Selling the home of a deceased person can seem overwhelming and we get the sense of passing this very important job off to someone we feel is more competent. Before you beat yourself up over this, ask yourself this...Do I truly care about this person? Would I want to ensure that his/her final wishes are looked after honestly?

I am assuming you answered yes to these questions, and they gave you a new sense of confidence and determination. It's the unknown that scares most of us, and concentrating on the 'big picture' will eventually overwhelm most of us.

Here's a simple idea. TAKE IT ONE STEP AT A TIME! Start by listing a bunch of questions or thoughts that come to your mind. For example 1. Who has been named as the executor of the estate.  2. Did the deceased have a will? 3. Is there a "Joint Tenant" of the property who is still alive?

These few questions will start you on a path of discovery in which all of the pieces will come together.

The reason I have become interested in assisting those put in charge of selling their loved ones home is because I recently lost my dad (and business partner) after a one year battle against cancer. In my case, my step mother was the executor of his will and had never had the task of clearing someone's estate. Although I had never been an executor, I coached her through the whole process with advise on how to accomplish the several tasks that she was faced with. I helped her break it down into 'bite sized' pieces so that she was able to slowly complete all of the steps necessary.

I believe that with a coach in your corner, that isn't involved in the emotional component of your loss, you can achieve all of your goals in executing the estate of your loved one.

1. One good action that you can take during the 'terminal' phase of a spouce's life (If he or she is still of sound mind) is to find out if the ownership on your home is registered as "Tenants in Common" or "Joint Tenants"? And possibly change it to suit the current needs.

More content to follow...please stay tuned.

P.S. Please contact me if you too could use a concerned/helpful coach to assist you now. It will serve to help others as your challenges will help fill in the blanks of what steps/obstacles one may face while selling the home of a loved one. This is not to be used as legal advise of any kind. Please consult with your lawyer before taking any actions.