# SAMPLE — Estate Home Options Review

> **⚠ FICTIONAL SAMPLE — ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY.**
> Every person, address, property detail, dollar figure, and timeline on this document is **invented for demonstration purposes**. No real client, estate, probate case, or property information appears anywhere in this sample. All dollar figures are labeled **FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION** and are **not** appraisals, price opinions for any real property, or predictions of any outcome. This sample exists to show families and referring professionals what the written review looks like — before anyone commits to anything.

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## Prepared for (fictional)

| Field | Fictional sample content |
|---|---|
| Family | **Fictional sample family** |
| Property | **Fictional Plainfield-area 55+ community home** |
| Community | A Carillon-style 55+ active-adult community in the Plainfield area (fictional property) |
| Home type (fictional) | Ranch townhome, ~1,700 sq ft, 2 bed / 2 bath, built ~2004, original kitchen and baths, full of a lifetime's contents |
| Situation (fictional) | Homeowner has moved to a care setting. Two adult children — one local, one out of state — are deciding what to do with the house. No decision has been made. No one is under a deadline. |
| Prepared by | Colleen, Licensed Illinois Real Estate Broker — as a **sample** of the Estate Home Options Review |
| Date | Sample date: July 2026 |

**Authority note (fictional):** In a real review, ownership and decision-making authority are confirmed *first* (surviving owner, trustee, TODI beneficiary, or personal representative with Letters of Office). In this fictional sample, assume the family confirmed one adult child holds authority. If authority cannot be verified, a real review is delivered as **education only**, never as a transaction proposal.

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## How to read this review

Each of the six paths below is shown with the same ten dimensions: likely steps, approximate time band, major cost categories, benefits, disadvantages, information still needed, a **fictional estimated-proceeds example**, professionals who may be needed, what Colleen does, and what Colleen does **not** advise on. A side-by-side summary table follows. There is no "recommended" path pre-selected — in a real review, the family chooses.

**Value anchor for the fictional examples (all ASSUMPTION):** the fictional proceeds figures are anchored to publicly reported Carillon-area value bands as of July 2026 (median sale ~$312,000; median list ~$335,000, third-party market pages, directional only). For this sample we assume a fictional as-is market value of **~$315,000** for the fictional sample home. **This is not a price opinion for any real home.**

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## Path 1 — Keep the home

| Dimension | Fictional sample content |
|---|---|
| **Likely steps** | Confirm ownership path (family's attorney); convert insurance to vacant/care-status coverage; set up lawn, snow, and periodic check-ins; review property-tax exemptions (assessor/CPA question); agree as a family on a revisit date |
| **Approximate time band** | Indefinite — holding, not selling; families typically revisit every 6–12 months *(FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION)* |
| **Major cost categories** | Insurance, utilities, lawn/snow, HOA dues, property taxes, winterization, occasional repairs *(fictional sample carrying cost: ~$900–$1,400/month — ASSUMPTION)* |
| **Benefits** | No rushed decision during a hard season; keeps a family asset; time to sort belongings without pressure |
| **Disadvantages** | Costs continue every month; vacancy and deferred-maintenance risks compound; someone must manage it — often the local sibling; family disagreement can harden over time |
| **Information still needed** | Confirmed ownership path; honest condition assessment; monthly carrying-cost budget; who manages day-to-day |
| **Fictional estimated-proceeds example** | **N/A — no sale.** *(FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION: 12 months of holding ≈ $11,000–$17,000 in carrying costs against an uncertain future value.)* |
| **Professionals who may be needed** | Family's attorney (title/estate questions); insurance agent; CPA (tax questions); possibly a property manager |
| **What Colleen does** | Provides the local cost picture, vendor introductions for maintenance, and a standing check-in — no charge, no obligation |
| **What Colleen does NOT advise on** | Legal ownership questions, tax treatment, insurance coverage decisions, or whether keeping the home is the right financial move — those belong to the family's attorney, CPA, and insurer |

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## Path 2 — Rent the home

| Dimension | Fictional sample content |
|---|---|
| **Likely steps** | Confirm the family/estate may retain and rent the property (attorney question); rent-readiness repairs and cleanout; verify municipal rental rules/licensing where applicable; choose self-manage vs. professional management; screening and lease |
| **Approximate time band** | ~4–12+ weeks to first tenant depending on condition *(FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION — verify per property)* |
| **Major cost categories** | Make-ready repairs and cleanout, landlord insurance, management fees if professional, vacancy allowance, ongoing maintenance |
| **Benefits** | Income while the family decides; defers the sale decision; can suit a family expecting the market to improve |
| **Disadvantages** | The family becomes landlords — from out of state for one sibling; tenant and compliance risk; an estate may need to stay open longer (attorney question); a later sale can be complicated by a tenancy |
| **Information still needed** | Current rental comps for the community; rent-readiness repair quote; family's risk tolerance and management preference; attorney's answer on an estate holding a rental |
| **Fictional estimated-proceeds example** | **FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION:** rent ~$2,050–$2,250/month; less management (~8–10% if professional), insurance, HOA, taxes, maintenance, and vacancy allowance → illustrative net **~$600–$1,000/month**. Not a rental appraisal. |
| **Professionals who may be needed** | Attorney (estate retention question); CPA (tax treatment); property manager or leasing agent; insurer; possibly contractors |
| **What Colleen does** | Pulls community rental comps, coordinates rent-readiness vendor quotes, introduces vetted local property managers |
| **What Colleen does NOT advise on** | Whether renting is legally or tax-wise appropriate for the estate/family, lease legal terms, or tenant-law questions — attorney and CPA territory |

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## Path 3 — Sell as-is on the open market

| Dimension | Fictional sample content |
|---|---|
| **Likely steps** | Verify authority to sell; safety-only items addressed; decide whether contents sell with the home by agreement; list with explicit as-is terms (disclosures still required by law); negotiate inspection credits as they arise |
| **Approximate time band** | Listing prep ~1–2 weeks; area orientation figures (third-party market pages, July 2026, directional only): Plainfield 60544 ~77 days on market, Naperville area ~42–48 days. Treat as orientation, not a promise. |
| **Major cost categories** | Basic cleanout or dumpster, brokerage compensation (negotiable), closing costs, any municipally required repairs |
| **Benefits** | Fastest legitimate path to market; lowest prep burden and cash outlay; full open-market exposure — unlike a single private offer |
| **Disadvantages** | As-is signals a discount to many buyers; home shows as it is; inspection credits may still be negotiated; lower expected price than prepared condition |
| **Information still needed** | Authority to sell verified; condition walk-through; an as-is comparative market analysis for this specific home |
| **Fictional estimated-proceeds example** | **FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION:** as-is sale at ~$312,000; less ~5.5% total brokerage compensation (~$17,200), ~$4,000 closing/misc costs → **illustrative net ≈ $290,000 (band $285,000–$296,000)**. Not a price opinion or net-proceeds promise. |
| **Professionals who may be needed** | Colleen (listing); family's attorney if an estate sale; cleanout vendor if chosen |
| **What Colleen does** | As-is CMA with comps and labeled assumptions, listing preparation, marketing, negotiation, closing coordination |
| **What Colleen does NOT advise on** | Estate legal steps, title curative work, or tax consequences of the sale — attorney and CPA |

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## Path 4 — Limited cleanout and prep, then list

| Dimension | Fictional sample content |
|---|---|
| **Likely steps** | Cleanout (estate sale, donation, junk removal); deep clean; paint and flooring touch-up; landscaping refresh; **no renovation**; then list |
| **Approximate time band** | Prep typically adds ~2–6 weeks before listing *(FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION — vendor-quote dependent)*, then market time as in Path 3 |
| **Major cost categories** | Estate-sale or cleanout vendor, cleaning, paint/flooring allowance, carrying costs during prep, listing costs as above |
| **Benefits** | Meaningful price improvement over as-is for most dated-but-sound 55+ resale stock *(planning hypothesis — documented per property)*; manageable scope; the prep bet is shown explicitly with the spend visible |
| **Disadvantages** | Cash outlay before sale (who fronts it — estate funds question for the attorney); prep spend may not fully recoup; decision fatigue about what to fix; estate-sale proceeds are variable |
| **Information still needed** | Itemized vendor quotes; prep-tier CMA delta (what buyers in this community actually pay more for); who authorizes any estate spending |
| **Fictional estimated-proceeds example** | **FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION:** prep spend ~$8,000; sale at ~$325,000; less ~5.5% compensation (~$17,900), ~$4,200 closing/misc, and the $8,000 prep → **illustrative net ≈ $294,900 (band $288,000–$301,000)**. Not a price opinion or net-proceeds promise. |
| **Professionals who may be needed** | Colleen; vetted cleanout/estate-sale vendors; a contractor for scoped items; attorney if estate funds are used |
| **What Colleen does** | Tiered CMA (as-is vs. light-prep), itemized vendor quotes from the vetted service bench, prep-scope recommendation matched to what local buyers pay for, full listing execution |
| **What Colleen does NOT advise on** | Whether estate funds may be spent on prep (attorney), tax treatment of prep costs (CPA), or vendor contract legal terms |

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## Path 5 — Fuller preparation, then list

| Dimension | Fictional sample content |
|---|---|
| **Likely steps** | Everything in Path 4 plus targeted updates (kitchen/bath refresh, systems repairs) matched to what buyers in this community actually pay for; staging; longer carrying period; then list |
| **Approximate time band** | Adds ~1–3+ months depending on scope *(FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION)*, then market time |
| **Major cost categories** | Contractor scope (quoted, never estimated blind), staging, extended carrying costs, listing costs |
| **Benefits** | Highest potential gross price; full retail presentation |
| **Disadvantages** | Highest spend, longest timeline, most execution risk; genuine over-improvement risk in 55+ stock where many buyers plan their own updates; contractor delays; the market can move during prep |
| **Information still needed** | Scoped contractor bids; community-specific buyer expectations; family timeline and appetite for a project |
| **Fictional estimated-proceeds example** | **FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION:** prep spend ~$25,000; sale at ~$335,000; less ~5.5% compensation (~$18,400), ~$4,400 closing/misc, ~$3,000 extra carrying costs, and the $25,000 prep → **illustrative net ≈ $284,200 (band $276,000–$295,000)**. Notice: in this fictional example the fuller prep nets *less* than Path 4 — a real possibility worth seeing on paper before spending. Not a price opinion. |
| **Professionals who may be needed** | Colleen; contractors; stager; attorney (estate expenditure authority); possibly a pre-listing inspector |
| **What Colleen does** | Full-prep CMA tier, scoped bid coordination, honest recoup analysis, staging and listing execution |
| **What Colleen does NOT advise on** | Construction contracts (attorney review if desired), tax treatment, or permit/legal questions |

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## Path 6 — Request a separate principal cash offer

| Dimension | Fictional sample content |
|---|---|
| **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 state switches formally, in writing — never mid-conversation. Seller is encouraged in writing to obtain independent legal counsel and an independent valuation before accepting anything. |
| **Approximate time band** | Faster and more certain than market paths when it closes; **no artificial deadline is ever attached** |
| **Major cost categories** | No listing-side commission on this path — but the offer price itself reflects the convenience discount; seller's own attorney and 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 the family to navigate a principal transaction with independent advice |
| **Information still needed** | Written licensee-status and contemplated-interest disclosures (broker- and counsel-approved forms — **open gates** until those approvals exist); seller's independent valuation |
| **Fictional estimated-proceeds example** | **FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION:** a cash offer at ~$265,000 (roughly 85% of the fictional as-is value, reflecting the convenience discount); minimal closing costs ~$1,500; no commission → **illustrative net ≈ $263,500 (band $258,000–$268,000)** — i.e., **roughly $25,000–$30,000 less** than the fictional open-market examples. This comparison is disclosed in writing before any offer is made. |
| **Professionals who may be needed** | The purchasing principal (fully separate from Colleen's listing role, with proof of funds); the seller's **independent** attorney (encouraged in writing); an independent appraiser or unrelated broker opinion (encouraged in writing) |
| **What Colleen does** | Nothing on the buy side. Colleen's only role is ensuring the family saw all market paths first and received the written "open-market sale may produce more money" disclosure. |
| **What Colleen does NOT advise on** | Whether to accept the offer, offer terms, or any aspect of the principal transaction — the family's independent attorney and appraiser. |

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## Side-by-side summary (all figures FICTIONAL EXAMPLE / ASSUMPTION)

| Path | Time band (fictional) | Up-front cash | Illustrative net (fictional) | Effort for family | Key trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Keep | Indefinite | ~$900–$1,400/mo carrying | N/A — no sale | Ongoing management | Time vs. accumulating cost |
| 2. Rent | 4–12+ wks to tenant | Rent-ready repairs | ~$600–$1,000/mo net | Landlord duties | Income vs. landlord risk |
| 3. Sell as-is | ~1–2 wks prep + market time | Minimal | ~$290,000 | Low | Speed/simplicity vs. price |
| 4. Light prep, list | +2–6 wks prep | ~$8,000 | ~$294,900 | Medium | Modest spend vs. modest gain |
| 5. Fuller prep, list | +1–3+ mo prep | ~$25,000 | ~$284,200 | High | Highest gross vs. highest risk/spend |
| 6. Cash offer | Fastest when it closes | None | ~$263,500 | Lowest | Certainty vs. ~$25–30K less (fictional) |

*These figures are invented to show the format. In a real review, every number is built from current comparable sales, itemized vendor quotes, and the family's actual facts — and every estimate carries its assumptions in writing.*

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## What Colleen delivers in a real review

1. **Intake** — who the decision-makers are (self-described, then verified), property access, known facts, timeline, whether an attorney is involved.
2. **Research** — community-specific comparable sales, HOA facts, ownership-path verification against county records, itemized vendor quotes, tiered market analyses (as-is / light-prep / full-prep).
3. **The document** — a short written review like this one, formatted to sit in an estate file as the documented basis for a prudent decision.
4. **The conversation** — a 60–90 minute walkthrough with 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.

## Required disclaimers

1. **This sample is entirely fictional.** The M. Family, the fictional sample home, and every figure shown are invented for demonstration. 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 and a CPA on estate, title, and tax questions, and a licensed appraiser for value opinions.
3. **No figure is a guaranteed sale price, rent, or net-proceeds outcome.** All proceeds figures above are **FICTIONAL EXAMPLES / ASSUMPTIONS** — illustrative only.
4. **Market statistics cited** (value bands, days-on-market) are third-party data as of their access dates and may not predict any specific property.
5. **Where a cash-offer path is discussed:** an open-market sale may produce more money; independent legal representation and independent valuation are encouraged in writing.
6. **Vendor names** provided in a real review are options from a maintained directory, not endorsements; families may use any provider; no referral fees are accepted from service providers.

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*Broker review of the service name, template, and public description is required before any consumer-facing use of this format (225 ILCS 454/10-30 supervision). This sample is an internal planning artifact until that approval exists.*