Milford is one of the few Delaware towns that sits in two counties. Part of it lies in Kent County and part in Sussex, so an heir has to answer a basic question before opening an estate: where did the person who died live? The Register of Wills in that county handles the will and issues the letters that let someone sell the house. The answer is on the deed and the tax bill, and it changes which office you call.
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Kaizen Home Buyers makes cash offers on houses in their current condition. We make an offer within 24 hours, with no agent commission and no repairs. Closing can be 14 to 30 days out or follow the estate's own calendar. Milford's older homes near the river often hold a lifetime of belongings, and you do not need to clear them before asking for a number.
Kent County's Register of Wills is at 555 Bay Road, 2nd Floor, Rm. 214, Dover, phone 302-744-2330. The page says appointments are mandatory to open and to close an estate, and that after a deputy reviews your paperwork the office calls to schedule. In person, bring the original death certificate and will, estimated asset values, a list of next of kin and a valid ID. Fees are cash, check or money order only.
Sussex County's Register of Wills is in the Courthouse Annex, 5 E. Pine St., Georgetown, phone (302) 855-7875. Appointments are required to open or close an estate, and the county's booklet says deputies' schedules are set a week or more ahead. The booklet also lists a fee of 1.25 percent of the net personal estate when an estate is closed. Call before you drive, and ask whether anything is needed for a home that sits near the county line.
The census profile shows detached houses at about 57% of Milford's housing, and the city's history centers on downtown and the Mispillion Riverwalk. Before heirs assume a repair budget or an insurance cost, run the address through Delaware's Flood Planning Tool. Keep any insurance papers, because the estate should know whether the house carries a flood policy before a buyer asks.
Send us the Milford address and tell us which county the family believes applies. We look at the house as it stands and make a cash offer without repairs. If the estate wants to compare it with an agent listing, count commission, preparation and the months of taxes and upkeep a listing can add.
We do not decide who may sign. Your attorney and the Register of Wills do. When the estate has its letters, we can close in 14 to 30 days or on the date the family picks. Call 267-329-0084.
No. Milford lies in both Kent and Sussex counties. The Sussex booklet says the will goes to the Register of Wills in the county where the decedent lived, so the answer depends on that person's address.
The Sussex booklet says creditors have eight months from the date of death to file claims, and the inventory is due within three months of opening the estate.
The estate tax chapter is repealed for deaths on or after January 1, 2018. Federal rules and income tax on a later sale are separate, so involve a tax professional.
The statute lists sales by a fiduciary in the course of estate administration among its exemptions. Ask the estate attorney how it applies to your sale.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm details with the office or a professional.
No obligation. No fees. Just a fair offer from a local buyer.