In probate, few phrases sound more reasonable than "let's just wait and see". It sounds careful, measured, the kind option when executors are grieving, families are fractured and professionals are trying not to rush anyone into a decision they might regret. It buys time when time already feels scarce.
But when an unsold property is involved, time has an economic dimension as well as an emotional one. A house does not pause while an estate gathers itself; it continues to age, to incur costs and time, to exist in a market that moves even while decisions are being carefully considered by Executors.
The financial impact of waiting rarely arrives as a single dramatic loss; it accumulates over weeks and months while the property gathers dust on Rightmove. Right now, unsold properties are sitting on the market for an average close to 180 days and housing stock is at its highest level since 2013, around 21% above the recent five-year average. That's nearly six months of holding costs in a saturated market before a sale even completes.
Empty homes continue to generate bills - council tax and insurance premiums that spike once a property is unoccupied, utilities ticking over, basic maintenance to keep deterioration at bay, security becoming another line item. The estate haemorrhages money while the property sits empty.
Then there is condition. An empty house does not remain in the state it was left; small leaks go unnoticed, damp sets in, heating is turned off, gardens become wild. These changes are rarely catastrophic, but they are cumulative and visible to buyers.
Properties that sit attract a different type of attention. Buyer leverage increases, confidence weakens and price reductions follow. With sales agreed falling faster than new listings, and buyer demand down year on year, the market is conviction-poor. In this environment, "sale agreed" has become a comforting milestone rather than a meaningful outcome; completion is what counts. By the time a sale eventually completes, the final price frequently bears little resemblance to the optimistic figure that justified waiting in the first place.
Executors rarely wait because they are careless. More often, executors are highly conscientious and delay comes from a desire to do the right thing. Being entrusted with someone's estate is not administrative busywork; it is personal, often emotionally heavy and laden with the fear of getting it wrong. Add family dynamics, conflicting opinions, distance from the property or simple unfamiliarity with the market and hesitation becomes entirely rational.
A recent estate involving four leading UK charities illustrates the value of introducing a fresh approach. A three-bedroom detached house in Amersham, Buckinghamshire had been on and off the open market for over 18 months with no success. Valued at £625,000, the best offer received was £550,000 from a developer in 2023. The property required full modernisation and its condition should have dictated the route from day one, but the usual approach had been tried first and failed. With our guidance, the Executor and charitable co-beneficiaries agreed on a targeted auction campaign that generated 140 viewings, 180+ legal pack downloads and 62 registered bidders. Auction day delivered competitive tension from the start and a final sale price of £901,000 - £401,000 over guide and 72% above the original expectations. What had felt stalled was resolved decisively - a massive win for all involved.
Good early intervention is calm, factual and proportionate. It starts with asking the right questions about the property itself. Is it modern or dated, occupied or empty, mortgageable or cash-only, robust or already deteriorating? Answering these questions early help executors consider which sale routes suit the asset, not which feel familiar.
It involves being clear about holding costs and timelines from the outset - not as pressure but as context. Executors deserve to understand what waiting actually costs the estate. It also means encouraging time-bound decisions - not rushed ones, but decisions supported by an agreed review point and a clear rationale. Drift is the enemy, not deliberation.
When this framework is in place, appropriate sale routes become obvious without being forced. Some properties can tolerate longer exposure, many cannot. The key is that the choice is made consciously, not by default.
Charitable beneficiaries are stakeholders with both a responsibility and an opportunity to support executors. If a charity offers early guidance, it is not pressure, it is support – ensuring that executors aren’t left to face such complex decisions alone.
The person who died entrusted others to deal with their affairs responsibly. That trust was not an invitation to hover indefinitely, but an expectation of action. Executors deserve support to act with confidence rather than fear, and charities are entitled to protect the value of gifts intended for public good. Neither of these aims is served by unnecessary delay.
In probate property sales, waiting often feels kind, but clarity closes deals. Delay closes nothing. Delay is a decision. And like all decisions in probate, it should be made with eyes open, consequences understood and responsibility shared.
If you need any advice or support or you have a property you’d like us to take a look at, please contact Dan Marsden, Probate Auction’s Head of Partnerships directly: daniel@probate.auction
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