Selling a House in Alabama?
Start Here.
Your Alabama Home Selling Resource Center
For more than 20 years, I've been buying houses and helping homeowners through some of life's hardest stretches: a parent's estate, a foreclosure notice in the paper, back taxes, a tenant who quit paying, or a house that's been sitting empty. My team has closed more than 3,000 transactions, and Alabama sellers bring me the same questions I've been answering for two decades.
The difference is Alabama's rulebook. Most foreclosures here happen without a lawsuit, but owners get a right to redeem afterward. Tax sales give you three years to redeem. Probate sales need the court's approval unless the will says otherwise, and a lot of family land is heirs' property that's never been through probate at all. Those rules change your options and how much time you have.
These guides lay it out in plain English so you can make the right decision for you, whether you end up selling to me, listing with an agent or not selling at all.
Alabama's Most Common Home Selling Situations
Most of the calls I get from Alabama fall into a handful of situations, and each one has its own Alabama rules and deadlines. Start with the one that sounds like yours.
Foreclosure
The timeline is short, so the earlier you look at your options, the more equity you can protect.
Learn about selling a house in foreclosure in Alabama →Delinquent Property Taxes
Back taxes or a redemption amount can be paid out of a sale at closing, and excess bid money may be yours.
Learn about selling a house with delinquent taxes in Alabama →- Does my county sell the lien or the property?
- How do I redeem after a tax sale?
- What happens to excess bid money?
- What if I inherited a house with back taxes?
Vacant House
An empty house keeps costing money every month: taxes, insurance, utilities, lawn care and storm damage nobody catches.
Learn about selling a vacant house in Alabama →Probate
Selling a house in probate starts with who has authority to sign and whether the house is even part of the estate.
Learn how to sell a house in probate in Alabama →Inherited House
Inheriting a house means sorting out who owns it, what it's worth as it sits, and whether to keep it, fix it or sell it.
Read my Alabama inherited house guide →- Who owns the house right now?
- What is heirs' property?
- What if I inherited it with siblings?
- What do I have to tell a buyer?
Bad Tenants
You can sell a rental with a problem tenant still in it. The lease and the deposit go to the buyer.
Learn about selling a house with bad tenants in Alabama →Home Selling Guides
These guides cover the basics of selling a house anywhere, whatever the reason you're thinking about it.
How Cash Home Buyers Work
How cash buyers and real estate investors buy houses, how offers are put together, and what to expect from start to finish.
Learn how cash home buyers work →Selling Your House As-Is
What "as-is" really means, when repairs are worth it, and what buyers expect.
Read my guide to selling your house as-is →How Home Value Is Determined
Location, condition, comparable sales and the market, and how each one moves the number.
Learn how home value is determined →Understanding Closing Costs
What closing costs are, who usually pays them, and what to expect on closing day.
Read my guide to closing costs →Does Making Repairs Always Increase Home Value?
When repairs pay for themselves, when they don't, and how to compare repair costs with what you'd actually net.
Learn when repairs increase home value →What Affects a Cash Offer?
How condition, repairs, resale value, demand, holding costs and risk shape the number a cash buyer offers.
Learn what affects a cash offer →How Selling Your House Works
Whether the house is in great shape or needs everything, the process is the same.
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1
Tell Me About the Property
The address, the condition and what's going on. The more I know, the better I can lay out your options.
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2
I'll Review Your Options
I'll look at the house and the situation, answer your questions and tell you what makes the most sense, including when that's listing with an agent.
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3
Receive a No-Obligation Offer
If selling to me is a good fit, you get a straight as-is number. And there's no obligation to accept my offer — you're in the driver's seat.
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4
Choose Your Closing Date
Close with an Alabama closing attorney or title company on the date that works for you.
Why Alabama Homeowners Choose Dennis Buys Houses
Selling a house is rarely just a money decision. It's usually tied to a death in the family, a financial squeeze or a big change. So I keep the process simple and tell you the truth about your options.
When you call, you get me. No AI, no assistants. And if another option makes more sense than selling to me, I'll tell you upfront.
Serving Homeowners Throughout Alabama
I buy houses all over Alabama, from the big metros to small towns. These are the areas where I'm most active right now.
Huntsville
Madison County · Madison · Harvest · Decatur area
Birmingham
Jefferson County · Bessemer · Hoover · Center Point · Fairfield
Mobile
Mobile County · Prichard · Tillmans Corner · Saraland
Montgomery
Montgomery County · Prattville · Millbrook
Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa County · Northport
Frequently Asked Questions
All of it. Most of my Alabama calls come from the Huntsville, Mobile, Birmingham, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa areas, but small towns and rural land are fine too.
Yes. That's most of what I buy. You don't fix anything before the sale.
Take what you want and leave the rest. Dennis Buys Houses handles what's left behind.
Usually. The personal representative needs letters and the power to sell, either from the will or from the probate court.
Usually not. The best time is before the auction, and Alabama's redemption period can still leave options afterward.
No. Mortgages, back taxes and liens are paid off from the sale at closing.
Once the title work is clear, it's your call. Some sellers want two weeks, others want two months.
No agent commission when you sell to me, because nobody is listing the house.
Ready to Explore Your Options?
No two Alabama homeowners have exactly the same story.
Whether you're dealing with probate, heirs' property, foreclosure, back taxes, a tenant or an empty house, I'm here to help you understand your options, not to pressure you into a decision.
Read the guides above, or tell me what's going on with the house. Even if selling isn't the right answer, I'll point you in the right direction.
Prefer to talk first? Call (734) 224-5977