Real estate inheritance - from family conflict to success story

Anna M. and her two siblings have inherited their parents' house, where they spent their childhood. In addition to grieving for their father, they now have to decide what to do with the large property on the outskirts of the city. There is almost a falling out as everyone has a different idea.

Ms. M., you inherited a property. Did you immediately have a plan for what to do with it?

When our father passed away, we were very sad. The inherited family home initially gave us emotional comfort. For the first year, we paid the running costs and met regularly to eat together and share memories. Only gradually did we start talking about the future of the house.

What was the biggest problem with your inherited property?

My brother Paul wanted to move in with his family, but his financial expectations were low. My sister Lisa from Berlin was pushing for a sale and had high asking prices. She was also annoyed about the running costs and ultimately refused to continue paying them. This led to increasing conflict between my siblings.

How did you go about solving the problem?

The argument escalated and my siblings threatened to break off contact. In desperation, I searched online for "property valuation" and quickly found an estate agent in our area who offered free valuations. I hoped that a professional could properly assess the value of our property and ease our family tensions.

How could the professional help you?

I have to say that I was really pleasantly surprised by the estate agent's work. He inspected our parents' house thoroughly and took a lot of time for us. He came to the conclusion that the house was worth less than Lisa's idea, but more than Paul's estimate. His comprehensible valuation convinced both of them and brought them closer together again as a neutral person.

How did you come to an agreement?

The estate agent then showed us the possible options for the property. It turned out that there were various financing options that just fitted into Paul's budget. The agent also suggested referring him to a financial expert from his network. I particularly liked the empathetic nature of the broker. You could tell straight away that he was familiar with family disputes. In the end, his work helped to defuse the conflict. Today, I wouldn't let it get that far and would consult an estate agent at an early stage.

Have you inherited a property and are unsure what the best solution is? Get in touch with us! We will be happy to advise you.

Notes

For reasons of better readability, the generic masculine is used in this text. Female and other gender identities are explicitly included where this is necessary for the statement.

Legal notice: This article does not constitute tax or legal advice in individual cases. Please consult a lawyer and/or tax advisor to clarify the facts of your specific individual case.

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