Image by everdrop GmbH via Unsplash
For those with a recently inherited house, cleaner recommendations may not be top of mind amidst the difficult grieving process that accompanies a deceased loved one. However, there can be a cost associated with avoiding dealing with an estate in Tampa, ranging from things like capital gains taxes to more physically taxing labor as the property goes unattended.
It may be useful for people with inherited property to have the run down on what a big responsibility inheriting a house can be. For some, recognizing the amount of work required for an estate cleanout may make them decide to pay someone else to perform some of the cleaning services, rather than relying on themselves during a time of such high emotions.
Considerations for Cleaning Out an Inherited Property
Occasionally, when someone inherits a house, they’ll keep the property for themselves, perhaps maintaining the family home to pass down to their own heirs. In many cases, though, close family members determine that the best option is selling the property.
For those looking to sell a home, time is often of the essence, and many people discover that in the long run, having paid someone to do the cleaning is more economically – and emotionally – sound.
Family Members
When it comes to cleaning out a loved one’s belongings, it can be beneficial to talk things over with the friends and family members who might have an attachment to the estate. When emotions are running high, some families disagree about how to handle valuable or irreplaceable items, especially sentimental items.
Some tips to consider when it’s time to talk to family members:
What are the final wishes of the deceased? If someone’s parents bought a piece of furniture specifically for use when their grandchild comes over, they may have wanted to save it for that family. Another example would be a donation pile, other items that the deceased had hoped would go to a specific charity when they passed.
Are there belongings that are valuable to one family member for sentimental reasons but “just stuff” to someone else? Touch base with those involved to get a sense of how to decide property with both monetary cost as well as the impact of the items outside of the money.
More than one person may have advice on how best to sell the house and what to do with the stuff inside. Most people want to feel listened to, but keep in mind that the person who can ultimately decide what stays and what goes, what sells and what remains, is the person responsible for the sale.
Using an Estate Sale Company
If you’re hoping to dispose of the home quickly or without doing much leg work on your own, an estate sale company may be a good option. These are companies that specialize in selling inherited property, and their goal is simple: get as much money out of the sale as possible.
Price structures for these companies vary; often they’ll take a percentage of the estate sale, sometimes on a sliding scale based on the price they can potentially sell the property for. Estate sales require a lot of work, so you may wind up getting less money out of the property than if you’d done that work yourself. However, you may decide it’s worth the price.
Sell The House As Is
One of the benefits of estate sale services is that they could give you a cash offer on the house as is. The estate services that offer this sort of top-to-bottom service, from decluttering and cleaning to inventorying and auctioning, could be saving you enough time and effort to offset the amount of money you pay for this service.
Get Advice FromThe Experts
Another advantage when a person chooses to sell their house with an estate liquidator is that they are likely to have the best tips and advice about the best process to sell quickly. Some people have saved upward of a thousand dollars simply because of the timing of the sale – accounting for the market at the time, any mortgage remaining, and how fast they can get their houses sold.
Death And Taxes
You likely don’t need to hire an estate company to get into the most advantageous position regarding taxes, but these services that perform sales on such a large scale likely have a tax professional on staff or someone they can recommend so that you can get advice on whether it’s to your benefit to sell now or hang on to the property for a bit, rather than setting a quick date of sale. Most states, including Florida, don’t have an inheritance tax, but there may be other taxes or fees to consider after inheriting a house.
To Rent, Rather than Sell
Some heirs may decide it’s more advantageous to rent the property, rather than to sell it. Inheriting a house can be lucrative, particularly if the mortgage is paid off or if there’s a tax advantage to retaining the home.
If someone decides to rent their inherited house out, they still may decide to hire a property management firm, rather than making room in their own schedule to process the house for rental themselves. Again, this may be worth it, especially if the alternative is to continue paying the mortgage with no additional income until the house is available to be sold or rented.
Performing the Clearing-Out Process Yourself
If you decide you’d rather spend time than money, or maybe you have friends that are willing to be involved in the process, you may choose to prepare the house for its next step on your own. Before you choose this option, notice what is involved in cleaning an inherited house.
friends of the loved one
If the loved one who passed away has friends who are able and willing to pitch in with the house cleanup, keep in mind that they are going through the process of grieving as well. They may need rest or time to process and say goodbye while they’re working.
Going room to room
Some tips to be aware of when going through the process of cleaning yourself involve how you’d like to structure the cleanup. Do you want to tackle one room at a time, completing decluttering or cleaning in that space before moving to the next? Or do you want to work with categories, finding all the broken items, the junk mail, the important documents, the things most connected to your loved one and then deciding what to do with one pile at a time?
With either process, you’ll likely have some things left to address after you’ve dealt with the rest of the house. Taking the time to connect with those helping you and with your loved one through the house can be healing and may make it worth doing it yourself.
The Essentials
There are some things that you’ll need to do regardless of whether you’re hiring a cleaning service, an estate cleanout service, or doing it all on your own. Be sure that you secure any important documents from the house and claim or distribute any sentimental items or things of value to you.
No one is likely to be as invested in the care of the house and property as the family members, but a reputable cleaner or estate professional will treat the home with respect and care.
Best-Rated Cleaning Services in Tampa
Don’t be afraid to shop around when finding someone to clean out your property; most people will want a business that is licensed and bonded, but also one that feels compassionate and will consider their emotional needs as well as their service needs.
Below are cleaners in Tampa and who are well-thought-of by their clients.
Image Source: Maid Easy
Maid Easy
With over 60 five-star reviews on Google alone, Maid Easy is one of the top-rated cleaning services in Tampa. Their website makes it easy to understand why:
~ a simple tool to estimate the price right on the front page
~ online booking through their website
~ 24/7 support via phone, email, or chat
Reviewers have glowing praise for them, too:
“They are skilled, do the job well, and are reliable and trustworthy.”
“I highly recommend their services to friends and family members.”
“…my favorite thing was the fact that they charged a set price to get the job completed…”
“…the house looked exceptional in the end.”
Image Source: Central Florida Cleaner
Central Florida Cleaner
Another 5-star company, Central Florida Cleaner provides cleaning and sanitizing services for business and residential clients. They pride themselves on their highly-trained and well-compensated employees, as well as their scientifically-proven, customizable cleaning options.
Reviewers write about their professionalism and thorough, detail-oriented approach to cleaning. Several people also mention that their allergies are better after a visit from Central Florida Cleaner.
Image Source: Home Clean Heroes
Home Clean Heroes
Home Clean Heroes not only clean your home, but also take care not to bring outside contaminants in with them. They discuss their system for stopping cross-contamination, both between houses and within the home.
Reviewers appreciate their business approach too. One reviewer said, “It’s a well run service, from the owner to the office and cleaners, everyone is friendly and client centric. They’re receptive to feedback and aim to please. They have clear, consistent, and open communication and even do quality assurance checks to ensure you’re satisfied.”
Image Source: Minute Maids
Minute Maids
If eco-friendly products are important to you, you may find a good match with Minute Maids House Cleaning; their website touts their environmentally-friendly products and methods.
They also have instant online booking, so many people find the convenience to be an extra benefit, as did the reviewer who said, “The company also made the booking and executing of the appointment effortless.”
Reviewers praise the outcome of using their services, with one stating, “From the moment I walk in the doors I could see and smell the cleanliness of their work.”
Another claimed, “Minute Maids showed up on short notice and provided a deep cleaning service to get my rental property ready for a showing for a new tenant!”
Outsourcing Labor
Dealing with the paperwork, the multitude of decisions, and the emotions of yourself and those around you can make inheriting a house far more stressful than simply owning new property. Finding ways to reduce the physically taxing elements of the labor involved can make a big difference in navigating grief and overwhelming feelings.
Clearing out and cleaning an inherited property is one of the easiest places to enlist help in reducing this sort of work. Hopefully, the above tips and reviews assist in the decision-making process of getting your inherited home ready for the next step.
