Inherited a house in Shreveport or Bossier? You can sell it as is.

Can I sell a house I inherited in Louisiana?

Yes. The house belongs to the heirs, and heirs can sell it, but a buyer and a title company need proof of who the heirs are. In Louisiana that proof comes from a succession. Until it is done, the house is still in the name of the person who died, and a title company will not insure a sale from a name that is no longer here to sign.

This is a good time to know that you do not have to decide everything at once. Many people inherit a house while they are grieving, living in another city, or both. Take the time you need. When you are ready, call us or talk to a lawyer first. Either order works.

What is a succession in Louisiana?

A succession is the legal process that moves a dead person's property to the people who inherit it. Other states call it probate, and people here mostly say succession. It is handled in the district court for the parish where the person lived: Caddo, Bossier or DeSoto for most of our area.

There are two basic kinds, and which one applies depends on whether there is a will and how much the estate is worth.

• A regular (judicial) succession. An attorney files in court, and the judge signs a judgment. This is the usual path when the estate is larger, when there is a will to be probated, or when the heirs disagree.
• A small succession. For smaller estates, the heirs can sometimes use a sworn affidavit instead of a full court case. See the next section.

The details of your family's situation decide which one fits. A succession lawyer can tell you in one conversation.

What is a judgment of possession?

A judgment of possession is the court order that names the heirs and puts them in legal possession of the property. It is the paper a title company usually looks for before it will close on an inherited house. Once it is signed and recorded, the heirs can sign a sale.

You may also hear "letters" or "an executor" or "an administrator." These are people the court names to handle an estate when there is a lot to sort out. Your lawyer will explain whether you need one.

The small succession affidavit and the new $200,000 limit

Louisiana raised the small succession limit to $200,000 on August 1, 2026. Before that date the limit was $125,000. The change came in Act 293 of 2026, and the rule itself is in Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure article 3421.

In plain words, a small succession lets the heirs sign a sworn affidavit instead of going through a full court succession, so the house can be put in their names faster and for less money. A few things to know before you count on it:

• The article sets the dollar limit as the gross value of what the person left behind, measured on the date of death.
• The $200,000 limit applies when the person who died lived in Louisiana. A different, lower limit applies to people who lived in another state.
• It is generally used when there is no will. If there is a will, ask a lawyer how it affects your case.
• The title company decides whether it will accept the affidavit for a sale. We cannot promise that it will.

Whether your family qualifies depends on the full value of the estate, not just the house, and on how the house is titled. Do not guess. Ask a succession lawyer or call the title company you plan to use. A Shreveport law firm has a plain-English write-up of small successions that is worth reading.

What if there are several heirs and one will not sign?

When a house has more than one heir, a sale generally needs all of them, or a court order that says who may sign. If one heir will not cooperate, cannot be found, or lives out of the country, the sale can slow down.

Here is what usually helps, in order:

1. Talk first. Often the heir who will not sign has a question nobody answered, or a worry about money. Sit down with the numbers.
2. Put the facts on paper. What the house would sell for, what is owed, what each heir would receive after closing costs.
3. Ask a lawyer about your options. Louisiana has legal ways to deal with a co-owner who will not agree, including asking the court to sort it out. That is a court matter and takes longer.

We cannot make an heir sign, and we will not pressure anyone. What we can do is explain what we would pay and how it would be split, so everyone sees the same numbers. When the heirs are ready, we close with all of them at the title company.

The inherited house is behind on the mortgage or in foreclosure

Inheriting a house with a loan on it does not make the loan go away, and a missed payment keeps counting while the succession is open. If the house is behind or a notice of seizure has arrived, call the servicer and tell them the owner has died. Ask in writing what they need from the heirs.

A foreclosure on an inherited house moves on the same schedule as any other. Read our page on facing a sheriff's sale for how it works and where to check the sale date. The parish sheriff's lists sometimes show a succession or an estate as the defendant. That means the owner has died and the heirs are the ones who can act.

Selling before the sale date can pay off the loan at closing, but there must be a legal way for the heirs to sign. That is why the succession matters. A succession lawyer can often tell you what is possible in your time frame. We buy houses. We are not a foreclosure-relief service, we do not charge heirs any fee, and we do not negotiate with the lender for you.

Can you buy the house with everything still inside?

Yes. We buy houses as they sit, and that includes the furniture, the clothes, the dishes and the garage. Take what the family wants, and leave the rest. You do not have to clean, repair or paint anything first.

Two practical notes. First, walk through the house and look for papers: the deed, the mortgage statement, insurance, tax bills, a will. Those help the lawyer and the title company. Second, check with the other heirs before anything leaves the house. Property that belongs to the estate is shared until the succession is done.

Can we sign now and close after the judgment of possession?

Often, yes. We can agree on a price and a plan with the heirs now, then close once the court paperwork is signed and recorded. That gives the family time to finish the succession without losing a buyer.

The agreement is in writing and says what has to happen before closing. The closing is at a local title company, and the title company tells everyone what it needs. You pick the closing date, and you do not have to rush into a deal while the succession is still in motion.

Your options as an heir

Selling to us is one choice. It may not be the best one for your family. Look at all of them.

1. Keep the house. If someone wants to live in it or rent it, you can finish the succession and keep the title.
2. List it with a Realtor. If the house is in good shape and there is time, a listing may bring a higher price. If that fits better, we will say so.
3. Sell it to us as-is. No repairs, no showings, no cleaning, and a closing date you pick. We may pay cash, or take over payments in some cases. Neither is promised until we see the house and the paperwork.
4. Pay a lawyer to start the succession first, then decide. Many families do this, and we are happy to wait.

How selling an inherited house to us works

• Call or send the form. Tell us the address, whether a succession has started, and how many heirs there are.
• We look at the house and talk through the numbers with you, including any loan or back taxes.
• We put the offer in writing. You can show it to your lawyer or the other heirs.
• A local title company closes it. They check the succession paperwork, pay off any loan, and send each heir their share.

If back property taxes are owed, that is on our page about property taxes in Louisiana.

Who we are

We are a local company in Keithville, a few minutes from DeSoto Parish. We buy houses in Shreveport, Bossier City, Keithville and DeSoto Parish, and we sell homes on rent to own. Charlie takes the seller calls. You talk to a person who knows these parishes.

Updated November 1, 2026