Lake County, Florida
Sell your Lake County house, including one you inherited.
We buy houses across Lake County in any condition, including houses that came to you through an estate. Sell as is for cash, on terms, or with a 1% listing, and see all three side by side, in writing, before you decide.
About a minute. 4 short steps. Close in 7 to 90 days, on your date. Hablamos español
Florida LLC, Sunbiz L24000335041 · A licensed title company closes every sale
Call (305) 914-4191Lake County is named for its water: 250 named lakes, with Tavares as the county seat and Clermont as its largest city. It is also older than most of Florida. Census estimates put 28% of residents at 65 or older, so a lot of Lake County houses change hands through an estate. Our closest files are next door in Polk County: a subject-to purchase in Lakeland in 2026, a cash purchase in Winter Haven and a package of seller-financed homes in Lake Wales.
Lake County market
Asking prices are flat. Homes sit about ten weeks.
Realtor.com counted 2,520 active listings in Lake County in August 2026, a few more than a year earlier, and the typical listing spent 73 days on the market. These are asking prices, not sale prices. A move-in ready house in a newer Clermont subdivision can do well on the MLS. An older house that needs a roof, sits on a lake that rose after a storm, or belongs to an estate with heirs in three states is a different job.
After Hurricane Milton in 2024, high lake levels led residents of a lakefront mobile home community in Clermont to leave voluntarily, and water covered streets in a Sorrento subdivision. First Street data on Redfin puts 7% of Lake County properties at severe flood risk over 30 years. You can sell a storm-damaged house without fixing it first.
We can buy as is for cash, take over your existing mortgage payments, buy on seller financing where you set the price, down payment, rate and term, or list on the MLS for a 1% listing fee through our licensed partner brokerage. See how they compare on our compare selling options page, or read about our cash sale, subject-to sales and the 1% listing.
Inherited and probate houses
How heirs sell a house in Lake County
Most of the work is finding out who can sign. Once that is settled, the sale is the easy part. Here is how it usually goes. This is general information, not legal advice, so have a Florida probate attorney look at your estate.
First: how did the house pass?
If the house was in a revocable trust, the successor trustee has authority at death without a court appointment. If a co-owner with survivorship rights is still living, that person can usually sign once the death certificate is recorded. If the house was only in the owner’s name, it usually goes through probate in Tavares, and the court names a personal representative. If it was the owner’s protected homestead, title passes to the heirs at death and the heirs sign the deed.
Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3Summary or formal administration
Since July 1, 2026, Florida allows summary administration when the estate’s assets, not counting property exempt from creditors, are worth $150,000 or less. The old limit was $75,000. It is also open when the person died more than two years ago. A protected homestead usually does not count toward the limit. Bigger estates go through formal administration, where creditors generally have 3 months from the first published notice to file claims.
Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3What the title company needs
Before any buyer can close, a licensed title company has to be sure the right people are signing. Expect requests for a certified death certificate and the Letters of Administration or court order. For a homestead, title companies typically want a court order determining homestead status. Lake County’s homestead checklist asks for the legal description and who receives what share. The title company also searches for the mortgage payoff, liens and unpaid taxes.
Source 1 · Source 2Selling before probate ends
You do not always have to wait for the estate to close. If the will gives the personal representative a power to sell real property, the personal representative can sell without a court order. If it does not, the court has to authorize or confirm the sale, and title does not pass until it does. Many heirs ask for their numbers early, so they can move as soon as the order comes. We close 7 to 90 days out, on your date.
SourceHeirs who live out of state
Florida allows online notarization, and a Florida online notary can notarize for a signer outside Florida who asks for a Florida notary. The two witnesses a Florida deed needs can also appear by audio-video. Heirs can sign with a notary where they live, too. A Lake County probate guide from a law firm says most routine hearings there run on Zoom. The title company tells you which signing method it accepts.
Source 1 · Source 2Taxes and the homestead reset
Save Our Homes caps a homestead’s assessed value. When the owner dies, the cap carries over only in limited cases, such as a transfer to a surviving spouse. Otherwise the house is reassessed at market value as of January 1 of the next year, and the bill can jump. An heir who moves in must apply for a new homestead exemption by March 1. Lake County taxes go delinquent April 1, with 3% interest added.
Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3 · Source 4When we buy an inherited house, you do not need to clean it out or fix it. We see every house before making an offer, in person or by video call, which helps when no heir lives nearby, and we close at a licensed Florida title company, usually First International Title. For the full Florida walkthrough, including reverse mortgages and loans still in the owner’s name, read our guide to selling an inherited house in Florida. If heirs disagree, or the will is unclear, talk with a Florida probate attorney before anyone signs a contract.
Towns we buy in
Where we buy in Lake County
Tell us about your house wherever it is in Lake County. Our neighbors have their own pages: Polk County to the south, Kissimmee and Osceola County to the southeast, and Dunnellon in Marion County to the northwest.
Selling a lot or acreage instead of a house? See selling land in Florida, or our guide to selling a mobile home with land.
County offices
Lake County offices and dates
The offices that come up when a Lake County house sells or passes to heirs. Confirm anything time-sensitive with the office listed.
Real closings
HOMKEYS closings near Lake County
Each one closed at a licensed Florida title company. We show the city and month only, never the address, to protect the seller's privacy.
28 closings in 23 Florida cities and 17 counties since September 2024. See them on the map.
Guides for sellers in Lake County
Short reads on the questions we hear most from owners here.
Questions
What Lake County homeowners and heirs ask us
Can I sell an inherited house in Lake County before probate is finished?
Often yes. If the will gives the personal representative a power to sell, the personal representative can sell without a court order. If not, the court must authorize or confirm the sale before title passes. A protected homestead is signed by the heirs, and title companies usually want a court order determining homestead first. A Florida probate attorney can tell you which applies.
Where is probate filed for a Lake County estate?
At the Lake County Judicial Center, 550 W. Main St., Tavares, through the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Whoever holds the original will must deposit it with the Clerk within 10 days of learning of the death.
Does the estate qualify for summary administration?
It may. Since July 1, 2026, Florida allows summary administration when the assets, not counting property exempt from creditors, are worth $150,000 or less, up from $75,000. It is also available when the person died more than two years ago. A protected homestead usually does not count toward the limit. Ask a Florida probate attorney about your estate.
I live out of state. Do I have to travel to Tavares to sign?
Usually not. Florida allows online notarization, including for signers outside Florida, and deed witnesses can appear by audio-video. Heirs can also sign with a notary where they live. The title company confirms which method it accepts, and we can see the house by video call.
What happens to the property taxes after the owner dies?
The Save Our Homes cap usually ends, unless the house goes to a surviving spouse or another exception applies. The house is then reassessed at market value as of January 1 of the next year. Keep the taxes paid while you decide, since Lake County taxes go delinquent April 1.
Do you buy houses everywhere in Lake County?
Yes. We buy houses, condos, townhouses, mobile homes and land in any condition across Lake County, from Eustis, Mount Dora and Tavares to Leesburg, Clermont, Groveland and Mascotte. We see every house before making an offer, in person or by video call.
Do you speak Spanish?
Yes. Erick Roda calls in Spanish, and the HOMKEYS team takes calls in Spanish. This page is also available in Spanish.
What does it cost to ask HOMKEYS for options?
Nothing. Asking does not commit you to sell. On a cash sale, HOMKEYS pays the closing costs, and we close 7 to 90 days out on your date at a licensed Florida title company.
A real Florida team reviews every house, and Dor oversees every offer and closing. We explain every number before you or any other heir decides anything.
Find out what your Lake County house could do for you.
Tell us about the house, even if probate is still open. We will come back with your options in writing. Prefer to text? Text (305) 914-4191.
Selling an inherited house in Florida → Selling land in Florida → See all Florida areas we buy →
Sources for this page
- fred.stlouisfed.org/data/MELIPRCOUNTY12069
- fred.stlouisfed.org/data/MEDAONMACOUNTY12069
- fred.stlouisfed.org/data/ACTLISCOU12069
- census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/lakecountyflorida/POP815223
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_County,_Florida
- redfin.com/county/470/FL/Lake-County/housing-market
- mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2024/10/14/residents-voluntarily-leave-lake-county-mobile-hom
- lake.wateratlas.usf.edu/news/details/23367/
- floridabar.org/public/consumer/pamphlet028/
- jimersonfirm.com/blog/2023/01/legally-sell-property-recently-deceased-family-member/amp/
- alperlaw.com/florida-asset-protection/homestead-exemption/florida-homestead-protection-dea
- brinkleymorgan.com/blog/floridas-new-probate-law-what-changed-july-1-2026/
- caselaw.findlaw.com/court/fl-supreme-court/225402.html
- m.flsenate.gov/Statutes/733.702
- circuit5.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/checklist-for-determening-homestead-status-of-real
- flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/733.613
- laws.flrules.org/2019/71
- floridaprobatelawgroup.com/florida-probate-by-county/lake-county-probate-court-guide/
- flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2023/193.155
- alperlaw.com/florida-asset-protection/florida-homestead-law/homestead-after-death/
- miamidadepa.gov/pa/library/form/dr501.pdf
- laketax.com/property-taxes
- laketax.com/locations/
- circuit5.org/lake-county-probate-division/
- flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/732.901
- lakecountyclerkfl.gov/?p=6332
- lakevotes.gov/186/County
- lakecopropappr.com/pdfs/2025/Tax%20Roll/2025%20Final%20Millage%20Rates%20and%20Values%20Co
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eustis,_Florida
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leesburg,_Florida
- citypopulation.de/en/usa/florida/lake/1239875__leesburg
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Dora,_Florida
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tavares,_Florida
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clermont,_Florida
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groveland,_Florida
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mascotte,_Florida
HOMKEYS LLC is committed to the letter and spirit of U.S. fair housing laws. We do business without regard to race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. Market figures are third-party estimates as of the dates shown. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.