SELLING A FAMILY ESTATE
The estate executor contacted me, who happened to be the granddaughter. She was referred to me by a mutual friend.
LIFETIME OF MEMORIES
Her grandparents built these properties. Her father, her, and other family members were born in these homes. They had been in the family since the late 1800s. In one of our conversations, in the beginning, she joked and warned me. Because her father, who currently lived in the home, did not want to sell, the Will forced him to do so.
MINOR SUBDIVISION
Before I listed the properties, they were listed by a previous brokerage which also assisted them in subdividing them so they could sell off part of the land and create to separate address to allow the two houses to be sold separately. Although it was a good idea to help gain more equity, it was not done correctly, which caused many hurdles and made it difficult to find the right buyers. The address was changed during the creation of the subdivision, and the owners needed to be made aware they had new addresses.
In order to have the properties sell, we had to confirm there were no historical issues to deal with.
SEPTIC
The properties had cesspools on them and not standard septics and the county had public sewer in the neighborhood. Therefore they required the properties to tie into the public sewer. It turned out that it would be costly to do so. Therefore we needed to get a soil scientist out there to see if a new septic could be installed and the cost so we could prove to the county that it would be a financial burden to have public sewer hooked up because, during the subdivision, they did not leave access for a legal easement to tie into the public sewer.
NOW TO DEAL WITH THE WATER ISSUE
There was public water. However, both houses were tied into one of the homes, which also would make it difficult for a buyer to obtain a mortgage. This was a detail that needed to be explained to the prospective buyers so they would have a complete understanding of what they would need to do when they moved in.
There was one hurdle after another.
MAKING IT PRIORITY
I made it a priority to make sure this family would be able to sell their home and be free of any future concerns. It was already very emotional for them all. Leaving behind a home where they were born, raised by their families, and made so many memories.
It took many months to deal with the obstacles; however, in the end, they were able to sell and move on to the next chapter of their lives.
Here is what they had to say:
“Kim did an outstanding job with the sale of my grandparent’s estate. I think we ran into every roadblock imaginable, and she tackled them all. I could never thank her enough for guiding our family through a very difficult time. If she was to get frustrated through all the difficulty, we never knew it. Kim is very kind, uplifting, and knows her job. If there was something she may not be certain about, she will figure it out or guide you in the right direction. I would refer Kim to anyone. Hands down the best!”
