Divorced Spouse, Widow, Widower in Big or Expensive House

Big Expensive House

Divorced Spouse, Widow or Widower in Big or Expensive House

Are you one of the millions of recently “single” homeowners alone in a house TOO BIG and too expensive to maintain because of divorce or the death of a spouse? Or are you confronted by “Empty Nest Syndrome” which arrived more predictable, but the end result is same: you’re knocking around a house that is simply too big?

  • I am a NOT a financial planner.
  • I am a NOT selling anything or any service.
  • I am not a Living Trust Lawyer – See Attorney Donahue for that

I am a BRAINSTORMING counselor. I am Mr. Bennett. Brainstorming your LIFE –in this MOMENT of time– keeping (1) your real estate options and (2) your daily enjoyment of life the PRIMARY FOCUS. Together, we brainstorm YOUR many options – options you’ve likely never even considered! The exercise is informal, COST-FREE (2 visits per month are paid for by the law firm). The visit is as simple, casual and stress free as having a cup of coffee with a good friend. Coffee or not, we can get together at your home (usually necessary is IT is a part of your current dilemma) or the closest Starbucks or gathering place to your home, my home or my office.

Put a bow on it“Okay, What’s the gimmick?” There is none. If we can find a solution to get your too-BIG, too-EXPENSIVE house in order, then in the near future, when BOTH your LIFE and you REAL ESTATE matters are finally under control and SOLID; maybe your financial hemorrhaging was stopped too, THEN you might be in a place where you’ll want to get a Living Trust to put a big red bow on your house. A Living Trust cost no more than most new box springs and mattress sets, so should you want to get your home and estate protected, maybe you’ll consider the team that helped you find a path out of the rut you’re in now.

SCHEDULE MY VISIT: IF you schedule ONE of the TWO no-cost real estate options brainstorming sessions offered each month we can see if we have some practical options that you’ll find attractive for your circumstances and life. The law firm covers the expense of my time for two visits per month up to $500 per visit. My visits often take me a whole day, though only an hour or so of your time, thus the expense and limit of 2 homeowners per month.

Take a Look… See where your house is located on the BIG MAP on the bottom of this page, if you want to know how my visits can possibly cost so much. Please consider. On average, each visit is 3-hours of driving time, 1 or 2 hours visiting with you, and another 3 to 4 hours of my time back at the office following our visit, for pulling together for you, pictures, before and after notes, and relevant stuff from our friends and clients who already solved their big-house problem using an option that you thought was cool, made sense, and could work for you. So, reach out! Take advantage of one of the two cost-free monthly slots. Call and ask for me. Let’s see if we can get our calendars to align for a visit. There is NO obligation. There are NO expectations of you by me or any attorneys I work for.


LIFE and REAL ESTATE Options When In a House TOO BIG / EXPENSIVE

House TOO BIGWhat can I possibly bring to the conversation that you have not already considered?

You might be pleasantly surprised! I’ve been working with retirees, widows, widowers, now-single spouses, and family heirs and beneficiaries of their parent’s home for decades. The options I can share with you I’ve learned, witnessed, and help people put into motion. I have possibilities for your home, your lifestyle, and your daily happiness that you’ve never even considered. Moreover, they are savvy, financially-clever ideas that financial advisors, retirement advisors, grief counselors, Realtors and real estate agents will never bring to your attention because there’s not a paycheck in it for them.

You have choices if you are trapped in a house too big or too expensive to care for. Most homeowners in a too-big or too-expensive house rut don’t know WHAT to do.

Some want to stay, as it was the “family home,” but the unused rooms, the cleaning, the maintenance, the repairs, the property taxes are overwhelming. All your disposable income goes to the house. Trips to visit kids and grandkids –let alone travel for pleasure– are nearly impossible!

Some want to sell. Sometimes the motivation to sell is only because of the expense of upkeep, otherwise staying would be desirable. Selling has challenges. How can the house be sold with so much stuff and clutter, an outdated kitchen, the cracked driveway, the old roof, the never-used pool needing new plaster (fill in your list)? Selling “as is” might result in a huge loss or endless, embarrassing open houses. You want to fix it up to sell, but where does the needed money come from and will the upgrades make a profit?

Those reluctantly considering selling because of the expense, THERE ARE choices BESIDES selling.

Keep the too big house or sell? You have many choices. Choices that you’ve never even considered. If you want to stay, it’s a question of more money to maintain the place and some way to justify all the space. If you are considering selling, but there are SO MANY things that need to be repaired or updated first, I get it! I’ve got solutions.

Clutter! If you are an Empty Nester, or a widow or widower and have rooms and a garage full of STUFF and you have no idea where to even start – I can help you formulate a plan. Really.


Why is a Lifestyle/Real-Estate Brainstorming Counselor on Estate Planning Website?

You can enjoy lifeEstate planning is a smart thing for ANYONE who has any assets such as a home. To NOT take advantage of an easy-to-do, inexpensive Living Trust is, often times, agreeing to accept the DEFAULT. The Government!

Don’t let the Government be your Estate Planner! – If your home’s title is not in-line with a solid survivor’s and beneficiary’s plan –or– there is no Living Trust in place, the DEFAULT is that some people leave their estate planning up to the decision of a County probate judge. Your home, bank accounts, retirement funds can be decided by a Probate Court to be distributed to claimants — possibly people not intended to be your beneficiaries. A solid, completed Living Trust package can avoid the government invading your family’s’ privacy and making decisions you might not agree with if you were there to object.

If you are recently widowed, or find yourself the primary occupant/owner of a big, expensive house, you might need to make some decisions before even thinking about getting your estate plan put together. You might need to bounce some of your ideas around with us, and to hear about unique and interesting options we’ve witnessed for more than 30-years. Clever options enjoyed by numerous people who were trapped in your EXACT circumstances. Then, you can consider some possibly life-changing choices than can extract you from a frustrating rut.

If you are conflicted as to WHAT’S NEXT, or what your options are to enjoy your life and your stuff — let’s see if some of our clients and friends have found options that might make sense for you to explore.

If you are procrastinating in indecision chose instead to explore some life changes that can make you want to get up every day with a big smile. Again. We are not selling anything. Not estate plans, no financial things. We are just going to share things YOU CAN DO personally (without us) to keep the house you like, or formulate a plan to work toward selling –often without borrowing money to make needed repairs and upgrades.

LIFE happens. Grab it by the horns. Take control.


NOTE: I work for Estate Planning Attorney Donahue, 3 Real Estate Attorneys and one Newport Beach Tax Law attorney. I’m busy. My calendar is booked full most weeks. THAT SAID, I love brainstorming real estate options with people and I will make any conceivable accommodation to meet with TWO (2) homeowners each month. These are two (2) homeowners that (1) reach out and schedule my visit, and the two that this law firm compensates me for my time in their effort to provide meaningful outreach to the local community. So, IF your home is located on the MAP BELOW within a 50-mile radius of my starting point, AND you are in a the rut described: living in a too-BIG and/or too-EXPENSIVE house and can’t figure out WHAT options you can explore that makes sense and can fix your situation, then call and take advantage of one of the two NO-cost real estate options brainstorming sessions we offer each month.

WHERE IS YOUR HOME ON THIS MAP?

Miles From Office

SCHEDULING: Early morning through the lunch hour are usually the best for me. There are times when the travel distance to your home is too far for the day in question, or the days you have available collide with my already-full calendar of work and family obligations. But we can likely come up with a solution. I live in the beautiful hills of Whittier and work from a research law office nearby. Twice each month I travel to meet homeowners who live in a too BIG or too EXPENSIVE house who really want to find a solution. If we are not confident in your sincerity for some reason (rare) and if you are also located in the ‘outer bands’ of my travel area, we might want to hold a small deposit ($100). But don’t worry. I will personally hand back to you that money IN CASH upon my arrival. Why is this sometimes (rarely) necessary? In 2016, on a rush-hour Friday, I crawled about 25 MPH to a Brentwood appointment. Total round trip was 4 hours! My scheduled homeowner was spending the day at a Malibu SPA, reported the embarrassed daughter who opened the door. If someone skips out on an appointment (1 of 2 per month – that costs me virtually a whole day) that could ruin the no-cost program for everyone going forward. We hope you understand.

So then, if you see yourself and your circumstances in this article, ‘stuck-in-a-rut’ as discussed, please REACH OUT… Give us a call at (213) 984-1218, and let’s see it we can get together and possibly change your life by emulating what other clients and friends have done to change their lives and quality of life, virtually overnight, with great success!


PLEASE DON’T CALL IF: If you are in foreclosure, or if your home was sold at a foreclosure auction, or you are fighting with a lender – – – as sad and heartbreaking as that is – – – that is not something we can help with. Our probate and trust attorneys here would suggest that you search specifically for an attorney who specializes in foreclosure defense, or possibly a bankruptcy attorney who might be able to assist you in protecting a pending foreclosure of your home by filing a fast Chapter 13.