Heirs have the challenge of dealing with the death of a loved one plus the administration of the estate which often includes dealing with the house. If the person who died was organized and clean, heirs have less of a headache and can start looking into how to sell your house when they’re finally ready to, but imagine dealing with a home that was lived in for years by a hoarder; from floor to ceiling, there is simply no room to walk, let alone walk without feeling nauseous from the stench of it all!
There are different scenarios with hoarders. Most people don’t realize it is actually a mental disorder and therefore those who suffer from it tend not to see it for what it really is. 2%-5% of the US Population suffers from this disease and many don’t get the help they need. Most hoarders are very bright, intelligent people, with a great cognitive mindset. They just have a really hard time discarding items. These items can be anything from books, magazines, bottles, and containers and, for some, items like yarn and fabrics. There is another type of hoarder who feels sorry for stray animals and welcomes them into their home; before you know it there are over 100 animals, often including puppies or kittens – toilet training these animals is not a priority so you can only imagine the stench!
So, the hoarder has now passed away; they don’t have to deal with their home, but their heir does. Generally the heir is simply overwhelmed when they walk into the home because it is not want they envisioned inheriting. The family is now arguing because no one wants to “volunteer” to clean up or pay a hefty clean up bill, but everyone is waiting for the distribution of assets as stated in the estate plan (some know this as a living trust). When starting the clear up of the property, it can be advisable to purchase a garage shed or something similar to help sort through salvageable items that can perhaps be sold to help pay for a cleaning service.
Squabbles always tend to start whenever money is involved. Cleaning up a hoarded home is expensive and, even after the cleanup there will be more costs e.g. to fix or replace the sink and bath, floor coverings, curtains, and the list goes on; sometimes a total re-model is required. There are firms that would probably clean it for you, for example, Simply Maid says they send a trusted cleaner to clean, so it may be worth looking around to find a more cost-effective option. But, it still costs money. The pressure to get on with closing the estate can be a very stressful process and therefore one possible option is to simply sell. YES! Sell the hoarded home as is. No cleaning or fixes required. It will satisfy everybody in the family waiting for their inheritance money and no one has to lift a finger.
The process of selling such a distressed home can be another stress point! Who would want to buy something like this? Should you get it listed with a realtor? What price would it go for? Who would want a home that smells of feces and urine? What should the price be? Will everyone in the family agree to the fees associated with getting a realtor to sell the home? Could it be beneficial to research into various realtors such as these realtors in Ottawa or other areas, for example, to assess the home and look to get the best selling price possible?
These are all very valid questions and our advice is that in such situations, a hoarded home is best sold to hoarderhomes.com. We buy hoarded homes if the home is located anywhere between Santa Barbara and San Diego in Southern California.
Benefits for the heirs and families are endless. Here is WHY:
- No realtor fees
- Cash purchase
- We close within 10 days
- No cleaning required
- No fixing required
The net gain for any heir is peace of mind but, most importantly, the removal of a high risk situation that could cause more headaches moving forward. The cash settlement allows the distribution of the inheritance to take place faster. The fact that no commission is paid to anyone for the sale of the house, means more for the family!
If you are an heir or know of someone who is facing difficulties because they have to make serious decisions around a hoarder home, please give us a call. We will respond promptly and provide an offer after evaluation. If you have a house today that you want us to assess and buy, please tell us more about the property here.
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