notice runs. The Florida Bar expects about five or six months for a simple estate.

Who pays condo dues after the owner dies?

In most cases the estate keeps paying until closing. Any unpaid amount shows up on the estoppel certificate and gets paid from the sale.

Do heirs pay capital gains tax?

Only on gain above the stepped-up basis, which is usually the value on the date of death.

Sources

• Florida Statutes, s. 732.401, descent of homestead
• Florida Statutes, s. 732.4015, devise of homestead
• Florida Statutes, s. 735.201, summary administration
• Florida Statutes, s. 733.613, sale of real property
• Florida Statutes, s. 718.116, condo estoppel certificates
• Florida Statutes, s. 553.899, milestone inspections
• The Florida Bar, Probate in Florida
• Palm Beach County Clerk, probate of estates
• Town of Lantana, about us
• IRS Publication 551, Basis of Assets
• Miami Realtors, Palm Beach County August 2026 market report

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Probate, homestead and condo rules depend on your family's facts, so talk with a Florida probate attorney and a tax professional before you act.

Inherited a home or condo in Lantana? Pure Equity can help you price it, gather the association paperwork and time the listing around probate. Book a no-obligation listing consultation with a Lantana specialist. Reach our team. If a relative would rather buy nearby, our agents can help with that search as well.