When a person dies, they often leave behind a will to legally indicate how they would like their assets to be distributed after their death. Estate settlement usually involves a high degree of legal and administrative responsibility. Considering the difficulty and complexity of distributing assets to beneficiaries and settling the estate, it's necessary to assign a trusted individual to carry out this duty.
A will often names an estate executor to oversee the distribution of assets according to the will and in compliance with local law. In some cases, an estate executor may choose to sell estate property in order to generate liquid funds to pay off debt or more easily distribute assets.
But whether or not an estate executor can sell property belonging to the estate depends on various factors. For the most part, it depends on whether the will gives explicit permission to the executor to sell the property, whether there are others entitled to the properties owned, and how the testator wished to distribute their assets.