Expert REALTOR® for Senior Downsizing, Probate & Out-of-State Estate Sales in Des Moines
Vacant home insurance Iowa requirements are one of the first surprises out-of-state heirs run into after inheriting Iowa real estate from out of state in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, or anywhere across the state. Standard homeowners policies were written for owner-occupied homes — once a property sits empty for 30 to 60 days, most carriers … Read more
Selling an inherited house in Iowa starts with one question: who has the legal authority to sign? Until that question is answered, nothing else can move forward. Most families in Polk, Dallas, and Warren Counties find the full process takes four to six months at minimum, and often longer when there are title issues, multiple … Read more
By Sarah Ingles, REALTOR® SRES® CPCU® | Smart Move Des Moines One of the first questions executors ask when they’re preparing to sell an inherited home in Des Moines is whether to fix it up first — or sell it as-is and let a buyer deal with the condition. It sounds like a simple decision. … Read more
By Sarah Ingles, REALTOR® SRES® CPCU® | Smart Move Des Moines If you’ve recently lost a parent or family member — or you’re helping someone who has — one of the first questions that comes up is: what happens to the house? It’s the right question to ask early. Because what happens next depends on … Read more
By Sarah Ingles, REALTOR® SRES® CPCU® | Smart Move Des Moines Selling Your Parents’ Iowa Home From Out of State: What Out-of-State Heirs Need to Know If you live in Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, or Phoenix and just learned you’re responsible for selling a parent’s home in Des Moines — you’re not alone, and you don’t … Read more
By Sarah Ingles, REALTOR® SRES® CPCU® | Smart Move Des Moines When someone passes away and leaves a home in Iowa, the family’s focus is — understandably — on grief, on legal paperwork, and on figuring out what happens next. Insurance is rarely the first thing anyone thinks about. It should be among the first. … Read more
By Sarah Ingles, REALTOR® SRES® CPCU® | Smart Move Des Moines What Happens to Home Insurance When a Parent Passes Away in Iowa? If you’re managing a parent’s home after they’ve passed away in Iowa, there’s one thing you need to check before anything else: the homeowner’s insurance. Iowa executors have as little as 30 … Read more
By Sarah Ingles, REALTOR® SRES® CPCU® | Smart Move Des Moines If you’ve been named executor of an estate in Iowa and the estate includes real property, you’re probably asking one of the most common questions I hear: can I sell the house while it’s still in probate? The short answer is yes. But the … Read more
By Sarah Ingles, REALTOR® SRES® CPCU® | Smart Move Des Moines You’re dealing with a lot right now, and insurance is probably not what you wanted to think about first. But this is one of the time-sensitive decisions that protects the estate. If you’ve recently lost a parent or loved one and you’re now responsible … Read more
By Sarah Ingles, REALTOR® SRES® CPCU® | Smart Move Des Moines Introduction: Why Timing Your home Sale Matters In real estate, timing isn’t everything — but it’s close. The month you list your home, the local economic climate, and even the day of the week you hit the market can all influence your final sale … Read more