Written for personal representatives and heirs dealing with property in the District — not generic national content rewritten with "Washington, DC" pasted on top. Everything here is educational only and is not legal advice.
All ten steps in order, the statute behind each one, and when the house can actually be sold.
Every statutory clock in a DC estate, why about nine months is the floor, and what actually causes delay.
What the letters say, when the power to sell starts, and what buyers and title rely on.
How an estate becomes supervised, what the court really oversees, and whether you need court approval to sell.
The lighter process, the threshold, and why a house usually rules it out.
Who controls the house, what an objecting heir can really do, and the buyout that usually ends it.
The inventory duty, the exempt property allowance, and a workable sequence for the part families dread most.
A tenant in an inherited property changes everything. What TOPA does, what the 2018 exemption changed, and where estates get caught.
Every duty Title 20 puts on a DC personal representative once the estate owns a house, with deadlines and code sections.
Stepped-up basis, capital gains, DC estate tax thresholds, vacant-property rates and settlement taxes.
The division of labour in a DC estate, how the estate pays each role, fee review, conflicts, and who to call first.
You can serve from another state. Here is the extra filing, and how the house gets handled without you here.
The DC intestate shares, who the court appoints, and what co-owning heirs can and cannot do with the house.
The 2023 DC partition statute step by step: appraisal, cotenant buyout, in-kind factors, and the open-market sale default.
The deed still names someone who died years ago. What it takes to clear title and close.
The tenant stays, the lease survives, and TOPA may or may not apply. What a PR can actually do.
Deed says “trustee”? Then no Letters are needed — here is what the title company wants instead.
One heir wants to keep the house, or the PR wants to buy it. Here is how DC lets that happen without it being set aside.
Condo resale packages, co-op board approval, and unpaid assessments — the second layer in an estate sale.
Empty house, 90-day clock: registration, the probate exemption, and the insurance gap.
Estate opened in MD, VA or another state, house in DC? No second probate — but publication, bond and a 6-month claims clock all apply.
A HECM comes due when the last borrower dies. Heirs get defined options — including the 95%-of-appraised-value rule — plus a DC foreclosure clock.
Medicaid can claim against the estate for care paid after age 55. Whether the house is reachable turns on title, who lives there, and the exemptions.
What the petition for probate must say, abbreviated vs formal probate, priority to serve, bond waivers, and the 20-day notice clock.
Is the TOD deed valid, who gets the house, liens and creditor claims, the tax exemptions, and selling without letters.
Joint tenancy vs tenancy in common vs tenancy by the entirety, the 120-hour rule, life estates, and who signs the sale.
Due-on-sale limits, successor-in-interest rights, payoff statements, missed payments, and selling with a loan in place.
The Probate Self-Help Center, volunteer PLAN lawyers, nonprofits, MyDCLawyer referrals, checking a lawyer, and who pays.
Tell us the address and where things stand. We'll tell you what the property is worth and what usually happens next — even if you're a year away from doing anything.
Current market value, an as-is value, and a side-by-side of your options. No obligation, no pressure.
Chris has been notified and will reach out personally, usually within a couple of hours during business hours. If it's urgent, call (202) 902-6714.
