An inherited house can be a field of landmines, some personal, some practical. The personal ones come first, when entering the newly vacant house for the first time. It feels empty until you realize how full of stuff it is. Sifting through the contents requires pushing through a thicket of memories and letting go of some possessions that contributed to a parent’s identity. It’s not feasible to hold on to everything, nor would you want to, but releasing some things reinforces the finality of a loved one’s death. Emptying out and cleaning up a house often takes much longer than initially anticipated, so build in some extra time to get this task done.
Over time, the landmines become more practical. There are some legal issues to address, responsibilities regarding property security and upkeep, the need to address long-term options of what to do with the property, and other issues that might need to be considered during this process.
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