fun morning cleaning out moms house

[cookiedough]

put mom in assisted living home in January this year and got around all 4 of us to start tossing out on junk day today some 40+ year old items.  Put a dent in the house just doing 2 truckload fulls in kitchen and bedroom closets and enough off upstairs steps to get up there at least.  Had enough after 4 hours, but it is a start.

Probably going to go thru the upstairs next spring and auction rest of crap off next summer and sell the house, but need to find out first since I am P.O.A. for mom if I can sell the house since mom is on title/deed to house, not me.   The living will, etc. is activated by 2 Drs. so not sure if I have to put the house in my name first to sell it since mom not all there mentally, any ideas on that?

Anyone want a house, fixer upper, but nice 3 car garage with storage shed next to a small school in southern WI small hicktown for 60 grand???   You can live in it perfectly fine the way it is but 50 year old windows and original cabinetry with just the paneling and carpet and bathroom remodeled some 30 years ago is all that has been done to it besides newer roof, furnace, A/C,  and vinyl siding some 20 years or so ago.  The roof and furnace will go another 4-5 years tops good enough let someone else stick money into it and the gas water heater will need new since well over 40 years old it is am sure held together by a layer of crud inside the tank.   Would be a good starter home for a family of 2 kids tops and cheap taxes about 1600 per year is all. 

Sort of sick having to drive to next town 15 miles away every few weekends to mow the grass and 4-6 times each winter to shovel the sidewalk since next to the school, luckily have not had many snowfalls last winter to deal with shoveling.  Only issue I have is I have my 17 foot fishing boat stored in the 2 car garage so where do I put that in my yard since WAY TOO FULL NOW???  renting storage facility is too expensive and just under a tarp sitting outside is not good for it either and really no room to build another 1-2 car garage or even a carport on my city lot?  I guess I can use some of that money selling the house to build an oversized 1 car garage on my lot but am sure the wife will not allow me since will take up 1/3rd of my backyard and look stupid doing it. 

[cookiedough]

really amazes me though going thru old stuff how many interesting pics we find of the 'good old days' even found my college diploma I have searched my house thru and thru and no luck finding it still at my moms house and pics of when my dad was in the korean war in early 1950's and paperwork to go with it.  Even found my shorty shorts I use to wear in high school, man those things were so short the BOYZ would be handing out today if I could get 1 of my 2 legs in there......  

My 17 year old kid wants the 1986 caprice classic brougham car fixed up for college next year only 165K miles with 305V8 in good shape ready to run all it needs is new battery and brakes to work is all.  cheap beater car that I could care less if gets dinged up might do that next spring as well since even if do not want it,  pretty sure if brakes were fixed up is easily worth to someone 1 grand.    It ran well driving it some 4 years ago last been sitting in garage ever since when I decided to fix it up and change oil and replace spark plugs but when I released parking brake after doing those 2 things the darn brake light on dash came on and lost all power brakes entire brake pedal is spungy not working the brakes so guessing lost brake pressure in lines somewhere??????

[Dave Ritsema]

I did the exact same thing for my mom earlier this year. It took me over 2 months working on it about 20 hours a week until it was done. FYI, My mom has a living trust as well and when it came time to sell the house I found the seller, negotiated the price and then the trust did all the paperwork. My mom did not have to sign anything. Likely the trust can handle the sale as well without having to do any transfer of ownership to you.  Her trust officer at the bank was quite helpful walking me thru the process.

[cookiedough]

I did the exact same thing for my mom earlier this year. It took me over 2 months working on it about 20 hours a week until it was done. FYI, My mom has a living trust as well and when it came time to sell the house I found the seller, negotiated the price and then the trust did all the paperwork. My mom did not have to sign anything. Likely the trust can handle the sale as well without having to do any transfer of ownership to you.  Her trust officer at the bank was quite helpful walking me thru the process.

Yah,  not spending 20 hours per week working on her house, selling as-is, if that is even possible anymore.   My neighbor told me who just sold his house the realtor and new owner made him pay for the home inspection on top of a radon test having to be paid for as well.  I think a lot of homeowners even if sell cheap do not want to have a fixer upper or unexpected surprises most want live in like new condition and will not get that for 60K in any home.  Not sure, but I think home inspections and other tests vary state by state even county by county/town by town? 

[sheets]

Mom is 93 and still living at home. How much longer . . . I don't think much. I've purged a bunch of "stuff" the last few times I was there. Still don't look forward to the task in the future. I wish she would go peacefully into assisted living, but being a stubborn french gal who was a teenager during the German occupation of her town preceding the the allied invasion of WWII she has a strong will and still of sound mind. She refuses to leave her home. She does have hired help coming in twice a day. "Sort of sick having to drive to next town 15 miles away every few weekends . . . ", I drive fifty miles - one way - once a week to go grocery shopping. Been doing that for 42 years.      

[Jersey mike]

My wife’s mom passed June 6th and on July 9th we moved her dad in with us. The house is pretty much as it was back in July, we did manage to get 1/2 truck load out which included 2 couches. Next weekend we hope to get another load out and get the house listed soon. It’s not an easy process, help is limited.

[scooperhsd]

Oh man - just imagine going through your OWN house where you lived for 20+ years in preperation of selling / moving out. We just did that , and 1.5 months after getting here in KC, we are STILL unpacking / consolidating 2 households worth of stuff.

There is still stuff that needs to be gone through, and decisions of which things stay / go need to be made.

I'd strongly suggest that everyone needs to go through this purging at least every 10 years, just to get rid of unnecessary junk. Obviously, there are things you will want to keep (just about all of my tools for working around the house are still around), but you get the idea.

My 2 cents worth....

[Pappy!]

A friend of mine is going to have to do this with his Mom's house soon and apparently she is a borderline horder. She collects glass and has for years.
He stopped at a local antique/curio shop last time he visited and has arranged for that shop to come in and take the whole works once the family has gone through and selected what memorabilia they want.
Sounds like the way to go!

[Oss]

Take the POA to a local attorney or if you have title company near you and see if it is ok

In NY a valid POA will let you sell but you need to just sign an affidavit that it is still in full force and effect  The original will have to be recorded with the Deed but you get it back after it is recorded.

In NY you will need to show picture ID for yourself and mom as well so dont throw hers out

Best of luck to you.   BTW I drive more twice as far every week to take care of my mom and am greatful for the opportunity and to sit with her for lunch and let her beat me at cards

[Rams]

Did this exercise for my Dad upon his passing, will have to do it again for my Mom assuming she goes before me.  I executed my Dad's estate and have P.O.A. for my mom.   BTW, my mom is a hoarder.   

I'm just over 750 miles from my parents homes.   That distance means I have to hire many things done.   I simply can not return to KS for every little thing.    While I "think" I have all the i's dotted and t's crossed, I'm sure something has been over looked.   

The one thing I learned when my Dad passed away is that some things will need to be addressed as soon as possible to save time and money later on.  Like emptying the house so repairs and upgrades can be made for future sale.   You should know what is going to be tossed, sold or given away already or as soon as you come across those things.   Let those (family) know what you find that may have some legal or emotional claim to it.   There will be hard feelings (potential family members) for some decisions you make but, make sure they know that you are working under time and financial constraints.   If they want to be involved, get off their butts and get involved.  Dealing with such things is never easy but has to be done.   

Good luck,  been there, done that.

Rams

[0leman]

My Mom, who turned 100 last year, is still living alone some 80 miles from where I live.  I make that trip every Wednesday.  Have mowed her lawn for the last several years when she started having issues mowing it.  Take care of small items that need to be repaired or cleaned up.

Thankfully she has gone thru her home and eliminated most of the "Stuff".   So when the time comes it won't take truck loads to get her place ready to be sold.  I am also on all her titles and banking accounts. So that problems is also taken care of. 

Still not looking forward to that day when I have to take care of her place.  but it will be easier than some have express here.