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

If you need to sell an inherited house in Tequesta, the first job is paperwork, not paint. Someone has to prove they have the legal right to sign the deed, and Florida's homestead rules may decide who that is. After that, a small village with river and canal homes brings its own pricing questions. This guide walks through probate, trusts, homestead, cleanout and pricing in the order most families meet them.

Key takeaways

• How the owner held title decides the path. A home in a living trust can often sell without probate, while a home titled in one person's name usually needs a court case first.
• Florida homestead law can override a will when the owner left a spouse or a minor child, so confirm who inherits before you sign a listing agreement.
• Even a simple probate stays open for at least the three-month creditor claim period, according to The Florida Bar.
• All of Tequesta is in Palm Beach County, including the slice of the village on Jupiter Island. Pull the parcel record before you do anything else.
• Tequesta is a small market. Pure Equity's MLS data showed 98 active listings on October 1, 2026, so price from close, recent comparables.

Before you sell an inherited house in Tequesta, find the deed

Tequesta is a village of about 2.25 square miles at the north edge of Palm Beach County. It was incorporated in 1957 and grew around the Tequesta Country Club. Most of it sits on the mainland along the Loxahatchee River, and a slice reaches east onto Jupiter Island along Beach Road.

For an estate, start with the parcel. Homes in the village, on the mainland or on Jupiter Island, are recorded in Palm Beach County. So pull the parcel record first, and then read the most recent deed. It tells you how the owner held title, and that answer shapes every step after it.

While you look, protect the house. Change the locks if many relatives have keys, forward the mail and keep the power and air conditioning on. Also call the insurance company, because many policies limit coverage on a vacant home. On the river, check that any boat lift, dock and seawall are secured before storm season.

Who can sign to sell an inherited house in Tequesta?

Only the legal owner, or a person with legal authority, can sell real estate. After a death, three common situations cover most Tequesta homes.

The home was in a revocable trust

Many retirees in North County hold their homes in a living trust. In that case, the successor trustee named in the trust can usually sell without opening probate. The title company will still want a death certificate and the trust papers, and it may ask for a trustee affidavit. Our post on a Florida home held in a trust covers that path step by step.

The home passed by survivorship

Married couples often own as tenants by the entirety. When one spouse dies, the survivor already owns the whole house. A joint tenancy with right of survivorship works in much the same way. Here the survivor usually records a death certificate, and then the house can be sold like any other.

The deed lists only the person who died

Then the estate usually needs probate. The court appoints a personal representative, which is Florida's term for an executor. Under section 733.613 of the Florida Statutes, that person can sell without a court order if the will grants a power of sale. Without that power, the sale can still happen, but title does not pass until the court authorizes or confirms it.

Probate basics when you sell an inherited house in Tequesta

Probate is the court process that validates a will, pays debts and moves property to heirs. For a Palm Beach County resident, the case runs through the Clerk of the Circuit Court and the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit. If you hold the original will, The Florida Bar notes you must deposit it with the clerk within 10 days of learning of the death.

Florida has two main tracks. Formal administration is the full process. Summary administration is shorter, and section 735.201 allows it when the estate subject to administration, less exempt property, is worth $150,000 or less. It also applies when the person died more than two years ago. Since Tequesta homes sell far above $150,000, most families use formal administration unless two years have passed.

The Florida Bar also says creditors who get notice generally have three months to file claims. So even a simple estate stays open at least that long. In addition, the Bar advises every personal representative to work with a qualified attorney. You can usually list the home while probate is open, as long as the contract allows time for any court approval.

Florida homestead rules that change who inherits

If the house was the owner's primary residence, Florida's homestead laws may apply. They protect a surviving spouse and minor children, and they can override what the will says.

When a spouse or minor child survives

Under section 732.4015, an owner survived by a spouse or a minor child cannot freely leave the homestead by will. The one exception lets the owner leave it to the spouse when there is no minor child. If the will tried to leave the home to someone else, the descent rules take over.

The life estate and the six-month election

Section 732.401 gives the surviving spouse a life estate, with the remainder going to the descendants. Instead, the spouse may elect an undivided one-half interest as a tenant in common. That election must be made within six months after the death. Either way, more people may need to sign the deed, so talk with a probate attorney before you set a list date.

The property tax reset

The owner's homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap do not pass to heirs who live elsewhere. After the change in ownership, the home is assessed at market value on a later tax roll unless a new owner qualifies. For a river home bought decades ago, the jump can be large. Because of that, many heirs choose to sell rather than hold.

Ways to sell an inherited house in Tequesta

Once the right person can sign, you have a few routes. Each one trades time for money in a different way.

• List it on the open market. This usually brings the most buyers, especially for waterfront homes and houses near the country club.
• Sell it as-is through a listing. You skip repairs, disclose what you know, and let buyers price in the work.
• Take a cash offer. It can close fast, but investors price in their profit and repair costs.
• Keep it and rent it. This works only if every heir agrees and someone is willing to manage it.

Heirs who live out of state often want the simplest path. Even so, compare a cash offer with a list price estimate before you decide. Our guide to selling a Tequesta house as-is covers repairs, disclosures and inspections in more depth.

Cleanout and repairs for a river or canal home

Emptying a parent's house is often the hardest part. So break the work into stages, and give each stage its own deadline.

1. Pull out papers first: wills, deeds, tax returns, bank statements and insurance policies.
2. Let family members choose keepsakes, and write down who took what.
3. Have art, jewelry, boats and other items of real value appraised before anyone sells them.
4. Then hire an estate sale company, schedule a donation pickup or book a junk removal crew for the rest.

Keep every receipt, because the estate often pays these costs. Next, think about the water. Buyers of canal and river homes ask about dock condition, seawall age, boat lift capacity and bridge clearance to the inlet. Gather any permits or repair invoices you can find.

Florida also requires a flood disclosure. Under section 689.302, a seller must give the buyer a flood disclosure form at or before the time the contract is signed. It asks about past flood damage, flood insurance claims and disaster aid. Heirs may not know the history, so check the owner's files and insurance records, and answer honestly with what you know.

How to price and sell an inherited house in Tequesta

Inherited homes are often the ones nobody has updated in 20 or 30 years. The roof, the kitchen and the air conditioning may all be original. So price for the home's real condition, not for the remodeled house two doors down.

According to Pure Equity's MLS data as of October 1, 2026, Tequesta had 98 active residential listings with a median list price of $700,000. The median asking price per square foot was $439, and active listings had been on the market for an average of 85 days. That is a small sample, and these are asking prices for homes still for sale. Check the live numbers on our Tequesta market page.

For sold prices, look at the county. Miami Realtors reported that in August 2026, the Palm Beach County single-family median sale price was $650,000, with a median of 40 days to contract and 3.5 months of supply. Condos and townhouses had a $300,000 median, 69 days to contract and 6.7 months of supply.

Why water access moves the price

In Tequesta, two homes of the same size can sell for very different prices. Direct river or ocean access, fixed bridges on the route out, dock length and seawall condition all change what a boater will pay. As a result, a dry-lot house and a deep-water house rarely work as comparables for each other.

Taxes after you sell an inherited house in Tequesta

IRS Publication 551 says the basis of inherited property is generally its fair market value on the date of death. That rule is often called the stepped-up basis. If heirs sell soon after the death for close to that value, the taxable gain may be small. So get a date-of-death appraisal early, because it supports the basis later.

There are exceptions, such as property given to the person who died within a year before death. Estates that file a federal estate tax return also have extra reporting steps. A CPA can tell you how the rules apply to your family.

A simple timeline for the sale

1. Weeks 1 to 2: Secure the house, find the will and deed, and call a probate attorney.
2. Weeks 2 to 8: Open probate or confirm trustee authority, and order a date-of-death appraisal.
3. Months 2 to 3: Clean out the house, gather dock and roof records, and get a pricing opinion.
4. Months 3 to 5: List the home, review offers and allow time for any court approval.

Every estate moves at its own pace, so treat this as a rough guide. Disputes between heirs, missing papers or a title problem can add months. However, families who start early usually avoid a rushed sale.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell an inherited house in Tequesta before probate closes?

Often, yes. A personal representative with authority can list the home during probate. If the will has no power of sale, the court must authorize or confirm the sale before title passes.

Do all the heirs have to agree to sell?

It depends on how title passed. A trustee or a personal representative with power of sale can usually sign alone. When heirs already own the home together, each owner normally has to sign.

Is any part of Tequesta in Martin County?

No. The village, including its slice of Jupiter Island, is in Palm Beach County, and Martin County begins at the village's northern edge. Your attorney and title company will confirm which court and records office to use.

Should I renovate before I sell an inherited house in Tequesta?

Usually only small fixes pay off, such as cleaning, yard work and repairing obvious hazards. Big remodels tie up estate money and time. A local agent can tell you which updates buyers in your price range expect.

How is the price set for a waterfront estate home?

Your agent compares recent sales with similar water access, lot size and condition. For waterfront homes, details like bridge clearance and seawall age can matter as much as square footage.

Sources

• The Florida Bar, Probate in Florida
• Florida Statutes, s. 733.613, sale of real property
• Florida Statutes, s. 735.201, summary administration
• Florida Statutes, s. 732.401, descent of homestead
• Florida Statutes, s. 732.4015, devise of homestead
• Florida Statutes, s. 689.302, flood disclosure
• IRS, Publication 551, Basis of Assets
• U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer file for Florida places (land and water area)
• Historical Society of Palm Beach County, Tequesta
• U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates for Florida cities and towns (county of each place)
• Miami Realtors, Palm Beach County August 2026 market report

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

Handling a family home in Tequesta? Book a no-obligation listing consultation with a Tequesta specialist. We will help you price the home for its condition and water access, and plan the sale around probate. Talk with our team. If anyone in the family wants to buy nearby, our buyer agents can help with that too.