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Widow Wants Guidance |
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Dear Edith Lank: I am a recent widow and some time in the near future I would like to put my house up for sale and this is my dilemma.
I have a personal lawyer and am thinking of asking him to take care of the paperwork or should I hire a real estate lawyer to handle the paperwork and whatever else needs to be done?
Also, what else should I know to sell my house as the owner? Can you tell me what inspections I may need? Should I accept a certified check or ask for cash only for payment?
Edith, under what circumstances would you stay in your home or move to an apartment or condo? In two months I will be 75 and I have a lot of grass to cut presently. |
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The sale of a single house is not usually complicated, and I expect your own lawyer can handle it. Why not ask him if he’d prefer you to consult a specialist?
Perhaps one or two in every ten home sales are made successfully without the help of real estate brokers. It seems clear to me, though, that you are probably not the right person to try it. You’ll save yourself a lot of fuss and trouble (and your lawyer’s expensive time) if you put your home in the hands of an agent. On your own you might very well end up selling for less than the house is worth, and that only after a lot of headaches and sleepless nights.
As for the question of whether to sell at all: the usual advice is to make no major decisions for six months, or even a year, after being widowed. You should be able to think more clearly later on. Perhaps you’ll want to investigate some form of retirement housing if you do decide to make a move.
Meanwhile, hire someone to do that grass. Talk with your neighbors. I’ll bet one of them can put you in touch with a neighborhood teenager or a professional service.
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Edith
Originally published on September 6, 2006 |
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