Deciding to sell a parent’s home — or your own, after decades in it — is rarely just a real estate decision. There’s usually a move to assisted living, a change in health, or the quiet weight of closing a chapter, and a house full of a lifetime of belongings sitting in the middle of it. If you’re facing that in Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, or anywhere in the Tri-Cities, here’s a calm, plain-English walk through your options — including how to sell as-is for cash, on your family’s timeline, without cleaning or fixing a thing. There’s no rush here, and no pressure.
You don’t have to clean it out or fix anything
This is the part that overwhelms most families, so let’s put it first: you do not have to empty the house, clean it, or make a single repair. Take the keepsakes and the things that matter — the photos, the letters, the pieces you want to keep in the family — and leave the rest. We handle the entire cleanout after closing. Decades of belongings, dated fixtures, a roof or furnace that’s seen better days — none of it has to be dealt with before you sell.
Your options
Most families weigh three paths:
- Repair it and list it on the market. This can bring the most on paper, but it means paying for updates, keeping the house show-ready, and waiting through months of uncertainty — often while also managing a parent’s move.
- Sell it as-is for cash. You skip the repairs, the cleanout, and the showings, and sell in the home’s current condition for a firm price on a timeline you choose.
- Coordinate the sale with the move. Time the closing to a move-in date so the proceeds are there when you need them, without carrying two places at once.
Timing the sale to an assisted-living move
Assisted living and memory care often come with a move-in deposit and a real monthly cost, and the timing can be tight. Because we pay cash and set the closing date with you, a sale can be lined up to the move — so the money from the house is available when the new place needs it, and you’re not paying to maintain an empty home while a traditional listing drags on.
The money questions families ask
This is where a good decision really matters, and where we’ll always point you to a professional. Here are the questions worth raising with a CPA and an elder-law attorney before you sell:
- Is there a reverse mortgage on the home? If your parent has a reverse mortgage (a HECM), it generally comes due once the last borrower has been out of the house for about 12 months — say, after a move into care — or when the home is sold. Two things are worth knowing: these loans are non-recourse, and the payoff is capped at 95% of the home’s appraised value, so the family is never on the hook for more than the house is worth. That said, the 12-month clock is real — a fast, certain cash sale can pay the loan off cleanly and avoid slipping into default.
- What about capital gains taxes? If your parent owned and lived in the home as their main residence for at least two of the last five years, the IRS’s primary-home exclusion can shield a large part of the gain — up to $250,000 for a single owner or $500,000 for a married couple. A long-owned home can have gain above that, and there are real wrinkles (for example, a parent who moved into care a few years ago may still qualify under special rules — it’s very fact-specific). One piece of good news locally: Washington has no state capital-gains tax on the sale of a home. Talk to a CPA before you sell so there are no surprises.
- Is your parent on Medicaid (Apple Health)? This is the most important one to get right. If your parent is on, or applying for, Apple Health to help pay for long-term care, the home is often an exempt asset while they live in it — but selling it turns it into countable cash, which can affect their eligibility. Washington also has an estate-recovery program that can seek repayment from the estate later. Please don’t make a move based on a web page: if Apple Health is any part of the picture, talk to an elder-law attorney before you sell. Getting this wrong can cost a family far more than a quick sale ever saves.
- A needs-based VA pension? If your parent receives one, a sale can affect it too — one more reason to loop in a professional.
We’re glad to work around whatever your CPA or attorney advises. We’re buyers, not advisors, and we’d rather you get it right than get it fast.
Selling on a parent’s behalf
If you’re handling the sale for a living parent, you’ll need proper legal authority to sign for them — usually a durable power of attorney that specifically includes real estate, or authority granted by a court. If your parent has the capacity to sign for themselves, they can. Selling a home after a parent has passed is a different process that goes through probate — our guide on selling an inherited house in the Tri-Cities walks through that.
How selling to a local family buyer works
We’re a local, family-run Tri-Cities buyer, and we’ve walked a lot of families through exactly this — with patience, discretion, and no pressure. The process is simple, and it moves at your pace:
- Tell us about the house — a call or a few details. Nothing to tidy or prepare.
- We take a look and make a fair, firm cash offer — no obligation, and no hard sell.
- You choose the closing date, take the keepsakes, and leave the rest. We handle the cleanout, the repairs, and the details — no fees, no commissions.
An as-is cash offer won’t match what a fully updated home might bring after months on the market; what you’re trading for is not lifting a finger, not paying a dime out of pocket, and being able to focus on your family instead of a house. For many families in this season, that’s the right trade.
📞 Talk With Us — No Pressure — (509) 824-6600
Frequently asked questions
Should I sell my parents’ house?
That depends on your family’s situation — the move, the finances, and what your parent wants. Selling as-is for cash is often simplest when there’s a move to coordinate or the house needs work, but talk it through with your family and, on the money side, a CPA and an elder-law attorney. A free, no-obligation offer at least gives you a real number to weigh.
Can I sell my parents’ house with a reverse mortgage on it?
Yes. A reverse mortgage is paid off at closing, and because these loans are non-recourse and capped at 95% of appraised value, the family isn’t liable beyond the home. (If the loan balance is ever more than the home is worth, the sale may need the lender’s sign-off — another reason to involve a pro.) Since the loan comes due about 12 months after the last borrower leaves for care, a timely cash sale can settle it before it becomes a default problem.
Will we owe capital gains tax when we sell?
Maybe not much — the primary-home exclusion ($250,000 single / $500,000 married) shields a large part of the gain if your parent owned and lived there two of the last five years, and Washington has no state capital-gains tax on a home sale. Gain above the exclusion can be taxable, and the rules for a parent who’s moved to care are fact-specific, so confirm with a CPA before selling.
Can I sell while my parent is in a nursing home, using power of attorney?
Generally yes, if you hold a durable power of attorney that includes real-estate authority (or court authority). If your parent is on or applying for Apple Health/Medicaid, talk to an elder-law attorney first — a sale can affect eligibility.
Does selling my parent’s house affect their Medicaid?
It can. The home is often exempt while your parent lives in it, but selling converts it to countable cash that can affect long-term-care eligibility, and Washington has estate recovery. This is the one to get professional advice on before you do anything — please see an elder-law attorney first.
General information for Tri-Cities families, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Please consult a CPA and an elder-law attorney about your specific situation before selling — especially where Medicaid, a reverse mortgage, or capital gains are involved.
Related: Selling an inherited house · Probate home sales · Selling a house that needs repairs · Kennewick · Pasco · Richland