Preparing an Estate Property for Sale: A Checklist
Preparing an Estate Property for Sale: An Executor’s Checklist
Preparing a loved one’s home for sale can be the most challenging part of the estate process. It involves sorting through a lifetime of memories while also making smart, objective decisions to prepare the property for the market. This checklist breaks the process down into manageable steps.
Step 1: Handle Personal Belongings with Care
Before any cleaning or repairs can begin, the contents of the home must be addressed. This is a sensitive process, so take your time.
- Involve Family:** Allow beneficiaries and family members the opportunity to walk through the home and choose sentimental items they wish to keep.
- Locate Important Documents: Be on the lookout for crucial paperwork, including the will, titles, deeds, insurance policies, and financial statements.
- Sort the Remaining Items: Once sentimental items are claimed, categorize the rest into four groups: items to sell, items to donate, items to discard, and items that belong to the house (like appliances). Consider hiring an estate sale company to manage the sale of valuable goods.
Step 2: The Deep Clean
Once the home is empty, a thorough, professional-grade cleaning is essential. This goes beyond a standard tidy-up. The goal is to make the home feel fresh, bright, and well-maintained for potential buyers. This is a task often best outsourced to a professional cleaning service that specializes in move-outs.
Step 3: Assess, Repair, and Update Strategically
Estate properties are often dated or have deferred maintenance. It’s crucial to address issues that will concern buyers without overspending on unnecessary renovations.
- Repair, Don’t Renovate: Focus on fixing things that are clearly broken. This includes leaky faucets, running toilets, broken light fixtures, and sticky doors. Major kitchen or bathroom renovations rarely provide a 100% return on investment.
- A Fresh Coat of Paint: The single most cost-effective update. A fresh coat of a light, neutral colour (like a soft grey or warm white) will instantly modernize the home, make it feel brighter and cleaner, and appeal to the widest range of buyers.
- Improve Curb Appeal: First impressions matter. Ensure the lawn is mowed, the garden is weeded, and the front entrance is clean and welcoming.
Step 4: Professional Staging
An empty house can feel cold and uninviting, and it makes it difficult for buyers to visualize how their own furniture will fit. Professional staging brings warmth and life back into the home, helps define the purpose of each room, and has been statistically proven to help homes sell faster and for a higher price.
This process can be overwhelming. As your real estate partner, we can connect you with a network of trusted professionals—from estate sale companies and cleaners to painters and stagers—to manage every step of this process for you.
For a complete overview of the topic, return to the Ultimate Guide to Estate Sales in Edmonton.
Common Seller FAQs
If you’re ready to sell or have more questions, you can contact us here.
How do I prepare an estate property (inherited home) for sale?
To prepare an inherited home for sale, first legally handle the estate by applying for probate and securing a grant of probate or its equivalent, then address the property itself by cleaning, decluttering, and making necessary repairs.
Do I need to disclose that the property is part of an estate sale?
You are not legally required to disclose that a property is an estate sale, but it is often recommended to do so, especially if the property is sold “as-is” or requires extensive repairs. Disclosing the estate sale can manage buyer expectations and may even be a point of negotiation in the sale.
What paperwork or documentation is required when selling an estate property?
To sell an estate property, you’ll need a death certificate, the original title (TCT/OCT), and a document like an Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate (EJSE) or Affidavit of Self-Adjudication (ASA) to establish the heirs.
Are there special tax or legal issues when selling a house from an estate?
Yes, there are several special tax and legal issues when selling a house from an estate, primarily concerning probate, the executor’s authority, and capital gains tax on the inherited property’s value increase since the date of death.
Let’s Build Your Winning Strategy
This guide has given you the knowledge. Now, let’s turn that knowledge into a successful home purchase. As your Edmonton real estate advisor, my job is to provide the hyper-local data and expert advice needed to secure the right home at the right price.
