The First 30 Days: Property Priorities
The first month after someone passes is hard enough emotionally. Then the house side shows up: keys, mail, utilities, family questions—and often a wave of “quick offer” calls and texts.
You don’t have to make big decisions right away. What usually helps is a calm order: keep the home safe, keep access simple, get a quick baseline of the condition, and then decide the best path forward.
Below is the same first-month order I walk executors through in DuPage, Kane, and NW Cook.
1) Day 1–7: Keep the home safe and prevent surprises
The first week is about avoiding preventable problems.
Locks and entry points: confirm doors and windows lock, and fix anything obvious.
Basic safety check: look for leaks, water in the basement, tripped breakers, or anything that could turn into a bigger issue.
Exterior basics: lights on timers, keep the walkway safe, and don’t let it look abandoned.
If the home is vacant, little issues become big issues faster when nobody is there every day.
2) Day 1–14: Keep access simple (this matters more than people expect)
This is one of the easiest places for tension to start—usually with good intentions. If three or four people have keys and everyone is popping in “real quick,” it gets hard to answer basic questions later: What changed? Who took what? When did that repair happen?
A simple setup usually works:
Pick one point person for access (often the executor).
Keep a basic key list (who has a key) and a quick note when someone goes over.
When possible, use scheduled visits (even a shared note or text thread helps).
This isn’t about being strict. It’s about keeping the property protected and keeping everyone on the same page.
3) Day 1–14: Get a baseline before anything changes
Before clean-out, repairs, or donations, take a baseline.
Walk each room and record quick video, then take photos of closets, cabinets, garage, and mechanicals.
Capture any visible issues: stains, cracks, roof concerns, or outdated systems.
Keep notes in plain English (“water stain in dining room ceiling,” “older furnace,” etc.).
This becomes incredibly helpful later—especially if there are questions about what was present or what condition the home was in.
4) Day 7–21: Keep the basics from sliding backwards
Once the home is secured and you’ve captured a baseline, set it up to hold steady.
Utilities: keep what’s needed on (and what’s safe to turn off, turned off).
Mail: stop or forward it so it doesn’t pile up.
Lawn/snow care: a simple recurring plan keeps the property from looking neglected.
Trash and perishables: remove what creates odor or attracts pests.
Not glamorous, but it prevents the property from getting worse while decisions are being made.
5) Day 7–30: Insurance check-in (especially if vacant)
Vacant property rules can be different. Even if premiums are paid, coverage can be affected by how long a home is unoccupied.
I’m not an insurance agent, but I always encourage executors to call the carrier and get clear guidance.
6) Day 14–30: Decide the best path—then match work to that plan
Once you’ve secured the home, kept access simple, and captured a baseline, you can evaluate options with a clearer head:
Sell as-is: minimal changes, faster timeline, less coordination.
Light prep: cleaning, decluttering, a few small fixes, then list.
Bigger clean-out/refresh: more work upfront, sometimes a stronger result.
This is also when investor outreach tends to show up. For some families, a fast, simple sale is the right answer. For others, it isn’t. My role isn’t to push one direction—it’s to help you compare options side-by-side (timeline, likely costs, and what you’d realistically take on) and keep it easy to explain later.
If listing is on the table, I can provide a CMA / market analysis for listing purposes (not an appraisal) and help you sort what prep is worth doing and what’s just noise.
A simple executor checklist for the first 30 days
[ ] Confirm locks/windows/doors
[ ] Quick safety walk (leaks, basement, electrical)
[ ] Choose point person + keep keys simple
[ ] Photo/video baseline of the home + garage + mechanicals
[ ] Mail plan + yard/snow plan
[ ] Utilities set for safe holding
[ ] Insurance call (vacant home rules)
[ ] Clean-out plan (keep/donate/sell/dispose)
[ ] Compare options and write a short recap of the choice
If you want to talk through your situation, I’m happy to help.
