Internal planning preview - fictional sample, not consumer advertising, legal advice, or a live service.
Fictional Sample — Illustrative Only

Estate Home Options Review

A sample of the written, side-by-side options comparison a family receives before deciding anything about the house — six paths, one document, the family’s choice.

Prepared forFictional sample family (fictional)
PropertyFictional Plainfield-area 55+ community home (fictional)
CommunityCarillon-style 55+ community (fictional)
Prepared byColleen Dahlstrom, Licensed IL Broker — sample

⚠ This entire document is a fictional example

Every person, address, property detail, dollar figure, and timeline is invented to show the format of the service. All figures are labeled FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION. Nothing here is an appraisal, a price opinion for any real property, legal advice, tax advice, or a prediction of any outcome.

The fictional situation

One family, one house, six honest paths

The home (fictional)Ranch townhome, ~1,700 sq ft, 2 bed / 2 bath, built ~2004, original kitchen and baths, full of a lifetime’s contents.
The moment (fictional)The homeowner has moved to a care setting. Two adult children — one local, one out of state — must decide what happens to the house.
The postureNo deadline. No pre-selected answer. Authority to act is verified first — if it can’t be, the review is education only.
Value anchor (assumption)Fictional examples anchored to reported Carillon-area bands (median sale ~$312K, median list ~$335K, July 2026, directional). Fictional as-is value assumed ~$315,000.

The six paths

Every realistic option, priced side by side

Each path shows the same ten dimensions. The fictional proceeds figures are illustrative anchors, not forecasts — in a real review, every number is rebuilt from current comparable sales, itemized vendor quotes, and the family’s actual facts.

1

Keep the home

Indefinite — revisit every 6–12 months (fictional)
Likely steps

Confirm ownership path (family’s attorney); convert insurance; set up lawn/snow/check-ins; review tax exemptions; agree on a revisit date.

Major cost categories

Insurance, utilities, lawn/snow, HOA dues, property taxes, winterization, repairs (~$900–$1,400/mo fictional).

Benefits

No rushed decision; keeps a family asset; time to sort belongings without pressure.

Disadvantages

Costs continue monthly; vacancy and maintenance risks compound; someone must manage it; disagreement can harden.

Information still needed

Confirmed ownership path; condition assessment; carrying-cost budget; day-to-day manager.

Professionals who may be needed

Attorney, insurance agent, CPA, possibly a property manager.

Fictional estimated-proceeds example Fictional / Assumption

N/A — no sale. Illustrative 12-month holding cost ≈ $11,000–$17,000 against an uncertain future value.

What Colleen doesLocal cost picture, maintenance vendor introductions, standing check-in — no charge, no obligation.
What Colleen does NOT advise onLegal ownership, tax treatment, insurance coverage, or whether keeping the home is the right financial move — attorney, CPA, insurer.
2

Rent the home

~4–12+ weeks to first tenant (fictional)
Likely steps

Attorney confirms the estate/family may retain and rent; rent-ready repairs and cleanout; verify municipal rental rules; choose management; screening and lease.

Major cost categories

Make-ready repairs, landlord insurance, management fees, vacancy allowance, ongoing maintenance.

Benefits

Income while deciding; defers the sale decision; can suit a family expecting market improvement.

Disadvantages

The family becomes landlords (one sibling out of state); tenant/compliance risk; estate may stay open longer; later sale complicated by tenancy.

Information still needed

Community rental comps; rent-ready quote; risk tolerance; attorney’s answer on an estate holding a rental.

Professionals who may be needed

Attorney, CPA, property manager or leasing agent, insurer, contractors.

Fictional estimated-proceeds example Fictional / Assumption

Rent ~$2,050–$2,250/mo; less management, insurance, HOA, taxes, maintenance, vacancy → illustrative net ~$600–$1,000/month. Not a rental appraisal.

What Colleen doesCommunity rental comps, rent-readiness vendor quotes, introductions to vetted local property managers.
What Colleen does NOT advise onWhether renting is legally/tax appropriate, lease legal terms, tenant-law questions — attorney and CPA.
3

Sell as-is on the open market

~1–2 wks prep + market time (orientation: 42–77 DOM, directional)
Likely steps

Verify authority; safety-only items; decide whether contents convey; list with explicit as-is terms (legal disclosures still required); negotiate inspection items.

Major cost categories

Basic cleanout or dumpster, brokerage compensation (negotiable), closing costs, municipally required repairs.

Benefits

Fastest legitimate path to market; lowest prep burden; full open-market exposure — unlike a single private offer.

Disadvantages

As-is signals a discount; home shows as it is; inspection credits may still be negotiated; lower expected price.

Information still needed

Authority verified; condition walk-through; as-is market analysis for this specific home.

Professionals who may be needed

Colleen (listing), family’s attorney if an estate sale, cleanout vendor if chosen.

Fictional estimated-proceeds example Fictional / Assumption

As-is sale ~$312,000; less ~5.5% compensation (~$17,200) and ~$4,000 closing/misc → illustrative net ≈ $290,000 (band $285,000–$296,000). Not a price opinion or net-proceeds promise.

What Colleen doesAs-is CMA with comps and labeled assumptions, listing preparation, marketing, negotiation, closing coordination.
What Colleen does NOT advise onEstate legal steps, title curative work, tax consequences — attorney and CPA.
4

Limited cleanout and prep, then list

+2–6 weeks prep before listing (fictional)
Likely steps

Cleanout (estate sale, donation, junk removal); deep clean; paint/flooring touch-up; landscaping refresh; no renovation; then list.

Major cost categories

Estate-sale/cleanout vendor, cleaning, paint/flooring allowance, carrying costs during prep, listing costs.

Benefits

Meaningful price improvement over as-is for most dated-but-sound 55+ stock (planning hypothesis, documented per property); manageable scope; the prep bet is shown explicitly.

Disadvantages

Cash outlay before sale; prep may not fully recoup; decision fatigue; estate-sale proceeds vary.

Information still needed

Itemized vendor quotes; prep-tier CMA delta; who authorizes any estate spending.

Professionals who may be needed

Colleen, vetted cleanout/estate-sale vendors, contractor for scoped items, attorney if estate funds used.

Fictional estimated-proceeds example Fictional / Assumption

Prep ~$8,000; sale ~$325,000; less ~5.5% (~$17,900), ~$4,200 closing/misc, and the $8,000 prep → illustrative net ≈ $294,900 (band $288,000–$301,000). Not a price opinion.

What Colleen doesTiered CMA, itemized vendor quotes from the vetted bench, prep-scope recommendation matched to local buyers, full listing execution.
What Colleen does NOT advise onWhether estate funds may be spent on prep (attorney), tax treatment (CPA), vendor contract terms.
5

Fuller preparation, then list

+1–3+ months depending on scope (fictional)
Likely steps

Everything in Path 4 plus targeted updates (kitchen/bath refresh, systems repairs) matched to what community buyers pay for; staging; longer carry; then list.

Major cost categories

Contractor scope (quoted, never blind), staging, extended carrying costs, listing costs.

Benefits

Highest potential gross price; full retail presentation.

Disadvantages

Highest spend, longest timeline, most execution risk; over-improvement risk in 55+ stock; market can move during prep.

Information still needed

Scoped contractor bids; community buyer expectations; family timeline and appetite for a project.

Professionals who may be needed

Colleen, contractors, stager, attorney (expenditure authority), possibly a pre-listing inspector.

Fictional estimated-proceeds example Fictional / Assumption

Prep ~$25,000; sale ~$335,000; less ~5.5% (~$18,400), ~$4,400 closing/misc, ~$3,000 extra carry, and the $25,000 prep → illustrative net ≈ $284,200 (band $276,000–$295,000). Note: here the fuller prep nets less than Path 4 — worth seeing on paper before spending. Not a price opinion.

What Colleen doesFull-prep CMA tier, scoped bid coordination, honest recoup analysis, staging and listing execution.
What Colleen does NOT advise onConstruction contracts, tax treatment, permit/legal questions.
6

Request a separate principal cash offer

Fastest when it closes — no artificial deadline, ever
Likely steps

Only if the family asks after reviewing Paths 1–5. Strict gate: Colleen does not represent the seller on this path; the relationship switches formally, in writing — never mid-conversation. Independent counsel and valuation encouraged in writing.

Major cost categories

No listing-side commission on this path — but the offer price itself reflects the convenience discount; seller’s attorney/appraisal costs are the seller’s choice.

Benefits

Certainty, speed, as-is, no showings, flexible closing date.

Disadvantages

Likely less money than Paths 3–5 — stated in writing before any offer. Requires independent advice.

Information still needed

Written licensee-status and contemplated-interest disclosures (broker/counsel-approved forms — open gates); seller’s independent valuation.

Professionals who may be needed

The purchasing principal (fully separate, proof of funds); seller’s independent attorney; independent appraiser or unrelated broker opinion.

Fictional estimated-proceeds example Fictional / Assumption

Cash offer ~$265,000 (≈85% of fictional as-is value); ~$1,500 closing; no commission → illustrative net ≈ $263,500 (band $258,000–$268,000) — roughly $25,000–$30,000 less than the fictional open-market examples. Disclosed in writing before any offer.

What Colleen doesNothing on the buy side. Her only role: ensure the family saw all market paths first and received the written “open-market sale may produce more money” disclosure.
What Colleen does NOT advise onWhether to accept the offer, offer terms, or any aspect of the principal transaction — the family’s independent attorney and appraiser.

Side by side

Summary table (all figures fictional / assumption)

PathTime bandUp-front cashIllustrative netFamily effortKey trade-off
1. KeepIndefinite~$900–$1,400/moN/A — no saleOngoing mgmtTime vs. accumulating cost
2. Rent4–12+ wksRent-ready repairs~$600–$1,000/moLandlord dutiesIncome vs. landlord risk
3. Sell as-is~1–2 wks + marketMinimal~$290,000LowSpeed/simplicity vs. price
4. Light prep, list+2–6 wks~$8,000~$294,900MediumModest spend vs. modest gain
5. Fuller prep, list+1–3+ mo~$25,000~$284,200HighHighest gross vs. highest risk
6. Cash offerFastestNone~$263,500LowestCertainty vs. ~$25–30K less

These figures are invented to show the format. A real review rebuilds every number from current comps, itemized quotes, and the family’s facts — with assumptions written next to every estimate.

What a family actually receives

  1. Intake — decision-makers (verified), property access, known facts, timeline.
  2. Research — community comps, HOA facts, ownership-path verification, itemized vendor quotes, tiered market analyses.
  3. The document — a short written review like this one, formatted to sit in an estate file.
  4. The conversation — a 60–90 minute walkthrough, all decision-makers invited, video for out-of-state family.
  5. The follow-through — whichever path the family picks, Colleen hands off or executes — including paths that pay her nothing.

What is free — and what belongs to other professionals

  • No charge, no obligation: the review document and the walkthrough conversation.
  • Third-party professionals (and their fees): attorneys (legal), CPAs (tax), licensed appraisers (value), vendors (cleanout/repairs), property managers.
  • Colleen’s compensation only ever arises if the family later chooses a listing under a normal brokerage agreement — or, fully separately and with complete disclosures, accepts a principal cash offer.

Required disclaimers

  1. This sample is entirely fictional. Fictional sample family, the fictional sample home, and every figure shown are invented. Any resemblance to real persons or properties is coincidental.
  2. This is real-estate information, not legal, tax, appraisal, or financial advice. Families should consult a licensed Illinois attorney, a CPA, and a licensed appraiser.
  3. No figure is a guaranteed sale price, rent, or net-proceeds outcome. All proceeds figures are FICTIONAL EXAMPLES / ASSUMPTIONS — illustrative only.
  4. Market statistics cited are third-party data as of their access dates and may not predict any specific property.
  5. Cash-offer path: an open-market sale may produce more money; independent legal representation and independent valuation are encouraged in writing.
  6. Vendor names in a real review are options from a maintained directory, not endorsements; no referral fees are accepted from service providers.