Probate Navigators is pioneering to change the way Sellers are represented by Realtors. In today’s world, people are far busier than they used to be and when there is a death in the family, well . . . it is never at a good time.
There are two significant parts to settling an estate:
1. Filing the will and creating the estate, usually with an attorney’s help
- Entering the will in Probate Court
- Determining the Personal Representative
- Valuing the estate
- Appraising the assets with a licensed appraiser
- Disposing of assets as directed by the decedent’s will
2. If selling the house and contents, usually with a Realtor’s help
- Determining a market price for the house (we will prepare two evaluations of the house, in addition to the appraisal, because you need to know what it will bring “as is” or with some improvements.)
- What to do with those items you do not need.
– Sell them
– Give them away
– Donate larger items to charity
– Garage sales - Learn about what you are selling
– Home Inspections
– Termite inspection
– Necessary repairs
– Condition of well & septic (you really do not want surprises here) - Deep cleaning the house
- How much more could the estate receive if some improvements are made?
– Painting
– Flooring
– Washing windows
– Repairing rotten wood
– What to do with asbestos in basement?
– Roof condition, leaks?
– Maintain lawn
3. What Probate Navigators will do
- Customize our services to your preferences (not all homes need all services)
– Soup to nuts service
– Al la carte services - Hire the vendors, supervise them, inspect their work and see they are paid by estate
- Send PR, attorney and any designated heirs regular updates
- Market the home
– Through the MLS
– Virtually, through the internet
– Social networking
– Videos
– Open Houses, either in person or virtual – as needed
– Sell & Close the home hassle-free
1. Zoom meetings to discuss offers
2. Electronic signing of contract
3. If you cannot be at closing, arrange out-of-town or early signing
Settling through the Probate Court will usually take a minimum of six months. During that time most of your efforts will be directed toward your estate attorney and handling the myriad of details that entails. Probate Navigators would like to use that time to be working for you behind the scenes at the house, getting it ready to sell.
In the past when most PRs have asked a Realtor for help at the beginning of the process, the agent has no knowledge of what is involved and will often say, “Happy to help you. Just call me when you are ready to put the house on the market.” By that time the PR is so exhausted from the legal work and finding someone to help clean the house, to help remove things from the house, to help with this or that that when they finally call their agent, they say, “sell it as is. I’m too tired to do anything else.” And thus they lose the opportunity to sell the estate’s biggest item of value for top dollar.
We want to help you get that top dollar. We are prepared to help you from the beginning of the process. We are prepared to wait until closing on the sale of the house to be paid through our commission. And by the way, HELP YOU is our primary goal.
