The estate owns a valuable house and no cash

A common squeeze: property taxes, insurance, utilities, and maybe a mortgage all need paying, the estate's only asset is the house, and distribution or sale is months away.

Options, roughly in order of preference: use estate/trust bank funds if any exist; heirs advance expenses by agreement (document it — advances are typically reimbursed before distribution); a short-term loan to the estate or trust secured by the property (specialized lenders do this routinely, including when a buyout or Prop 19 timing is part of the plan); or accelerate the sale.

What to avoid: an individual heir borrowing personally against a house they don't yet own (usually impossible anyway), and 'probate cash advance' companies that buy a share of an inheritance at steep discounts — expensive money dressed as convenience.

A trustee or executor arranging financing should confirm they have the authority to borrow (most trusts and full-authority probates allow it) and that the terms serve the estate, not just one heir.

General education, not advice — verify anything you’ll rely on with a CPA or estate attorney.