Selling a parent’s house to pay for care? Go at your pace.
We buy homes across Chicago and Cook County from families moving a parent into assisted living or memory care, as-is, with a closing date timed to the move and time to sort belongings.
Talk through a cash offer
No obligation. We never sell your info. Prefer to talk? Call or text (773) 825-9855.
How selling a parent’s home works in Illinois
Moving a parent into assisted living or memory care is a big change for everyone. The house is often the largest asset a parent owns, and for many families its sale helps pay for care. Before you list it or take an offer, sort out who has the legal authority to sell and how the sale fits your parent’s finances.
- Confirm who owns the house.
Check the deed. If your parent owns it alone and can understand and sign the documents, your parent is the seller. If the house is in a trust, the trustee usually signs. A title search confirms the owners of record.
- Use a power of attorney for property if one exists.
Illinois has a statutory short form power of attorney for property. It must be notarized and signed by at least one additional witness, and it covers real estate unless that power was crossed out. Since January 1, 2025, banks, title companies and other third parties can’t unreasonably refuse a valid statutory short form. The title company reviews the document before closing.
- If there is no power of attorney, ask about guardianship.
When a parent can no longer make financial decisions and never signed a power of attorney, a family member may need to ask the probate court to appoint a guardian of the estate. In Cook County, these cases go to the Probate Division, and the petition needs a doctor’s report no more than three months old. A guardian generally needs the court’s approval to sell real estate.
- Talk with an elder-law attorney about Medicaid.
If your parent may someday need Medicaid to help pay for long-term care, the state looks back 60 months at transfers and below-value sales. How the house and the sale money are treated depends on the facts, so get advice before selling or transferring anything to family.
- Ask a tax professional about the sale.
Many owners can exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for married couples, on the sale of a main home. IRS rules let time in a licensed care facility count toward the residence test in some cases, if your parent lived in the home for at least 12 months of the past five years.
Include your parent in the decisions as much as possible. When brothers and sisters share the load, agree early on who will handle the sale and the paperwork, and share offers and closing figures with everyone. Clear roles now prevent hard feelings later.
Ways out, compared
Rent can help cover care costs while the family keeps the property. Someone has to handle tenants, repairs and taxes, and rental income can affect benefits.
Keeping the home in the family can matter a great deal. Price it at fair market value and get legal advice, because below-value sales can create Medicaid and tax problems.
An updated, well-kept house will usually bring the most on the open market. Plan for repairs, cleaning, showings and a closing date that depends on the buyer.
We buy as-is, belongings and all if you want, pay the normal closing costs and all transfer taxes, and close on the date that fits the move.
Lining up the move and the closing
The hardest part is often the calendar. A care community may have an opening now, while the house still holds decades of belongings. There are a few ways families handle it.
- Move first, then sell. Your parent settles in without the house being shown. You keep paying taxes, insurance and utilities while it sits, and an empty house needs regular checks. Ask the insurer if coverage changes when nobody lives there.
- Sell first, with time to move. A written agreement can let your parent stay for an agreed period after closing, sometimes called a rent-back or post-closing possession. The terms, including the move-out date and any cost, are set before closing.
- Close on move-in day. When the care community gives you a date, the closing can be scheduled near it so the proceeds are ready for entrance fees or monthly charges.
With a cash buyer, the closing date is set by agreement rather than by a lender’s timeline. The sale proceeds belong to the owner, so they are paid to your parent, or handled by the agent or guardian with the authority to act for your parent.
Sorting a lifetime of belongings
Clearing a family home is emotional work, and it rarely goes as fast as anyone hopes. A few steps can make it easier.
- Start with what goes to the new home. Ask the community about room size and what furniture fits, and let your parent choose what to bring.
- Pull important papers early. Look for the deed, tax bills, insurance policies, a will or trust, the power of attorney and bank records.
- Offer keepsakes to family next. Give relatives a deadline for photos, heirlooms and anything with meaning.
- Donate, sell or haul the rest. Charities, estate sale companies and junk haulers each handle a different part of what’s left.
When you sell to us, you take what you want and leave the rest. We handle what remains after closing, so nobody has to rush a parent through decades of memories to empty the house for showings.
“You were honest and did what you said you would do. Happy this is behind us so I can focus on my mom’s health.”
Three steps. You pick the closing date.
- Tell us about the house
Fill out the form or call (773) 825-9855. A few quick questions, no pressure.
- Get a fair cash offer in 24 hours
We look at the house with you and show you how we got the number. No obligation.
- Close on your date
As soon as 2–3 weeks, or take more time. We close at a local title company and pay your closing costs.
Questions sellers ask
Can I sell my mom’s house with a power of attorney in Illinois?
Usually, yes, if the power of attorney for property is valid and the real estate power wasn’t crossed out. The title company reviews it before closing.
Does my parent have to come to the closing?
Not always. An agent under a valid power of attorney can sign, or a parent who is able to sign can often do so from the care community with a notary.
What if my dad has dementia and never signed a power of attorney?
You may need a guardianship of the estate through the probate court, which takes time and usually a lawyer. Talk with an elder-law attorney about the right path.
Will selling the house affect Medicaid for nursing home care?
It can. Illinois looks back 60 months at transfers, and sale money becomes part of your parent’s assets, so speak with an elder-law attorney before you sell.
Can my parent stay in the house until the assisted living room is ready?
Often, yes. A written post-closing possession agreement can give your parent time after closing, on terms agreed in advance.
Do we have to empty the house before you buy it?
No. Take what matters to your family and leave the rest. We handle the remaining contents after closing.
Who gets the money from the sale?
Proceeds are paid to the owner, which is your parent, or managed by the person with legal authority to act for your parent.
Does selling to you mean we get less?
A cash offer is priced for the house as it stands. If the home is updated and you have time, listing may net more, and we’ll tell you that.