How selling your Minnesota house for cash works, in six steps
Most people who call us have never sold a house for cash. They want to know exactly what happens and when, before they give anyone an address. That’s reasonable. Here’s the whole process, start to finish, the way it works at Minnesold. It’s the same whether you’re settling an estate, moving a parent into care, or selling a house that needs work.
The short version: you tell us about the house, you get a price range within 24 hours, we walk the house, you get a written offer with the math shown, you pick the date, and a title company closes the sale.
Step 1: Send the address or call
You can submit the property address online or call us at (612) 229-7926. The web form is open 24/7, and we call back the same business day. Phone hours are Monday through Wednesday and Friday through Saturday from 8 AM to 7 PM, and Thursday from 9 AM to 7 PM. We’re closed Sunday.
Nothing is decided at this point. You’re just starting a conversation.
Step 2: A few questions, then a preliminary range
Our client services lead will ask about the situation, not just the house. The questions that matter most are:
- Who owns the home? One person, a couple, an estate, a trust, or several heirs.
- Is probate open? If the owner has died, we’ll ask whether a personal representative has been appointed, or whether the house passed by a Transfer on Death Deed.
- What’s your timeline? A care facility move date, a lender deadline, or just “sometime this year.”
- What’s the condition? Roughly, and whether it’s full of belongings.
Within 24 hours of that first call, you’ll get a preliminary price range. It’s a range, not an offer, because we haven’t seen the house yet.
Step 3: The walkthrough, in person or by video
Next we walk the house. If you or a family member are local, we meet you there. If you live out of state, we can do it by video call, or meet a neighbor or local key holder. The walkthrough is unhurried. We’re looking at the major systems, the condition, and anything that affects repair costs.
You don’t need to clean or empty anything first. Honestly, it’s better if you don’t, because it’s easier to plan the cleanout when we can see what’s there.
Step 4: A written offer with the math shown
Within 24 to 48 hours of the walkthrough, you get a firm written offer. It shows each line:
- What the home would likely sell for after repairs (the after-repair value)
- Minus repair costs
- Minus holding costs, like taxes, insurance, and utilities during the work
- Minus the cost of reselling
- Minus our profit
We show the math because we think you deserve to check it. Our guide on how we calculate your cash offer walks through an example. If listing the house would net you more, our licensed agent will tell you.
You’re not obligated to accept
The range and the written offer are free. Take your time, talk to your family, and compare it with a listing.
Step 5: You pick the closing date
If you accept, you choose the closing date. It can line up with a parent’s move into care, the end of a school year, or the week your siblings can all sign. When title is clear, we can often close in about two weeks. If you need more time, that’s fine too.
For probate sales, the date is coordinated with the estate’s attorney. The court and attorney timeline comes first, and we don’t promise probate closings in days.
Step 6: Closing through a title company
The closing happens through a title company, in person at their office or remotely. Out-of-state heirs often sign without traveling. At closing:
| What happens | Who handles it |
|---|---|
| Mortgage, liens, and unpaid taxes paid off | Title company, from the proceeds |
| Seller’s standard closing costs | Paid by us |
| Your proceeds sent to you or the estate | Title company |
| Leftover belongings | Handled by us after closing |
We pay the seller’s standard closing costs: the Minnesota state deed tax (plus the environmental surcharge Hennepin and Ramsey counties add), the abstract update or title search, and title company closing fees. There’s no commission.
What we handle along the way
Beyond the six steps, we take care of a few things that usually land on the family: any required TISH evaluation or septic compliance inspection, the cleanout (donation first), and coordination with your attorney and the title company. You keep one point of contact the whole way.
What to have ready for the first call
You don’t need anything to call us, but these help us give you a more useful range:
- The property address
- Who owns the house: a person, a couple, an estate, a trust, or heirs
- Whether probate is open, or whether there’s a Transfer on Death Deed
- Your rough timeline
- Anything you know about the condition: roof, furnace, water, foundation
- Whether it’s occupied, vacant, or rented
A note on assignment
We may close with our own funds or assign the purchase agreement to another buyer. The agreement says so in writing. If it’s assigned, your price, closing date, and terms don’t change, and the same Minnesold contact stays with you. See can a cash buyer assign your purchase agreement?.
Ready to start, or just have questions? Contact us. Step one is just the address.
Minnesold's team includes a licensed Minnesota real estate agent. Information on this site is general and educational. It is not legal, tax, or Medical Assistance advice. Talk with a probate attorney, elder law attorney, or CPA about your situation.