North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 28A. Administration of Decedents' Estates § 28A-15-1. Assets of the estate generally

(a) All of the real and personal property, both legal and equitable, of a decedent shall be assets available for the discharge of debts and other claims against the decedent's estate in the absence of a statute expressly excluding any such property. Provided that before real property is selected the personal representative must determine that such selection is in the best interest of the administration of the estate.

(b) In determining what property of the estate shall be sold, leased, pledged, mortgaged or exchanged for the payment of the debts of the decedent and other claims against the decedent's estate, the personal representative shall select the assets which in the personal representative's judgment are calculated to promote the best interests of the estate. In the selection of assets for this purpose, there shall be no necessary distinction between real and personal property, absent any contrary provision in the will.

(c) If it shall be determined by the personal representative that it is in the best interest of the administration of the estate to sell, lease, or mortgage any real estate or interest therein to obtain money for the payment of debts and other claims against the decedent's estate, the personal representative shall institute a special proceeding before the clerk of superior court for such purpose pursuant to Article 17 of this Chapter, except that no such proceeding shall be required for a sale made pursuant to authority given by will. A general provision granting authority to the personal representative to sell the testator's real property, or incorporation by reference of the provisions of G.S. 32-27(2) shall be sufficient to eliminate the necessity for a proceeding under Article 17. If a special proceeding has been instituted by the personal representative pursuant to G.S. 28A-13-3(c), the personal representative may petition for sale, lease, or mortgage of any real property as a part of that proceeding and is not required to institute a separate special proceeding.

(d) The crops of every deceased person, remaining ungathered at the person's death, shall, in all cases, belong to the personal representative or collector, as part of the personal assets of the decedent's estate; and shall not pass to the devisee by virtue of any devise of the land, unless such intent be manifest and specified in the will.