Selling Your House When You’re Going to Jail or Prison

I’m Troy Molde, a licensed real estate broker and the owner of Henry Home Buyer. I’ve been in real estate since 2004. Over the years I’ve sold well over 1,000 homes in multiple states, and I’ve flipped many of the homes I’ve bought. I buy houses as-is in the Twin Cities, then fix them up and resell them.

This page is for people who are going to jail or prison, people who need to sell a house while incarcerated, and family members helping them. If you need to sell a house fast and want a reliable path, I want you to have clear information about how a cash sale works, when it may fit, and when listing with an agent will be the better choice.

When a cash sale may fit — and when it may not

A cash as-is offer is less money than you would likely get by listing the house at retail. What you gain is convenience and certainty: no repairs, no showings, and no waiting on a buyer’s financing.

I want to be honest about that tradeoff. If top dollar matters most, fixing up your home, doing repairs and listing with an agent will be the better choice, and I will say so. When I make you a written offer, I close at that price.

If you need to sell on a set timeline, don’t want to leave the house sitting, or don’t want to clean it out or repair it, a direct cash purchase may fit better.

Discreet, no pressure, and no judgment

This is a hard situation, and I don’t add pressure to it. I don’t judge, and I treat these conversations as private. I explain how a cash sale works, how it compares with listing, and what I can offer, and then I step back. I don’t push, I don’t use deadline tactics, and I don’t keep calling.

If listing is the better choice, I’ll say so. If a cash sale looks like a fit, I’ll put the offer in writing so you and your family can review it with no rush.

As-is, including the contents

You or your family keep what you want. I take care of the rest after closing: the cleanout, recycling, and donations. I try to donate everything I can and recycle what can’t be reused, so as little as possible ends up in a dumpster. Nothing needs to be repaired, staged, or emptied before we close. That can matter when someone is already incarcerated, or when a family is trying to handle the house from a distance.

Terms drafted around your needs

There’s no bank in the middle of these purchases. It’s just me, a cash home buyer, so the terms can be drafted around what you actually need. Every offer I make includes a closing date in writing. I can often work around a timeline you already have.

Who can sign, and what I need to close

I work with whoever has legal signing authority. Questions about who can sign, such as a power of attorney, should go to your attorney. I don’t give advice on those documents. Signing logistics get worked out with whoever has authority. I can arrange a mobile notary.

I need clear title to close, and I close with a title company. I cannot buy a house that is being seized by the government or a government agency.

Examples of work

You can see recent before-and-after photos of homes I’ve bought and renovated on our Our Projects page. Those photos show the kind of houses I take on.

Frequently asked questions

Can a family member sell the house for me?

I work with whoever has legal signing authority. Whether a family member can sign is a legal question, and it should go to your attorney. If the person with authority wants to talk, I’m glad to walk through it.

What if there’s a lien on the house?

I need clear title to close, and I close with a title company. If there is a lien, I’m glad to look at the house and talk through the situation. I cannot buy a house that is being seized by the government or a government agency.

How fast can you close?

It depends on the house and on what is needed to close. Every offer I make includes a closing date in writing. I can often work around a timeline you already have.

Will I get as much as I would if I listed the house?

Usually not. A cash as-is sale is typically less money than a retail listing. If top dollar is the priority, fixing up your home, doing repairs and listing with an agent will be the better choice.

Will you pressure us to accept an offer?

No. I give you the information and the written offer, and I let you decide. If the answer is “not now” or “no,” that is fine.