Services
Probate and Estates
Probate is the legal process of reviewing the will of a deceased person and distributing the assets according to it.
Dealing with Probate
Being the executor or representative of an estate is far from stress free. You may have recently lost a parent, family member or close friend and you are tasked with fulfilling their wishes in relation to their posessions. It can be a challenging and sad time. When there is physical property, such as a house or family home involved, decisions may need to be made and it helps to have a dedicated Realtor on your side. The property could pass on to another person and you just need to find out the current market value or in other instances it might need to be sold. Each situation is unique.
You should also consider connecting with an experienced probate attorney, although it is not required. Depending on the estate and your level of comfort with the judicial system you may be able to navigate the processes yourself. You can review the User Guide – Administration of Decedents’ Estates for Connecticut here. If you would like to and have not connected with an attorney yet, we can share a few local options. It can be beneficial to connect with a probate attorney in the state where the property is located as rules and laws may vary by state.
Selling an estate
Selling the home of a loved one can be an emotional process and not everyone processes their grief the same way. Some people may want a more hands on approach, getting the home in order, sorting through items and getting the home presentable for a new buyer. Others may want or need to handle the process from a distance or somewhere in between. We can work with you and your family wherever you are in the process.
What is your goal?
Are you looking for a quick closing?
This might be the case when funds are needed quickly. Maybe for a surviving spouse to move into a more suitable living arrangement, to handle bills or just get the money into the heirs hands quickly.
Sometimes when a home goes to probate it might be lacking in updates and needed repairs. In this case you may want to sell quickly in as-in condition and proceed appropriately.
Remember that the longer a home sits empty and closed up, its condition may deteriorate. Also can become a target of vandalism. If you are not sure what you are doing with the home nor ready to put on the market, consider having someone check in on a regular basis. If it will be empty for a while you might want to winterize or shut off the water as a prevention.
Are you looking to maximize its potential?
Is the home in good condition, updated enough to be competitive in todays real estate market? Your property might be in good shape and only need a little bit of staging. Sometimes the estate might need to use available funds to make any repairs, paint, etc to bring it up to a competitive condition. Often with an estate the heirs might not be fully aware of previous maintenance including conditions of mechanical, appliances and well and septic if applicable.
Next Steps
Clean out, repairs, getting the home ready for market all the way through closing.
Over a lifetime, people can accumulate a significant amount of possessions. Some of these have value to family members, but there are often many items left that just don’t fit in with the family’s lifestyle. Cleaning out the home is a major step in getting a property ready for market. We have resources to assist with this process. An estate sale can be organized, you can cosign, dispose of and donate items. There might also be tax advantages to the estate when donating possessions, and there are numerous local charities that would welcome donations.
What is the current condition of the property? Is there deferred maintenance that needs to be completed? We can connect you with reliable professionals to bring the home to marketable conditions for the current competitive real estate market as well as offer staging tips and professional photography to help the home shine.
With probate, properties might be unoccupied, heirs might not be local to the area and may need more guidance. We can provide that concierge service needed to get you from A-Z.
Market Analysis
Interested in the value of your home?
Please click the link below to get a basic valuation of your property. If you are interested in getting a more in depth current market analysis please give me a call or drop an email.