My dad's will says the house goes to me and my two brothers equally. We all agreed we'd sell it and split the money, but now one brother is being difficult and won't sign off on anything. Can I force the sale or am I stuck?
You can't force a sale unilaterally - all three of you own the property equally unless the will or local law says otherwise, so your brother has legal standing to block it. Your options are basically to negotiate with him (maybe he wants to keep the house, or needs a better deal), file for a partition suit in court (which forces a sale or buyout, but costs money and time), or buy out his share yourself if you have the means. Before spending on lawyers, I'd honestly try talking to him again about why he's refusing - sometimes people dig in for reasons that aren't about the house itself.
The practical move here is to file a partition suit, which forces the sale through the courts - but before you go that route, try offering your brother a buyout or letting him stay in the house while you two get bought out of your shares (some siblings prefer keeping the family home). Most states let co-owners petition for partition when they can't agree, though it's pricey and messy, so honestly explore whether he wants to actually live there or just doesn't want to deal with the sale process - sometimes the real issue is that he feels rushed or left out of decisions, and involving a neutral real estate mediator or even a family lawyer to explain his actual options can shift things without litigation.
partition action is your legal path forward if mediation doesn't work, and it basically forces a sale through the court system when co-owners can't agree. my uncle went through this after his mom passed - two siblings wanted to keep the house for sentimental reasons, one wanted the cash, and it got ugly fast. the partition lawsuit ended up costing them maybe 15-20k in legal fees between everyone, plus court costs, which ate into what they'd have gotten from selling anyway. before you go that route though, consider whether your resistant brother might budge with a mediator or if there's something deeper going on - sometimes people dig in about property for reasons beyond money, and a neutral third party can help figure out what's actually blocking the deal.
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