Estate / Probate

Sell an Industrial Property Held in an Estate

An industrial property inside an estate is an unfamiliar asset for most executors. It may be vacant or tenanted, it carries costs while the estate is administered, and beneficiaries are often waiting on the proceeds. We buy estate-held industrial property directly and off-market, handle it remotely, and take it in whatever condition it is in, so an executor can turn a complicated asset into cash the estate can distribute.

Off-Market & Confidential
A Direct Principal Buyer
Handled Remotely
Any Condition or Situation

The Situation

An Industrial Asset Inside an Estate

Executors and administrators are rarely industrial specialists, and an industrial asset is one of the harder things to deal with in an estate. It has to be valued, insured, maintained, and eventually sold, all while the estate is being settled and beneficiaries are waiting. A slow or complicated process ties up capital that people are counting on.

  • An unfamiliar asset to administer

    An industrial building is not something most executors have handled before. Valuing it, insuring it, and moving it correctly is a job on top of everything else the estate requires.

  • Beneficiaries waiting on proceeds

    Several beneficiaries may be waiting on the value of the property to be realised and distributed, and disagreement over what to do with it can stall the whole estate.

  • Distance from the property

    Executors often live in another city, province, or country and cannot easily attend the site, meet trades, or manage a drawn-out sale in person.

  • Carrying costs on the estate

    Property tax, insurance, security, and upkeep continue against the estate while the building sits, and a vacant or ageing property can deteriorate before it is sold.

A Direct, Off-Market Sale

A Clean Answer for the Estate

For an executor, the goal is a clean, defensible sale that turns the asset into cash the estate can distribute. Selling directly to a principal buyer removes the marketing process and the uncertainty of waiting for a buyer to appear, and it can be handled remotely so an out-of-town executor does not have to manage the property in person.

  • A direct principal buyer

    You deal with the party that holds the capital, not a broker running a process with no guaranteed buyer at the end. That gives an estate a firm answer to work with.

  • Any condition, any situation

    Vacant, tenanted, dated, or in need of work, we underwrite the building as it is. An executor does not have to clear it out, repair it, or dress it up first.

  • Off-market and confidential

    No listing and no sign on an estate property, which keeps the sale discreet for the family and for any tenants or operations still in place.

  • Certainty and speed

    We control our own capital, so there is no financing condition. That certainty helps an executor plan the estate's distribution with confidence.

  • No listing commissions or broker fees

    A marketed sale carries brokerage commissions. A direct sale to us does not, which keeps more value in the estate for the beneficiaries.

  • Flexible on timing

    We can work with the estate's timeline, including the steps that have to be completed before a sale can close, and structure possession to suit.

Ontario & Alberta

Estate Administration by Province

Selling real estate out of an estate follows each province's estate administration process. The names of the steps differ, but in both cases the personal representative usually needs the court's grant before dealing with the property, and title transfers through the province's land system on closing.

Ontario

In Ontario, an estate trustee typically obtains a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee, the process commonly known as probate, before selling estate real estate, and Estate Administration Tax may apply to the value of the estate. Once appointed, the estate trustee can sell the property, with title transferring through the provincial land registration system on closing. The building is assessed by MPAC in the industrial or commercial class while it is held. The steps and timing are for the estate's lawyer to confirm; we work around them.

Alberta

In Alberta, the personal representative usually obtains a grant of probate or administration under the Surrogate Rules before selling estate land, and title transfers through the Alberta Land Titles system on closing. Municipal property tax continues against the estate while the property is held. As in Ontario, the sequence and the documents required are for the estate's lawyer to confirm, and we structure the purchase to fit the grant and the estate's timeline.

References: Ontario, Apply for probate of an estate, Alberta, Wills, estates and probate, Alberta Land Titles.

Nothing on this page is legal or tax advice. Estate administration steps, timing, and duties depend on the estate. Confirm the specifics with the estate's lawyer before acting.

How It Works

A Direct Sale in Three Steps

  1. 1

    Tell us about the property

    Send the address, the building details, whether it is vacant or tenanted, and where the estate stands in its administration. You can do this from anywhere. No obligation.

  2. 2

    We review and make an offer

    We assess the property as a principal buyer and come back with a clear offer the estate can weigh against its options. There is no financing condition on our side.

  3. 3

    Close on your timeline

    We work around the estate's steps, complete our diligence, and close through a lawyer. Documents can be signed remotely, so an out-of-town executor does not have to travel.

Common Questions

Estate & Probate Holdings FAQ

Can the property be sold before the estate is fully settled?

In most cases the personal representative needs the court's grant before dealing with estate real estate, but the sale can be arranged and agreed while other parts of the estate are still being settled. We can put the deal in place and time the closing to the estate's steps. The estate's lawyer confirms when a sale can close.

I am the executor and live in another province or country. Can I still do this?

Yes. The whole process can be handled remotely. You do not need to attend the property, and closing documents can be signed at a distance through the closing lawyer's process, so an out-of-town executor can complete a sale without travelling.

There are several beneficiaries who need to agree. Does that complicate things?

A firm, direct offer often makes it easier for beneficiaries to reach agreement, because there is a clear number to consider rather than an open-ended marketing process. The estate's lawyer manages the consents and authority required; we provide the certainty of a committed buyer.

The building is vacant and has not been maintained. Do you still buy it?

Yes. Vacant, tenanted, dated, or in need of work, we underwrite the property as it stands. The estate does not have to clear it out, repair it, or spend money getting it ready to sell.

How is a tenanted estate property handled?

A property with a tenant in place can be purchased with the tenancy assumed, so the estate does not have to resolve the tenancy before selling. Tell us the lease details and we factor them into the offer and the closing.

Related Situations

Other Situations We Handle

Get an Offer

Turn the property into proceeds for the estate.

Tell us about the property and where the estate stands, and we will come back with a clear, off-market offer. Handled remotely, no listing, no broker fees, no obligation.

Get an Offer
CallGet Offer