Tough, tough couple of weeks for me

Believe it or not, estate sale people may have them beat. This is scuttlebutt relayed to me by an estate sale person. Lots of opportunities for them to screw you. Say it didn't sell, then pocket the pieces for themselves and sell under the table for themselves. Estate stuff is where everyone wants to separate you from your money. Yeah, there's FMV, but people really don't want to even give that give it to you.

Sorry for the rant, but this stuff just bugs me how there seems to be a lot of people perfectly willing to take advantage of people.
 
WobblyHand said:
Believe it or not, estate sale people may have them beat. This is scuttlebutt relayed to me by an estate sale person. Lots of opportunities for them to screw you. Say it didn't sell, then pocket the pieces for themselves and sell under the table for themselves. Estate stuff is where everyone wants to separate you from your money. Yeah, there's FMV, but people really don't want to even give that give it to you.

Sorry for the rant, but this stuff just bugs me how there seems to be a lot of people perfectly willing to take advantage of people.
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Got another, you know those GOT JUNK companies or similar.. they will sell your stuff that you just paid to remove. Only saleable stuff mind you, not real trash.. but you never know.

And yes there's an estate sale company around here that has a warehouse that they open to sell stuff out of. Did they buy it, or just remove it for the heirs, and will the heirs get any of it?
 
I realize that those places, do sell your stuff, that's how they pay themselves. And at times, it is worth it.

I'll be lucky to get 60-65% of FMV, IF IT SELLS. If it doesn't, then I and the other beneficiaries get nada. I'd have the option (I think) to retain the goods that didn't sell, but that's what I am trying to avoid in the first place. I don't want to warehouse stuff I don't need or want. I don't want to move it myself either. But I'm soon going to have to make some decision and get it done, no matter how much it stinks. And when it stinks for "you", that's when these people take advantage of you. Sure, it's a service of sorts, but it has a rotten aroma.
 
No one wanted to sell stuff, at least under conditions that I (and my attorney) would allow. Even consignment places shunned all but 1 item. I took the table home, and I'll sell it myself. I sent them 100's of photos, but no interest. That table, the recent sold price was over $1500. If I get over $800 I consider it a win, since consignment wanted 50% and I had to bring it to them. It's pin money really compared to getting the house sold.

Today is a tough day, College Hunks is here and they are clearing the place out. They were cheaper than gotjunk. As of the moment, I'd say they are doing ok, and at least treating me with some dignity. So I'm going around and sitting in the couches and chairs one last time. Situation stinks, but have to get it all done. It's weird seeing things boxed up ready to exit the house. Sad to see people's lives, one's that were dear to you, being boxed and stacked. One more step in the grieving process, I suppose. Part of letting go.
 
Well that step is done. Everything is gone, except for toilet paper, paper towels, a couple of cleaning supplies, a broom, dust pan, a vacuum cleaner and a pair of folding chairs.

Didn't feel as bad today - it was more of relief. So I suppose that's good. I have some sweeping to do, but it's mostly ok.

Really glad that I hired these guys. Four big trucks were over filled with junk and two of the biggest moving vans I've seen were filled with stuff to recycle/sell. There were 6-8 people working for two 7 hour days clearing the place out. And they were a lot younger, bigger and stronger than I am. It bothered me to chuck a bunch of metal, but it was all weird stuff that was difficult to deal with. Managed to find about 25 lbs of plumbers lead under a set of industrial shelves, I took that home for casting.

Really only two more tasks (at the house) - some yard clean up, it's fall, and getting the smoke/CO stuff squared away. Think I'll hire someone for the clean up. The smoke/CO detector stuff is in progress. Things are nearly in control, for a change.

Back home, need to sort through all the papers, primarily to see if there are any accounts that I don't know about. So look at a statement, record the account info and shred the statement. Maybe keep one statement. I've been putting this off, but these darned boxes of crap are everywhere - so I have to beat them back into submission. Good golly, being the executor is so much fun - NOT.
 
Almost there. Tomorrow morning the fire chief comes by and inspects the smoke CO alarm system, so I can receive the all important state mandated 26-F Certificate of Compliance for the home. Then Thursday, is the closing, at least if I receive the 26F on Wednesday. If I don't get the 26-F, well, the closing will be delayed. No residential property can be sold in MA without a 26-F. Crossing my fingers, simply because nothing has been smooth or easy.

Once the house is sold, then after a week, I get to play the executor. Oh yeah, then the lawyers bills become due. Everyone seems to get paid, except me. Once I have all the required legal powers, then finally I get the joy of dealing with the banks, the insurance companies and the like. Those guys are a royal PIA.
 
WobblyHand said:
Once the house is sold, then after a week, I get to play the executor. Oh yeah, then the lawyers bills become due. Everyone seems to get paid, except me. Once I have all the required legal powers, then finally I get the joy of dealing with the banks, the insurance companies and the like. Those guys are a royal PIA.
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Been there, don't envy you. Everyone of those will present you with some BS legal hurtle.
Never heard of a 26F. Here it is up to the buyer to determine what it needs for them to buy.
 
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Larry$ said:
Been there, don't envy you. Everyone of those will present you with some BS legal hurtle.
Never heard of a 26F. Hear it is up to the buyer to determine what it needs for them to buy.
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26-F is a Massachusetts Certificate of Compliance for smoke and CO alarm systems. Without a 26-F, residential property cannot be sold - by law. Banks and Closing lawyers will not perform a closing on a sale, without a recent 26F. It differs by town or city, but the local fire authorities have final say whether to issue a 26-F. The buyer cannot waive this 26-F requirement, neither can the seller.

I got screwed over, because ADT never installed a compliant fire alarm system, nor did they ever get it inspected, as required by the permit they signed. After pushing them for months, calling both the local and corporate offices, I gave up, fired ADT, and hired a different company to pull a new permit and finish the install. I told that new company, "You don't get paid unless I get a signed 26-F." So tomorrow I find out if the sale will go through. All the money I spent to get this 26F is cash that I flush down the toilet, it's non recoverable. Yeah so $1300 for the install (which reused a lot of the existing sensors) is what I had to pay because ADT did not install a compliant system. Been aggravating, pretty much like everything associated with this estate. Nothing has gone smoothly.

As for the BS, yeah, they all make up crazy rules. It's to keep the money as long as possible, like floating a check. At least in a couple weeks I will be both the trustee and the executor. Right now I'm only the executor, which the insurance company seems to think is insufficient! They are going to be doing some weird stuff tomorrow when I cancel the Home owners insurance policy as of Thursday, because the house has been sold.
 
Cancel at close of escrow.

Not sold until that time.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk
 
Well the smoke/CO alarm inspection passed. It seems I forgot to apply for the permit. :( But I applied online and paid for it this morning, while I still had internet. Now waiting for the 26-F to be emailed to me. I hope I filled it out correctly, especially my email. I need that 26-F or the closing cannot happen. Just waiting, anxiously waiting.

Walked around the house and reminisced a little - it's bittersweet. I grew up there, but this place has certainly been a costly and time consuming project. 44 trips to the house since early June this year. 80% of the trips have been wretched traffic. Over $75K in expenses, not including the attorneys. The attorneys will probably be over $100K. The road to the house has been under perpetual construction - yes detours, dug up roads, high manhole covers, giant construction vehicles, you name it. Even getting to this place was a chore.

To have more fun, I picked up the modem thingy and returned it to the ISP office in the next town. Since no good deed goes unpunished, they claimed there was more equipment. Well there's nothing at the house now. But at least I got a receipt for the modem. These folks ought to appreciate, dead people don't come with manuals, they don't tell you where things are, or were, nor what equipment they may or may not have to return. I simply picked up the only thing that was left and returned it. Oh, both the accounts for the electric and ISP were still in my dad's name, my mom never changed them. He's been gone for five years now. Just barrels of fun.

Tomorrow I will go back to meet with my attorney and go with him to the closing. (If I get the 26-F!) Honestly, I'll be glad for this chapter to be behind me. Lot's of pain left behind. Some childhood innocence too. Remember singing and skipping on my way home from elementary school. I was happy then. Now, I just want this chapter done, because it has been really unpleasant. Getting there, a baby step at a time.
 
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