Vancouver Estate Sales

A large portion of my current transactions are estate sales. Given my wealth of experience here are some things for your consideration:

Title Search

We need a title search to confirm the deceased it on the title. We need to confirm also if there are any joint tenants on title.

If there is no surviving joints tenants, the will needs to confirm who the executor is and the executor needs to apply to the Supreme Court of BC to obtain Grant of Probate. This will allow the executor to transmit the property title from the deceased’s name into the name of the estate. Once the property is in the name of the estate then the executor can transfer the property into one our more beneficiaries or liquidate the property through a sale.

It is important to note, the probate application process can take 3-6 months, and a sale or transfer of the property cannot take place until a Grant of Probate is obtained. However, the property can be put on the market for sale with a seller’s condition to obtain the Grant of Probate. The executor should consult an estate lawyer regarding the process.

If there is no will then the family member(s) need to apply to the Supreme Court of BC to obtain Letters of Administration, which will appoint the applicant as an administrator of the decreased. The process is similar to Probate in which it would take 3-6 months to obtain Letters of Administration. The administrator has no immediate legal authority, so the administrator should await the Letters of Administration before entering into any contracts.

When taking over as the executor, it is important to consider the following taxes:

Empty Homes
Vancouver Empty Home Tax

New School
Vancouver School Tax

Speculation
Vancouver Housing Speculation Tax

Probate Tax
Probate Tax Vancouver

How to maximize the value you are getting for your family home:

Staging

We offer a staging consultation to make sure your home shows in the best it possibly can.

Face lift

We have trades available if there are touch ups that are required

Oil tank scan

We have oil tank companies we can recommend

Timeline

Provide a timeline from start to finish

Communication

With family members and the decision making process. Unfortunately in many cases there are communication issues within the beneficiaries of the estate. My graduate courses at the UBC Psychology department facilitates a smooth process which ultimately must be a priority for any family!

Costs associated with the Vancouver Probate process

I have sold over a hundred estate sale properties and have lots of experience with various family dynamics. We make sure communication is always top priority. Please don’t hesitate to contact me on anything related to the sale of your family home.