What Do You Do If You Inherit A Hoarder's House

Published on August 26th, 2022

If you've recently inherited a hoarder house, you're probably experiencing various emotions. It is a time of loss and grief and discovering that you have been left with an entire home may be daunting. You might also feel overwhelmed and intimidated if you inherited a hoarder's house. The good news is there are ways to sell your home fast for cash if you so decide.

You're in luck if you have concerns about what you need to do. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about inheriting a hoarder house and some information to help you get through this difficult time.

What Should I First Do After Inheriting A Hoarder House?

Take a deep breath and assess the hoarding situation as soon as possible. This could include a physical home inspection of the property. When you first arrive at the property, try to determine the extent of the damage without going too far inside. Before you start cleaning, you should decide if it is safe to go inside.

Is it Necessary To Clean The Hoarder House?

The answer is obvious; you will need to prepare for deep cleaning the hoarder house. However, the amount of cleaning required will vary depending on your circumstances. If the hoarding situations are severe, you'll probably need to do more cleaning to remove mold, pests, and anything else that grew as a result of the hoarding disorder.

When you finally start cleaning out the hoarder house, it may be tempting to gather everything into trash bags and throw all the stuff away. While this may be easier at first, you may miss out on retrieving important documents or valuable items that you or a family member may find useful.

Some hoarders will hide expensive items, such as jewellery, in places that do not appear obvious. The best solution is to sort through everything in the inherited hoarder house to avoid getting rid of family heirlooms.

A hoarder house may be dangerous to enter in some circumstances. If this is the case, you should consider hiring a professional junk removal company to help you or take the property off your hands. Some companies buy properties as-is, so you won't have to worry about repairs and cleaning them.

Do I Have To Repair The Hoarder Home After I Clean It?

While the exact answer will depend on your circumstances, the truth is most likely yes. Many hoarder houses have problems beyond clutter, such as pests and structural damage from the load of the hoarded items or other damage to the appliances or electrical system that may not have been serious at first but became worse as the problem was ignored.

Suppose you intend to sell the hoarder house or renovate it and move in. In that case, you'll almost certainly need to address at least a few vital home renovation projects aimed at repairing the structural integrity of the hoarder home.

Is It Difficult To Sell A Hoarder Home After Inheriting It?

The honest answer is that selling a hoarder house will be difficult even after it has been cleaned. There are frequently severe damages, and potential buyers may be cautious of the property's history, especially if you live in a smaller town. You'll probably have to spend a lot of money repairing and renovating the hoarder home before you even consider selling it, and you might not get the cash offer you want for it.

Do I Need To Hire A Real Estate Agent To Sell A Hoarder's Home?

If you intend to fix up the inherited hoarder house and sell it, you will almost certainly need to work with a licensed real estate agent. Even if this isn't completely necessary, a real estate agent would be a great asset to you during this period as they can help you navigate all the nuances that may arise during the process of if you've inherited a hoarder's house.

Hoarding disorder is a mental disorder that can lead to many safety issues living on a hoarder's property. If you find yourself inheriting a family member's hoarder home, it is best to hire a home inspector to overlook the extent of the situation.

It may help if you also employ a professional organizer to deal with removing all the items left on the property. This may add extra costs to selling the property, but it is your best chance of receiving a fair cash offer if you intend to sell the home.

References:

https://www.pavelbuyshouses.com/blog/i-inherited-a-hoarder-house-now-what/

https://therealestatesolutionsguy.com/i-inherited-hoarder-house/