Where do I start when my parents are ready to sell?
Start with what they want. It's their home and their decision, even if you're the one doing most of the legwork. Where do they want to live next? How soon? What matters most to them about how this goes? Get those answers before anyone talks about paint or price.
Then get the numbers, because they answer most of the questions that come next. I'll show you and your parents what the house is worth right now and what it could be worth with the right updates, plus every option for selling it. We call that the EPIC® Report. It's free, and you can request it here.
How do I bring up selling the house with my parents?
Bring it up as a question, not a plan. "Have you thought about what you want to do with the house?" goes a lot further than "We think you should sell." Your parents have probably been thinking about it longer than you realize, and they want to feel like it's still their call.
If it helps, I'm happy to sit down with the whole family and lay out the options with no pressure to list. Sometimes it's easier for parents to hear the numbers from someone outside the family. And if they're weighing what comes next, my downsizing page is written for them. Send it their way.
How do my siblings and I stay on the same page?
Get everyone the same information at the same time. Friction tends to start when one person hears something secondhand and fills in the gaps. I'd rather have one family meeting where everyone hears the plan than five separate phone calls.
After that, pick one point person for day-to-day decisions, usually whoever lives closest or has the most time. I'll keep that person updated, and I'm glad to send the same updates to the rest of the family so nobody feels left out.
Does the house need to be fixed up before it sells?
Usually not a full remodel. Homes that have been in the family for decades often need some attention, but buyers mostly react to what they see first: paint, lighting, flooring, curb appeal, and anything that looks like a repair project. That's where I'd put the money.
If your parents don't want to spend anything, selling as-is is a real option. It costs some price, and I'll show you how much so the family can decide. More on that on my selling as-is page.
When we do prep, my S-R-S® Concierge coordinates the contractors, cleaners, staging, and media. You don't have to take days off work to meet vendors at the house.
What do we do with everything in the house?
Let your parents go first. They decide what's coming with them, then what goes to family, then everything else gets sold, donated, or hauled away. It's slower that way, but it's their stuff and their memories, and rushing this part is where feelings get hurt.
The house doesn't need to be empty before we list it. It does need to be clear enough that buyers can see the rooms. We'll build the move-out timeline around your parents, and if they need more time after closing, that can be negotiated into the deal.
Can I help if I work full time or live far away?
Yes. Most of what you'll need from me can happen by text, phone, or video, and I text back fast. You won't be handed off to an assistant. I'm the one on the deal from the first call to closing.
At the house, my S-R-S® Concierge coordinates the vendors, so your weekends aren't spent driving over to let a contractor in. You and your parents stay in the loop and make the calls. We handle the running around.
What should we check with a CPA or attorney before listing?
Two things: who can sign, and what the sale means for taxes. If the house is in a trust, or if one of your parents needs someone else to sign for them, their estate attorney should confirm who has the authority to sell before we list. If your family is dealing with a sale after a parent has passed, my probate and trust page covers that.
On taxes, there isn't one answer. Federal and California rules can come into play, and it can depend on how long your parents have owned and lived in the home, how title is held, what they've put into it over the years, and what they plan to do next. Whether any of that applies, and how, is a question for their CPA or tax advisor.
I'm not a tax professional or an attorney, and nothing on this page is tax advice or legal advice. What I can do is get your family and their advisors a realistic sale price early, so they can plan before you list instead of after.
