Selling an inherited house in the Pinellas beach towns

One stretch of sand, many towns

The Pinellas beaches are not one place. Going north from the mouth of Tampa Bay, there is St. Pete Beach (including historic Pass-a-Grille), Treasure Island, Madeira Beach near John's Pass, Redington Beach, North Redington Beach, Redington Shores, Indian Shores, and Indian Rocks Beach. Belleair Beach and Clearwater Beach are farther north, and we cover them on our Belleair and Clearwater pages.

Each town has its own government and enforces its own floodplain rules, though a few have their building permits handled by Pinellas County or a neighboring town. Probate, though, runs through the Pinellas County Clerk no matter which town the house is in.

We do not buy condos

We want to say this plainly because a large share of beach property is condominiums. We do not buy condos or co-ops. If the inherited property is a condo unit, we are not the right buyer, and we would rather tell you on the first call than take up your time. A local listing agent who works with condo associations is a better place to start.

If the property is a single-family house, a duplex, a small multifamily building, or a vacant lot, we are glad to talk.

After Helene: the beach house problem

Helene's storm surge in September 2024 put water into a huge number of homes on the barrier islands, and Milton followed two weeks later. Many older beach houses are ground-level ranches or cottages from the mid-twentieth century. Those took the worst of it.

In flood zones, every beach town applies the FEMA 50% rule. If repairs would cost half of the structure's value or more, the house must be brought into compliance, which usually means elevating it or tearing it down and building new. For an estate, that can mean:

• A house that cannot legally be lived in until it is rebuilt
• Insurance and flood claims still being sorted out
• Property taxes and insurance bills continuing on an empty, damaged house
• Heirs in other states trying to manage contractors and permits

We buy these houses as-is, including gutted homes and ones with substantial damage determinations. The rebuild decision becomes ours. See inherited houses with hurricane damage.

Probate for a beach property

Beach homes are often worth more than inland homes, so estates with a beach house are more likely to exceed the $150,000 limit for summary administration, unless the house was the owner's protected homestead, which does not count toward the limit, or the owner died more than two years ago. If the estate qualifies, probate can often be completed in 24 to 48 hours after the heirs sign. Formal administration takes several months or longer, and we will be honest about which is likely. Either way, we pay the probate cost, typically about $3,000, and it is not deducted from the heirs' share. We are not attorneys, and this is general information.

Second homes and out-of-state owners

Many beach houses were second homes for owners who lived up north. If the person lived in another state, the main probate usually happens there, and Florida may need a separate ancillary proceeding for the beach house. The probate attorney handles that. Heirs sign with a notary where they live, and closing can be done remotely. Pinellas Probate Home Buyers is the probate division of 131 Cash Home Buyers. Call or text Alex at (727) 353-6206.

We’re a home-buying company, not attorneys. This page is general information about Florida probate, not legal advice; an independent licensed Florida probate attorney represents the estate in every probate we pay for. Last updated November 2026.