Independent authority is the fast lane
When a will grants independent administration authority — or the court grants it on request even when the will is silent — the executor can sell estate property, including real estate, without seeking court approval for each individual transaction. Without that authority, or where the estate is insolvent and real property has to be brought in to cover debts, the sale is subject to the probate court's approval.
Objections can pull a sale back under the court's eye
Even an executor with real discretion over selling assets isn't unlimited: if a beneficiary objects to a proposed sale, the executor may need to go back and seek court approval anyway, since the court retains oversight to make sure the executor acts in the estate's interest.
No statutory percentage — reasonable compensation, case by case
Tennessee doesn't set executor pay by a fee schedule. Courts award "reasonable compensation" weighed against the estate's size and complexity, the time involved, and local custom, approved at the accounting or in the order appointing the executor — selling a house adds real, billable time to that calculation.
What this estimate does not include
This calculator estimates realtor commission and an illustrative hourly executor fee; it does not compute attorney fees, court costs, or bond premiums. See Capital Gains Tax on the Sale for the (very short) tax picture.
Tennessee's probate courts operate county by county
Depending on the county, probate is handled by Chancery Court, Circuit Court, or the county clerk's office directly — Shelby County (Memphis), Davidson County (Nashville), Knox County (Knoxville), and Hamilton County (Chattanooga) among them. See how Tennessee title practice treats estate real property sales for more background. The underlying statutes in T.C.A. Title 30 apply identically statewide; only which local office handles the filing differs.