Sell a Home When Downsizing or Moving to Assisted Living
When an aging parent moves into assisted living, the family house usually has to fund the move -- quickly, quietly, and without a month of strangers walking through it.
Moving a parent into care is a hundred small decisions in a short window, and the house is the heaviest one. It is usually full, usually dated, and usually needs to turn into money for the monthly cost of the new place.
What you are dealing with
Sound familiar?
- A facility deposit due before the house can possibly sell
- Fifty years of belongings in a house nobody wants to empty
- A parent who is overwhelmed by showings and paperwork
- Power of attorney questions nobody has answered yet
Questions sellers ask us first
- “Can I sell using power of attorney?”
- “How fast can we have the money?”
- “Does a sale affect benefits?”
What you will need
- • Recorded power of attorney or conservatorship order
- • Deed and tax bill
- • Photo ID for the owner and the agent
How it works in Tennessee
The timeline, the law, and your options
- Step 1
Authority to sign
A durable power of attorney or conservatorship establishes who may sign. Closing attorneys will want the original recorded instrument.
- Step 2
Valuation and disclosure
Sales by an agent under a POA are held to a fiduciary standard, so documented, arm's-length pricing protects everyone.
- Step 3
Closing and proceeds
Proceeds are paid to the owner or the properly titled account, not to the agent personally.
Legal notes
- • Medicaid planning and asset transfers have look-back consequences -- talk to an elder law attorney before you sell.
- • The closing attorney must approve the power of attorney before it can be used at the table.
Your options
- • Keep the house and rent it to cover care costs
- • Clean out, repair, and list it traditionally
- • Sell as-is quickly to fund the move
How we handle it
What selling to us looks like
We work with families and with agents holding a durable power of attorney, close in as little as a week when the facility needs funds, and handle the entire clean-out so nobody has to spend weekends in a storage unit.
- We buy furnished. Take the photographs and the heirlooms; leave the furniture, the garage, and the attic to us.
- We close with a power of attorney or a conservator when your parent cannot sign, working from whatever the facility and attorney require.
- Forty-year-old kitchens, single-pane windows, and a bathroom that needs grab bars do not change our number.
- Timing built around the move-in date, so the care bill and the sale proceeds line up.
Our process
Three steps, no surprises
- 1
Tell us about the house
Call or send the address. We ask about condition, timing, and what is going on -- not for photographs or a clean house.
- 2
We walk the property
We look at it ourselves as a licensed contractor and price the repairs from real numbers instead of a padded guess.
- 3
Written offer, your date
You get a written, no-obligation offer, usually within 24 hours. You pick the closing date; we can close in as little as seven days.
Cash offer vs. listing
Compare the net, not the headline price
| Selling to Unique Construct | Traditional listing | |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs | None — we buy as-is | Seller pays before listing |
| Commissions | None | Typically 5–6% |
| Closing costs | We cover the standard costs | Often seller-paid |
| Showings | One visit from us | Open houses and lockbox |
| Contingencies | No financing, appraisal, or inspection outs | All three |
| Timeline | As little as 7 days | 45–60 days after a contract |
FAQ
Questions sellers ask
- Does the house need to be emptied?
- No. Take what the family wants and we take care of the rest.
- How quickly can funds be available?
- Seven days is realistic once title is clear.
- Will a sale affect Medicaid eligibility?
- It can. Please get elder law advice first -- we would rather you time it correctly than fast.
- Will selling the house affect Medicaid eligibility?
- It can, because proceeds are countable assets. Speak with an elder law attorney before closing -- we are glad to work around the timing they recommend.
- Can I sell with a power of attorney?
- Yes, if the document grants authority to convey real property. The title company reviews it before closing.
No obligation
Get a written offer
Tell us what is going on. We will be straight with you about whether selling is actually your best move.
Downsizing? Get your offer
No obligation, no fees, no repairs. Tell us about the property and you get a written cash offer within 24 hours of the walkthrough.
Related
Other situations we buy in
Downsizing / assisted living by city
Downsizing? Call (865) 277-6808 and we will tell you where you stand.
Call (865) 277-6808This page is general information, not legal or financial advice. Every situation is different — call us and we'll walk through yours.