Your plan
The Estate Plan
Settling an estate is a job. Let us take the property off your plate.
Whether you live next door or in another country, the property side of an estate can be handled by one local team, so you are not the one meeting every contractor. Below is the full process, including the property details that catch executors out in the first month and the paperwork realities that affect timing.
How it actually goes
The first week, and some of it this week
Secure the property and check the basics
- Confirm the home has vacant home insurance. Standard policies often limit or void coverage once a property is unoccupied, commonly after about thirty days, and this is the single most costly thing executors miss.
- Keep the heat on through the colder months, and either keep the water on or have it properly shut off and drained, so you are not dealing with a burst pipe.
- Have the mail collected or redirected, secure the locks, and keep the exterior looking lived in.
- We walk the property, document its condition with photographs, and give you a written value as it stands.
Weeks two to six
Clearing out, with a record of it
- We flag anything that should be appraised before it leaves the house, rather than after.
- Beneficiaries take what they would like first. We can coordinate that, including shipping, so you are not refereeing.
- We arrange the donation pickups, the removal crews and the secure shredding for documents.
- You get photographs and a written record of what was cleared, which is useful when you have to account to beneficiaries later.
Weeks four to eight, often overlapping
Preparing the home for sale
- We recommend only the work that measurably improves the sale price. For estates that is usually cleaning, paint and a small repair list.
- We line up and oversee every trade, meet them at the property, and check the work.
- We stage the home and arrange professional photography.
- You approve quotes remotely, and you receive photo updates as each stage finishes.
Weeks eight onward, subject to probate
Marketing, sale and closing
- The home is listed and marketed properly, including to buyers already active in that neighbourhood.
- We handle every showing and report back after each one.
- We review offers with you and negotiate on the estate's behalf.
- We work alongside the estate lawyer on closing. Documents can be signed electronically from anywhere in the world.
Who does what
We handle
- Being the local point of contact for the property, however far away you are
- Regular property checks with photo and video updates
- The full clear out: appraisals, donations, removal and shredding
- Repairs, cleaning and staging, with quotes for your approval
- Listing, marketing, showings and negotiation
- Coordinating with the estate lawyer through to closing
You decide
- What happens to the contents, and who receives what
- Which recommended preparation to approve
- The asking price and which offer to accept
- The timing, within whatever probate allows
How the costs work
You only pay for the services you choose, and we get you clear quotes before anything starts, so there are no surprises. Our fee is agreed in writing before the home is listed, and it is only earned when the home sells. Nothing above is a commitment until you say so.
What we would steer you away from
Letting the insurance lapse on an empty home
The most expensive mistake in estate property, and the easiest to avoid. Call the insurer this week and confirm the policy covers a vacant home. Do not assume the existing policy carries on as normal.
Clearing everything before anything is appraised
Furniture, jewellery, art, tools, coins and collections regularly leave in a bin because nobody looked first. As executor you may have to account for that later. One walkthrough prevents it.
Leaving the property unheated over winter
A burst pipe in an empty house can take months off your timeline and tens of thousands off the value. Heat on, or water properly drained.
Waiting for probate before doing anything at all
Probate affects when a sale can close, but it usually does not stop you preparing the property. Executors who wait for the paperwork before starting the clear out often lose an entire season.
Questions people ask at this stage
Do we have to wait for probate before selling?
You can usually list and even accept an offer, but closing generally needs probate to be complete. Your estate lawyer will confirm for your situation, and we will plan the timing around it.
I live out of province. How much will I need to travel?
Usually not at all. We meet every trade and crew, send updates as we go, and documents are signed electronically. Some executors never see the property during the process.
Who pays for the clear out and the repairs?
Those costs are normally borne by the estate, and they are agreed with you in writing beforehand. Speak to the estate lawyer about how and when they are paid.
What happens to the things nobody in the family wants?
We arrange donation to local charities where possible, with receipts, and removal for the rest. You receive a record of what left the property.
The honest part
Estates come with paperwork, timelines and family dynamics we do not control, and we will not pretend otherwise. What we can promise is that the house itself will not be the thing keeping you up at night, and that you will always know what is happening with it.
Tip: choose "Save as PDF" to keep a copy, or forward it to family.
Ready when you are.
The next step is a property walkthrough and a written value, at no cost. If the home is currently empty, please check the insurance this week regardless of what you decide about selling.