PROPERTY
C O N C I E R G E
Out-of-town Heirs?
We will handle everything here in town you need assistance with, up through the closing of the sale.
What are the qualities of a Concierge?
Excellent communication skills
Good organizational ability
A good sense of humor
Enthusiasm and stamina
Friendly, caring and patient
Common sense
OUR SERVICES CAN INCLUDE anything we can reasonably and legally take care of for you! This can include: Secure and Inspect and provide pictures. Turn on utilities, obtain repair estimates, liquidate household goods, clean out remaining contents, provide a Market Analysis of "as-is value" and "repaired value" of the home. Then submit offers from "Cash as-is" buyers" - or - Complete a final make-ready of the home and list and sell it for you.
DO YOU PLAN TO SELL THE HOME? CAN YOU USE SOME HELP -
Liquidating everything?
Preparing the home to sell?
We can offer referrals for -
DIY Probate Document Preparers
Probate Attorneys
Estate Liquidation Companies
Cleanout Services
Repair Contractors
Cleaning Services
OR
Choose the tasks you would like us to manage for you. This can include:
The Sale of Items of Value
Removing Remaining contents
Preparing the home to sell
Additionally:
* THERE ARE NO UP-FRONT FEES
They are paid at closing
PROBATE
"Probate is the judicial process whereby a will is "proved" in a court of law."
In most cases, if the estate is in a Revocable Trust, probate should not be necessary.
"Summary Administration" involves estates with assets less than $75,000, excluding the homestead, 2 cars, and $20,000 in personal property. Summary administration is faster, cheaper, and less involved than formal administration. The average time-frame is 6-8 weeks. However, in some instances they are being discharged as quickly as 2 - 4 weeks! This usually reflects an estate with little or no debt, with the attorney and Petitioner providing documents rapidly.
"Formal Administration" is required for estates with assets over $75,000, with the above stated exclusions. A simple one might take as little as 5-6 months but most take several more months. Larger, or more complex ones can take an undetermined amount of time!
The homestead protection remains whether the beneficiaries keep the home or sell it. Therefore, the proceeds of the sale are protected from creditor claims by any of the deceased person’s creditors. With that in mind, approval from the court to sell the property can usually be obtained early in the probate process.
Attorney's Fees are guided by Florida Statute but are not mandated, so they vary. Additional fees can be added for various factors the attorney may need to handle. Here are those guidelines - Estates: Less than $40k: $1,500 / $40-70k: $2250 / $70-100k: $3,000 / $100k-$ 1 mil: 3% / $1-3 mil: 2.5% / $3-5 mil: 2% / $5-10 mil: 1.5% / $10 mil+: 1%
* DISCLAIMER: Any information offered on this page is not guaranteed! Please consult an attorney for legal counsel!
REVERSE MORTGAGES
It is common for seniors to obtain Reverse Mortgages which leave the homestead with a large debt after they pass away. Once the senior permanently vacates or passes away, the bank will take legal possession of the property through a foreclosure. This is often a surprise to the heirs, and they assume there is nothing to be done. However, that is not the case. The heirs still inherit the home, and can sell it before the foreclosure is finalized. Here in Florida there is most always equity in the property. And the bank will actually accept a Short Sale if the home's value is "upside down" from the debt.
This is something we can also handle for you. Having specialized in foreclosures through the years, we have experience dealing with the Lenders as well as contacts with HUD (who is the primary guarantor of Reverse Mortgages).
OUR STORY
We began our company in the '70's in Oklahoma, expanding to Georgia, and finally relocating to Florida in 2003. We have worked in every facet of the residential real estate market: In addition to traditional listing and selling of homes, we have handled REO's (bank owned homes), managed apartments and rental homes, and worked with HUD assisting homeowners in foreclosure.
Recently we have seen relatives and friends walking through the difficult process of handling a loved one's estate after their passing. Added to their grief, was the responsibility of dealing with probate and the stress of emptying and preparing the property to sell.
So besides our traditional Realtor services, what else could we do to help? The answer was simple. Why not develop the resources to help the families with the liquidation, clean-out and "make-ready", and include it as part of our real estate services?e
So here we are - With a heart to serve! If you can use our help, please give us a call.