Selling a House When a Family Member Is Moving to a Nursing Home in Berks County, PA
When a parent or other family member needs to move into a nursing home, the family can suddenly find themselves dealing with a long list of decisions.
There may be medical and care decisions to make, financial questions to answer, and a house that needs to be dealt with.
And sometimes that house isn’t ready to sell.
It may be filled with years of belongings. It may be outdated or in poor condition. It may need repairs before it could be listed for sale.
For families in this situation, selling the house as-is may be an option worth considering.
At Berks County House Buyers, we’ve worked with families throughout Berks County who needed to sell a home because a loved one was moving into a nursing facility or needed long-term care.
One of those homes was in Shillington, Pennsylvania.
A Real Shillington, PA Home Sale
We recently purchased a house in Shillington from a family whose loved one was moving into a nursing home.
The family wanted to sell the property and access the equity in the house to help with the financial responsibilities associated with the family’s changing circumstances.
But there was a problem.
The house was not ready to go on the market.
It was filled with belongings, had not been updated in many years, and needed substantial work.
The family didn’t want to spend months cleaning, repairing and preparing the property for a traditional listing.
They wanted a simpler solution.
The House Was Filled With Years of Belongings
The house wasn’t necessarily a hoarding situation.
It was simply a home where someone had accumulated a lot of belongings over the years.
And that can create a significant burden for family members.
When a parent moves into a nursing facility, adult children and other family members may already have jobs, children, homes and responsibilities of their own.
The last thing they may want to do is spend weeks or months sorting through every room of a parent’s house.
Cleaning out a longtime family home can be an enormous job.
In this case, the family didn’t want to deal with that process.
We purchased the property as-is and took responsibility for the cleanup.
The House Needed Significant Updating
The property also needed substantial cosmetic work.
The kitchen was outdated.
The hardwood floors needed attention.
The walls needed to be repainted.
And years of cigarette smoke had left nicotine staining throughout portions of the house.
The family could have invested money into updating the property before selling it.
Instead, they chose to sell the house in its current condition.
Selling a House As-Is Can Make Things Easier for a Family
When you’re dealing with a family member moving into a nursing facility, there may already be enough on your plate.
You may not want to:
- Clean out an entire house
- Hire contractors
- Coordinate repairs
- Paint rooms
- Replace flooring
- Remodel a kitchen
- Pay for improvements
- Schedule showings
- Have strangers walking through the property
- Wait months for the right buyer
Selling a house as-is can eliminate some of those responsibilities.
A cash buyer may be willing to purchase the property in its current condition and take on the repairs and cleanup after closing.
What Happens to the House When Someone Moves Into a Nursing Home?
There isn’t one answer that applies to every family.
A person may continue to own a home after moving into a nursing facility. Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services specifically notes that a person receiving Medical Assistance-funded nursing facility care does not automatically have to sign over their home simply because they enter a nursing facility.
Whether selling the home makes sense depends on the family’s circumstances, including ownership, finances, mortgage obligations, other assets, and whether the person is applying for or receiving Medical Assistance.
Pennsylvania’s long-term-care Medical Assistance rules consider income and resources, and certain transfers of assets can affect eligibility.
That’s why families should talk with the appropriate professionals before making decisions about transferring or selling a home.
What If the Family Needs to Sell the House to Help Pay for Care?
This is one of the questions families may have.
If the house has equity, selling it may provide funds that can be used according to the family’s circumstances and applicable financial and care requirements.
However, the proceeds from a home sale can affect a person’s financial situation and potentially their eligibility for certain programs.
If the homeowner receives or is applying for Pennsylvania Medical Assistance for long-term care, the family should discuss the situation with the person’s caseworker, county assistance office, Medicaid/Medical Assistance professional, elder-law attorney or other qualified adviser before making decisions.
Pennsylvania DHS explains that long-term-care Medical Assistance eligibility includes financial eligibility requirements and that asset transfers within the five-year look-back period may be reviewed.
We buy houses. We don’t determine Medicaid eligibility or provide legal or financial advice.
Our role is to help the family understand what we may be able to pay for the property.
Can a Nursing Home Question the Sale Price of a House?
Families sometimes worry about how a property sale will be viewed when a loved one is entering long-term care.
The answer depends on the individual circumstances.
If the person is applying for or receiving Medical Assistance, the family may need documentation about the property’s value and the transaction.
In the Shillington situation that inspired this page, we were willing to provide the family with documentation explaining how we arrived at our cash offer, including the condition of the property and the work that would be required.
That included considerations such as:
- Property condition
- Needed repairs
- Cleanup costs
- Renovation expenses
- Other costs associated with purchasing and improving the house
This gave the family information they could use when discussing the transaction with the appropriate people involved in the loved one’s care and finances.
Every situation is different, so families should follow the requirements applicable to their particular case.
You Don’t Have to Clean Out the House Before You Call Us
This is one of the biggest advantages of selling a house as-is.
If the property contains decades of furniture, clothing, collectibles, household items or other belongings, you don’t necessarily have to make the house look like an empty, staged property before contacting us.
We’ve purchased houses with a lot of stuff inside.
We understand that a house doesn’t become empty just because someone has moved into a nursing facility.
And we understand that family members may not have the time or emotional energy to clean out an entire home.
What If the House Is Outdated?
An outdated house doesn’t necessarily need to be renovated before you sell it.
The Shillington property had an older kitchen, worn flooring, dated finishes and nicotine staining.
Instead of requiring the family to remodel the property, we purchased it as-is.
After purchasing the house, we were able to:
- Clean out the property
- Repaint
- Refinish the hardwood floors
- Remodel the kitchen
- Update the home
The family didn’t have to coordinate that work themselves.
Selling a House After a Parent Moves to a Nursing Home
Selling a parent’s house can be emotional.
It’s not just a real estate transaction.
It’s often the house where someone lived for decades.
There may be family memories throughout the property.
There may also be a tremendous amount of work involved in deciding what to keep, what to donate, what to discard and what to do with the house itself.
You don’t have to make that decision based solely on what the house looks like today.
There are different ways to sell a property, including selling it traditionally or exploring a direct cash sale.
The right choice depends on the family’s circumstances.
How the Cash Sale Process Works
If your family is considering selling a house in Berks County, the first step is simply to tell us about the property.
We’ll want to know:
- Where the property is located
- The general condition of the house
- Whether someone is currently living there
- Whether there is a mortgage
- What type of repairs are needed
- Your preferred timeline
We’ll look at the property and determine whether we’re interested in purchasing it.
If we are, we’ll make a cash offer based on the property and its current condition.
You can then compare that offer with your other options.
There is no obligation to accept it.
We Buy Houses in Shillington and Throughout Berks County
The Shillington house is just one example.
We purchase properties throughout Berks County, including:
- Reading
- Shillington
- Wyomissing
- West Reading
- Sinking Spring
- West Lawn
- Wernersville
- Exeter
- Mohnton
- Boyertown
- Fleetwood
- Kutztown
- Hamburg
- Leesport
- And surrounding Berks County communities
We buy houses in a variety of conditions and situations.
Watch the Video: Selling a House When a Family Member Moves to a Nursing Home
[KEEP THE EXISTING YOUTUBE VIDEO HERE]
This video tells the story of the Shillington property and explains how we worked with the seller’s family to purchase the home for cash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell my parent’s house if they move into a nursing home?
It depends on who owns the property and the family’s legal and financial circumstances. If you’re dealing with a nursing-home move, determine who has authority to sell the property before signing anything.
Does someone have to sell their house when they enter a nursing home?
No. Moving into a nursing facility does not automatically require a homeowner to sell their house. Pennsylvania DHS specifically states that a person does not have to sign over their home simply to receive Medical Assistance-funded nursing facility care.
Can selling a house affect Medicaid eligibility in Pennsylvania?
It can, depending on the person’s circumstances and how the proceeds are handled. Pennsylvania Medical Assistance for long-term care has financial eligibility rules, and certain asset transfers can be reviewed. Families should seek qualified advice before selling or transferring property when Medical Assistance is involved.
Can I sell a nursing-home resident’s house as-is?
Potentially, but the person selling the property must have the legal authority to do so. If someone else is acting on the homeowner’s behalf, the family’s attorney or other qualified professional can help determine what authority is required.
Do I have to clean out my parent’s house before selling it?
Not necessarily. Some buyers, including cash home buyers, purchase houses with belongings still inside. Always clarify what will happen to the contents of the property before closing.
Does the house need to be repaired before selling?
No. A house can potentially be sold in its current condition. A traditional buyer may expect repairs, while a cash buyer may purchase the property as-is.
Can you provide documentation explaining your cash offer?
Yes. When appropriate, we can explain the factors considered in our offer, including the property’s condition and anticipated repair and cleanup costs. This may be useful for a family that needs documentation about the transaction, although we cannot determine what documentation a nursing facility, Medicaid program or other organization will require.
Helping Berks County Families Navigate Difficult Home Sales
When a loved one moves into a nursing home, the family already has plenty to deal with.
If there’s also a house that needs to be sold, you don’t necessarily have to take on every repair, cleanup and renovation yourself.
At Berks County House Buyers, we buy houses in Berks County in a wide range of conditions.
We’ll look at the property, explain what we may be able to offer, and let you decide what makes sense for your family.
No pressure. No obligation.
Ready to Talk About the House?
If your parent, grandparent or other family member is moving into a nursing facility and you’re trying to figure out what to do with the house, contact us.
Call 610-816-6205 or fill out the form on this page to tell us about the property.
We’ll take a look and explain your options.