Executor selling property from a deceased estate

As the executor, you are the only person who can validly sign a sale agreement for property in the estate, once the Master of the High Court has issued your Letter of Executorship. This page explains your authority, what the heirs must consent to, and how to get full value for the estate.

WindUp supports executors with a free valuation and a vetted local agent who handles deceased estate sales, so you can meet your duty to the estate without carrying the whole process alone.

Your authority

You sign the sale agreement and transfer documents on behalf of the estate under your Letter of Executorship.

Heir consent

Where heirs inherit the property, the Master generally requires their written consent before endorsing the sale.

Master’s approval

Transfer registers only after the Master endorses the sale under Section 42(2) of the Administration of Estates Act.

Can an executor sell property without the heirs agreeing?

If the will directs the sale, or the estate must sell to cover debts, the executor can proceed. Where heirs inherit the property, the Master generally wants their written consent first.

When can the executor sign a sale agreement?

Only after the Master issues the Letter of Executorship. Until then, no sale agreement for the estate property is valid.

How much does WindUp cost families?

Nothing. Your valuation and the introduction to a vetted local estate agent are free, and you are never under any obligation to list or sell.

Can I sell the property before the estate is finalised?

Yes. Once the Letter of Executorship or Letter of Authority is issued, the executor can market the property and accept an offer. Transfer registers after the Master of the High Court endorses the sale.

Do I have to accept a discounted cash offer?

No. Quick-cash investors target deceased estates because families feel time pressure. An open market sale through a local agent almost always returns more to the estate.