It’s Complex

It’s complex is an understatement when there are multiple family members involved in a sale of a property due to death in the family.  An elderly man planned ahead putting his house into a trust. For some reason, he chose not one but, three of his five children to be Trustees.

All five children would inherit some money from the sale of the property, but it was only the three trustees who had any decision making power.

All three Trustees agreed to the sale of the home including the son who had lived in the house with his Father. Agreeing to the sale was the only thing all three agreed upon. The problems started when the brother (lets’ call him Brother #3) living in the house wouldn’t even allow prospective buyers onto the property. Brother #3 was not only grieving his Dad but making a major lifestyle change.

Fortunately, the Attorney, handling the case, quickly recognized the need to engage a specialized Probate and Trust Realtor. He knew that partnering with a specialized Licensed Realtor makes the sales process easier because a Probate Trust Realtor must;

• Have acquired an in-depth knowledge of the case he or she would be assigned
• Have the people skills to deal with hidden agendas
• Have the ability to market and close a deal with multiple signatures

Carefully choreographed hand-holding went into getting all three to agree to the sale price after the Brother#3 kept turning down several legal and acceptable offers. Finally, after much shuffling between the parties, the sales price finally agreed upon was above market. And as importantly, the brothers reconciled and were happy to accept their inheritance.

When in doubt be sure to call me at 310-901-5726 or e-mail me Jerry@probatetrustproperities.com, your Realtor Specialist to coordinate and work with you and your team.