What Families Need to Know About Texas Probate Sales

By David Pannell

David Pannell is the Managing Broker and founder of Cities Real Estate, a forward-thinking brokerage based in Fort Worth, Texas. A licensed Realtor since 2005 and a broker since 2010, David is known for his expertise in helping families sell homes quickly, especially those navigating the complexities of probate and inherited property.

When a loved one passes and their name is still on the title of a property, the home can’t be sold right away. In Texas, this often means going through probate, a legal process to confirm ownership and settle debts before a sale can move forward.

What is the probate “black hole”? In Dallas and Fort Worth, probate can take around four months or longer, depending on the county. Between filing the case and receiving court confirmation, families often experience what’s called the “black hole.” During this time, no one has full authority to act on the property.

This is usually where problems begin. Family members may enter the home and remove items. Creditors may surface, demanding repayment. In some cases, relatives or squatters even move into the property, making it harder to sell and scaring off serious buyers.

How to prepare your home while waiting. You can take inventory of the property and its contents or even conduct an estate sale. These activities can help you prepare without extending the waiting period.

These steps keep things moving so you’re ready when the court grants authority. To avoid complications, it’s ideal to have the following:

● Lady Bird deed (enhanced life estate deed). ownership upon death when heirs are already identified, or to establish a living trust that designates beneficiaries to take over the asset.
● Living trust. A trust names beneficiaries and usually gives them control within 30 days, instead of waiting months for court approval.

Both options reduce stress and keep the sale process on track for heirs.

If a family member moves into the property while you’re managing the estate, you can quickly take control through temporary administration or be appointed as an executor or personal representative. This allows you to manage who can enter or exit the property and prevents items from going missing.

How to protect your property. If probate is unavoidable, the court can appoint a temporary administrator or executor to manage the home. This helps prevent unauthorized occupancy, missing belongings, or disputes that could delay the sale further.

Here’s how we can help. Our team works with families, investors, attorneys, and title companies across Dallas–Fort Worth to guide properties through probate.

We help clean out homes, clear titles, and position the property to sell for the highest possible price once approval comes through (817) 797-9047 or david@citiesrealestate.com. The key right now is to help you avoid seller penalties and ensure you can close the property at the highest possible price.