Guides for Families & Executors
Settling a home is stressful and unfamiliar. These plain-English guides walk you through the choices — what an estate sale costs, how to clear out a loved one's house, and which option fits your situation. Free to read, no sign-up.
How to clear out a deceased parent's house
A calm, step-by-step guide for families and executors — from securing the home to the final clean-out.
Estate sale vs. buyout vs. clean-out
The three ways to empty a home, what each pays, how long it takes, and how to choose — with a side-by-side table.
What does an estate sale cost?
Commissions, what the family keeps, minimum sale values and real examples. (Short answer: free to start; the company takes 30–50%.)
Executor's guide to selling a home's contents
What an executor or personal representative needs to know before selling estate property — authority, probate and the court in DC, Virginia and Michigan.
Senior downsizing: what to do with the house
Helping a parent move to assisted living or a smaller home — what to keep, what to sell, and how to clear the rest without the stress.
15 questions to ask before hiring an estate sale company
The exact questions that tell a good company from a bad one — commission, insurance, payout, and more. Printable checklist included.
Estate sale taxes, donations & appraisals (Form 8283)
How estate sale income, charitable donations and appraisals work at tax time — including the $5,000 appraisal threshold and IRS Form 8283.