The blog
Notes on selling a house in Des Moines, what property is actually worth, and when a cash sale is the wrong idea.
Transfer on Death Deeds in Iowa: What They Do and Do Not Solve
Iowa has no transfer on death deed for real property, whatever the top search results tell you. Here are the three instruments that do keep a house out of probate here, what each one costs you, and the tax trap in the cheapest of them.
How Long Does Probate Take in Iowa? Six Months Is the Floor
Iowa probate runs six to twelve months, and the reason for the floor is a four month creditor claim window set by statute. But you do not have to wait for the estate to close to sell the house, and most families should not.
The Iowa Small Estate Affidavit Will Not Transfer a House. Here Is What Does
Iowa's small estate affidavit covers up to $100,000 of personal property as of July 2026, but it cannot transfer real estate at all. If the estate includes a house, the route you want is chapter 635 small estate administration, and its ceiling is $200,000.
Selling an Inherited House in Iowa: Probate, Taxes and Your Options
What has to happen before an inherited house can be sold in Iowa, what you will actually owe in tax, and how to handle siblings who disagree or a house you live four hundred miles from.
