Moving a Parent to a Retirement Home: What to Do With the House?

Perhaps your mother's ability to care for herself has been declining for a while. Or maybe your father's medical needs suddenly require more care than you can give. 

Regardless of whether this decision has been a long time coming or took your family by surprise, moving a parent to a retirement home can be a physically and emotionally exhausting experience.

Besides trying to care for your family member, you will be responsible for sorting through decades of family history and handling cleaning, packing, and paperwork.

You will have to make decisions and arrangements for their home, so here are some tips to help you navigate the next steps of this process.

How to arrange for a smooth transition?

Your parent might feel discouraged and defeated leaving their home and the memories it holds, so your support matters during this challenging season.

Helping them feel like they are engaged in the move and giving them a say in matters can help them cope with the changes coming their way.

Take your time sorting and packing

While you need to make decisions and take action, it is crucial not to rush the moving process. Sorting through precious items will not happen quickly. Whenever possible, be sure to involve your parent in the process, allowing plenty of time to go through their things and make decisions with them.

Do not feel like you have to tackle everything at once. Move your loved one into their new home with the furniture they are taking with them first, then attend to the rest of their belongings. 

Set up their new home

There is no place like home, especially a home that raised a family and has many sentimental attachments. However, you can make your parent's new residence as familiar and comfortable as possible. 

To keep the feel of your parent's home, set up their new room or residence in a similar way, using their existing furniture. Sit down with them to sketch out a floor plan of their new place and figure out a furniture arrangement that works for them. Be sure to decorate their new home with family pictures and treasured memorabilia so they can be surrounded by loved ones, even when you cannot physically be there with them.

What to do with the house?

After you sort through all of your parent's belongings and move them to their new residence, you will have to figure out the next steps for their home. You have several options:

• Keep the property: You or another family member could move in.
• Rent it out: Rental income can offset costs related to the move or help pay for your loved one's long-term care.
• Sell the home: Go the traditional real estate route of listing the house with a Realtor.

If you want to keep the home along with your primary residence, understand that even if your parent's house is owned free and clear of a mortgage payment, the inheriting party could now shoulder two insurance payments and two tax payments.

On the other hand, if you choose to enlist the help of a real estate agent and sell the home, this means you will need to make repairs and renovations to get the property market-ready. When aging parents have lived in the same house for decades, often essential maintenance has been neglected.

Identify repairs that must be done immediately for safety reasons.

If your renovation costs are stacking up, you may feel overwhelmed about an ever-growing to-do list to get the property ready to put on the market. Take a step back and focus on the most pressing needs first, such as any issues with the roof, plumbing, or HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning).

Then, if the budget allows, make other fixes and updates.

Consider selling off-market

Between moving your parent to a retirement home and making decisions about the future of their cherished house, the entire process can be physically, emotionally, and financially draining. For many in this situation, the best option is to sell as-is for a swift and smooth transition.

Simply offers an efficient way to sell the home just as it is, for cash. This means you can prioritize taking care of your parent rather than spending time and money on repairs and renovations. 

Selling to Simply is a great choice, especially if you need to sell fast or you lack the funds for necessary repairs. We offer you the best cash price for your loved one's home, helping you close and move on, so you can focus on what matters most.

Our caring team is ready to help

At Simply, our knowledgeable, empathetic local experts are here to guide you through every step of the selling process to ensure you are confident with each decision. All you have to do is give us your address, and within 30 seconds, we will let you know if we are interested in your property.