Florida is the country's biggest inherited-home market by transaction count — roughly 230,000 deaths a year flow through 67 county Probate Divisions, producing an estimated 35,000 to 50,000 inherited-home transactions. The retiree demographics, the homestead exemption, and the absence of state income tax combine to make Florida the most active pre-MLS environment in the country.
Homestead property passes by special inheritance rules that override the will — if the decedent had a surviving spouse and minor children, the homestead transfers by operation of law, NOT through probate. This means many homesteaded Florida homes never appear in formal probate at all.
Florida has two formal probate paths: Summary Administration (Florida Statutes section 735.201, for estates under $75,000 or when the decedent died more than 2 years ago) and Formal Administration (section 733). Summary is fast (60-90 days) and inexpensive — heirs commonly use it for paid-off homes. Formal administration runs 6 to 12 months. The 90-day creditor period after publication (section 733.702) is the binding floor.
Florida has no state income tax and no state estate tax. The retiree influx since 2020 has driven median home values to $395,000 statewide with much higher values in coastal counties (Collier, Sarasota, Pinellas, Palm Beach). Inherited Florida homes typically have very strong equity positions — particularly in long-tenured 55+ communities where original owners bought 20-30 years ago.
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Not every estate goes through it — it depends on how the home was titled, whether there's a will or trust, and Florida rules. We'll help you find out.
Start with probate →Selling isn't the only option. Talk through whether it makes sense for you and what you'd actually walk away with after costs and the stepped-up basis.
Explore selling →Renting, holding, or renovating could be worth it. See what the numbers look like in your specific market before deciding.
Look at keeping it →Before you sell, rent, or move in, understand the home's real condition — and what fixing it up would actually take locally.
Check repairs →Summary administration (under $75K or 2+ years post-death) closes in 60-90 days. Formal administration runs 6 to 12 months. The 90-day creditor period under section 733.702 is the floor for formal probate.
No. Florida has NOT adopted the Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act. Florida uses Lady Bird Deeds (Enhanced Life Estate Deeds) for the same effect — they bypass probate but are not formally codified.
Letters of Administration typically issue within 30-60 days for formal probate. The personal representative can immediately market the home but the home generally cannot close until after the 90-day creditor publication period.
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