The order of operations
Locate the will, apply for probate if the estate requires it, get the Certificate of Appointment, then the executor has clear legal authority to act on the property. Skipping ahead of this — signing an agreement before authority is confirmed — is the most common way a sale gets delayed later.
Does every estate need full probate first?
Not always — some sales proceed with an accepted offer conditional on probate being granted before closing, and certain estates (joint tenancy properties, for example) can bypass probate on the house entirely. An estates lawyer can confirm what applies to a specific situation.
What happens to the money
Proceeds go into the estate, not directly to the executor personally. Debts, taxes and expenses get paid first, and what's left is distributed to beneficiaries according to the will — the executor's job is to account for all of it, not simply hand over a cheque.