As a Santa Clara Realtor who specializes in Probate Sales I have found many unusual things left at house that were not wanted or noticed by the heirs. Since I offer to clean out and stage the Probate Homes I sell I get to deal with al the junk that is left behind.
You see when someone dies an estimate of the value of the personal items is given to the court. After that the items that were left to specific people are distributed. These are usually the things of monetary or sentimental value like jewelry, artwork, or good furniture. Sometimes there is no will, or no specific designation, so any valuables will be sold and the money added to the money that will eventually be divided amongst the heirs. This can be done by an estate seller, a garage sale, or an auction house.
What is left is trash, things to recycle, and things to donate. This is where I come in. I bring in my crew and we recycle metal, paper, cans, old appliances, anything that can be recycled, donate anything that Goodwill or Saint Vincent DePaul will take, and trash the rest. After that I get the home painted, make sure the flooring is fresh, and fully stage the house.
We look at every item to make sure it really is worthless and that there is no money in a pocket or under a mattress. We have found some unusual things, but what we found at my latest Santa Clara Probate Sale is a first for me, someone's ashes. This person died in 1951 and we had no idea whose they were. The owner of the home was 100 when he died, and his closest relative who is the Personal Representativeof this Santa Clara Probate home is a much younger cousin and had no idea who the ashes belonged to.
After speaking with a neighbor we discovered that the ashes belonged to the owners son. They had been living in NYC in 1951 when their 5-year-old son was hit by a bus and killed. Our 100-year-old owner had kept the ashes with him for 62 years. My client, the younger cousin has taken the ashes so the two can be buried together. I was so happy to be able to do this for the family.
It is very satisfying to take a probate home from trash filled to cleaned up, painted, and fully staged in order to increase the value for the heirs, which is what I do. But it is even more satisfying to help a family preserve memories and wishes.
If you have any questions about selling a home in Santa Clara in Probate please feel free to contact me.
Marcy Moyer
Keller Williams Realty
BRE 01191194
640-619-9284
Lovely story, house clearances can reveal some really interesting articles.
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