Selling Home After Death

The death of a loved one, especially a spouse, is difficult, to say the least. The initial emotional pain and shock that accompany the news that a spouse has passed requires the support from family and friends. Thus, this is a time to ask for, and accept, any assistance that is offered.

What to Do Now?

Putting your life back together after the death of a spouse is different for everyone in this circumstance. The amount of time needed to mourn differs from person to person. The National Institute on Aging has wonderful information to help you understand the mourning process and whether or not your mourning is going on for so long that it’s not healthy.

Selling Home After Death

After the initial, and most difficult, part of the grieving process, then practical matters must be addressed. You must decide what to do with the deceased spouse’s belongings, which may cause continued pain.

Eventually, usually sooner rather than later, the surviving spouse must think about selling home after death.

Therefore, it often makes sense to downsize and move to a smaller home. Your home is now too big for only you, and the maintenance and cleaning is too much work and expense. Furthermore, rather than continually being reminded of your spouse and how much you miss him/her, moving helps you move forward in your life.

Assuming you are done, or nearly done, with the grieving process, moving means de-cluttering and keeping only what you need going forward. It offers a fresh start – a new beginning.

Don’t be shy – be sure to ask for help from family and friends. They can help you look at your options. Perhaps you want to visit an apartment complex for seniors, and also contact a realtor to look at smaller, less expensive houses. You want to examine two or more possibilities in order to feel confident and in control of the choices you make.

Obviously, you want to discuss selling your current home with a realtor, too. Read my blog article, “Getting Your Home Ready to Sell” for additional info.

If you’d like to discuss the process of selling your home after a spouse dies, please contact me. No need to add additional stress to your already-overwhelming circumstances. I can help you sell your current home, as well as help you find a new one.

Just like your close family and friends, lean on me to make things easier during this transition.

Dana Davis
Dana Davis Properties/DHR (Distinguished Homes Realty)
Phone: (386) 569-4998