A parent or grandparent has just passed away, and you are responsible for their estate liquidation. What do you do? Here are the most important practical steps to take, as you begin this process.
When Your Loved One Dies
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The Estate Lady Blog
Sometimes Life’s an Oxymoron
A potential client sat in her parent’s affluent home asking my opinion as to how we should handle the dissolution of the property. In this case, I recommended a combination of auction and donation because it was not suitable for a good estate sale. Imagine my shock when she basically refused the very idea of donation. This was foreign to me.
“Would Anyone Like Some Hot Chocolate?”
It was all I could think to say with a weary smile on my face. The tension was thick as I sat in the middle of a nasty fight between three heirs, all feeling threatened, all feeling they were just in their opinions, all throwing insults and trying to out-jab the other.
How A Senior Party Changed Me Forever
I felt like Ebenezer Scrooge visiting a strange place and time, who saw the light and got the meaning in just the few hours they allowed me to share with them, and I feel so very honored to have witnessed such a gift. Our seniors truly are our greatest asset and we have much to learn from them. All we need to do is open our eyes, ears and hearts.
The Hawk
After wiping my eyes, I looked up and saw her. There she stood at the very top of a large, leafless maple tree with the morning fog and the chill of winter all around her. She was the very definition of strength and majesty, looking as if she owned the universe.
Permission to Let Go
The last two weeks were spent cleaning out Mom and Dad’s home. For 20 years, I have served others in doing this very task. What a bittersweet experience and very cleansing for me.
What Currently Has Value?
Q: What currently has value or is selling fairly well?
Sometimes There is No Second Chance
We are mortal beings. On a subconscious level, we all know our days are finite. Why then don’t we appreciate more the people close to our hearts, and tell them each and every day that we love them? Why do so many put it off and procrastinate?
What I’ve Learned as an Expert in “Things” (part 2)
As I write this blog on what I’ve learned as an expert on “things,” I realize that these last two thoughts, promised to you last week, will revolutionize how you view this year’s holidays. They’ll probably also save you money and frustration when holiday shopping time comes.
What I’ve Learned as an Expert in “Things”
My world revolves around many beautiful things, what they may be worth, and then sadly watch people fight over them after a loved one dies. Having met thousands of individuals in my career, I can safely say I have learned from each and every one of them. Here’s what I have learned.
“Julie, Are You Sitting Down?”
Every now and again, a story so bizarre comes along, you just know you’ll never forget it. I knew I was in trouble when the voice on the other end of the phone began with, “Julie, are you sitting down? We need to know if you are up for this one.”
The Secret Keeper
No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t keep that secret. Little did I know that as an adult, life would ask me to not only keep them, but to take them to my grave so no one would get hurt. This story, I can share… Some things are just too painful.
Condition, Condition, Condition
When it comes to the worth of heirlooms, there is one characteristic of value that I want everyone to understand: Original Condition. We all know what the word original means: initial, first, earliest, the real thing. It means the condition of an item that has been left intact, that way the artist or creator intended it to be. No stripping, refinishing, repairs, paint, drilled holes, polishing and lacquering, etc.
The Band-Aid Analogy
Sometimes you just don’t want to do what lies ahead of you. The little angel on your right shoulder says you have to do it, and the little devil sitting on your left shoulder tells you to blow it off and forget about it.
This internal tug-of-war happens to each of us every day whether we are consciously aware of it or not.
She Just Didn’t “Get It”
Though my efforts were admirable, my client simply did not want to hear the values I placed on her “heirlooms.” In her home, all things were phenomenally valuable according to her.
Quoted on MSN Money by Liz Weston
Thanks, Liz, for asking me to contribute to a topic that is at the heart of what I do. I want to educate people to avoid the harsh and painful reality of fighting and hurt that comes when families have to divide a parent’s possessions.
A Case of the Grumpies
We are bombarded by tens of thousands of media messages daily. We even have miniscule handheld gadgets and crazy fingers that fly faster than the typing secretaries we see in the old black and white movies. As if our desktops aren’t enough, we feel the need to remain “connected” to any new technological advance, and constantly have the media in our face. Sadly, we are exposed to all the negative energy the world has to offer.
His Outgoing Message Said …
You may recall last week I wrote about a lovely man who is dying and his energy and attitude were incredible. He lifted me up with his words and charisma. Yesterday I called him to reconfirm an appointment to come and look at items he wanted to sell in order to donate the proceeds. His outgoing message was quoted above.
Your Reality Check for the Day
My clients have taught me that in the end, the worth of an item is measured only by the joy it brings at a particular point in time. Many of us claim to cherish our possessions, only to discover that with the passage of time, they don’t mean as much anymore, or they have become a burden to us in some way.
Live So You Make a Difference in Others’ Lives
Cleaning out estates never gets dull — I just never know what I will uncover next or what heartwarming lesson I will learn. Sometimes I am covered head to toe in grime and sweat, and other days it’s a tiptoe through a pristine mansion. But no matter what our residence may look like, at the heart of the home lies the very essence of who we are.
Mementos of Killed Marine Sold By Mistake
This was the headline in our local paper a few days ago. The young widow accidentally sold a suitcase at a yard sale that contained photos and special items that were of her late Marine husband with their children. The article was a monumental effort across the country to appeal to anyone who might find it.
Make a Plan for the Ashes
Several years ago, I was preparing for an estate sale and found cremated remains in the bottom of a china hutch. They were handed to the son, who promptly tossed them under the kitchen sink right in front of me. This should be a reminder to us all that when a loved one is cremated (including our beloved pets), plans must be made in advance for their final resting place.
“B GR8FUL”
The license plate on the car in front of me during a long stretch of monotonous highway read, “Be grateful.” I couldn’t help but wonder if this was a personal message to me, just returning from a wonderful weekend with my parents in Florida, or if it was meant for all who read it, spreading a positive message during uncertain times.
Make Extra Income Doing This …
People have been collecting, sorting, and selling “scrap metal” for eons. But I have recently read articles that claim that full-time scrappers make anywhere from $60,000 to $100,000 annually. That’s pretty impressive money.