Detailed Answer

Short answer: maybe not. Whether you must publish a 3‑month notice to creditors depends on two key things under Idaho law:

1. Whether the property you want to sell is real property (land/house) or only personal property; and
2. Whether you are using the small‑estate affidavit/summary procedure or opening formal probate with a personal representative (executor/administrator).

How those facts matter:

• Small‑estate procedures usually apply to personal property, not real property.
  In Idaho, the streamlined small‑estate affidavits and summary collection tools are intended primarily to transfer personal property (bank accounts, vehicles, household items) when the estate value is below statutory limits. Those simplified procedures generally do not change real estate title. Because a house is real property, you commonly cannot use a small‑estate affidavit alone to convey or sell it. If the house must be transferred or sold, you will typically need either a method that transfers real property automatically (for example, joint tenancy with right of survivorship, a transfer‑on‑death deed, or trust ownership) or a formal probate administration or court order that authorizes sale by the personal representative or administrator.
• Notice to creditors is a common requirement in probate administrations.
  When you open formal probate and someone is appointed as personal representative, Idaho probate practice requires giving notice to creditors so that known and unknown creditors have an opportunity to present claims. That process usually includes a published notice and a statutory period during which claims must be filed. In practice this creditor‑notice period is often three months, and a sale of estate real property without following the probate notice and claim process can expose the person selling or buying the house to later creditor claims or title problems.

Practical implications for selling your mother’s house in Idaho:

• If the house passed automatically (for example, joint tenancy or a beneficiary deed/transfer‑on‑death deed), you may be able to market and sell the house without opening probate, and the typical small‑estate affidavit is not needed.
• If the house is solely in your mother’s name and title does not pass automatically, you will likely need to open a probate administration or obtain a court order to clear title and authorize a sale. Formal probate typically requires notice to creditors and following the statutory claims period before final distribution. Failing to follow that process risks creditor claims against proceeds or later litigation.
• If the estate qualifies for a small‑estate affidavit for personal property only, that affidavit usually will not permit transferring real property or authorize a sale of the house.

Where to check the law and local practice

Idaho’s probate and trust laws are in Idaho Code Title 15. For statutory language and to see the probate chapters that describe administration, notices, and collection of estate property, see the Idaho Legislature’s site for Title 15: https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/Title15/

Because county practice varies, contact the clerk of the probate court in the county where the decedent lived. The clerk can often explain whether your situation likely requires formal probate, whether the estate might qualify for a small‑estate procedure, and the local publishing requirements for creditor notice.

When to consult an attorney

If the house is the primary asset, if you expect creditors or mortgage/lien issues, or if the title is unclear, talk to a probate attorney before selling. An attorney can advise whether you should open probate, how to handle creditor notice and the claims period, and how to obtain court authorization to sell estate real property safely.

Helpful Hints

• Identify the title situation: check the deed. If the property was held in joint tenancy, in a trust, or via a beneficiary/transfer‑on‑death deed, the house may pass outside probate.
• Don’t rely on a small‑estate affidavit to transfer real property. Those procedures are generally for personal property only.
• Contact the county probate court clerk for local forms and instructions. They can tell you whether your facts likely trigger formal probate or a small‑estate path.
• Expect to publish a creditor notice and allow the statutory claims period if you open formal probate. That waiting period is intended to give creditors a chance to assert claims before estate assets are distributed or a sale is completed.
• Get a title report before selling. A title company will reveal liens, mortgages, or other encumbrances that must be cleared at closing.
• If you are named executor or need court authority to sell, obtain Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration before marketing the property. Selling without proper authority risks personal liability.
• Keep detailed records of notices given, steps taken, and communications with creditors and the court. That documentation protects you if claims arise later.
• If urgent repairs or a sale is needed quickly (for safety, health, or to avoid deterioration), an attorney can help you seek an expedited court order authorizing a temporary sale or other relief.

Next steps checklist

1. Obtain several certified death certificates.
2. Locate the deed and any estate planning documents (will, trust, beneficiary deeds).
3. Order a title search or preliminary title report.
4. Call the county probate clerk to ask whether small estate procedures apply to real property and what notice is required for formal probate.
5. Consult a probate attorney if the title is solely in your mother’s name, if you expect creditor issues, or if you need a court order to sell the house.