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Assisted living & downsizing
Selling a house to move into assisted living or downsize in Tulsa
Whether you're helping Mom or Dad make the move, or you're ready for a smaller place yourself, selling the family home is a big step. For over 25 years we've helped Tulsa-area families sell as-is, belongings and all, on a timeline that fits the move instead of the other way around.
- No repairs, cleanout or showings
- Close before or after the move, your choice
- No commissions or closing costs
It's not just a house. We know.
Forty years of birthdays, holidays and height marks on the kitchen doorframe. A garage full of tools that might come in handy someday. The guest room nobody's slept in since the grandkids were small. Letting go of the family home is a lot, even when everyone agrees it's time.
We're never going to rush you. Our job is to listen, lay out your options in plain English, and help your family pick the one that's actually best. Sometimes that's selling to us. Sometimes it's renting the house out or waiting a while, and we'll tell you so. We help people, not just houses.
Do you have to sell the house to pay for assisted living?
Not always. Assisted living in the Tulsa area commonly runs a few thousand dollars a month, and memory care costs more, so the house is often the biggest resource a family has. Here are the usual ways families handle it:
- Use savings, insurance or income first. Pensions, Social Security, long-term care insurance, or VA benefits for veterans and surviving spouses can cover some or all of it.
- Borrow against the house for a while. A home equity line or bridge loan can cover the gap until the house sells. Keep in mind that a reverse mortgage usually has to be repaid once the owner moves out long-term.
- Rent the house out. Rent can help pay for care, but someone in the family becomes the landlord.
- Sell the house. Often the simplest way to free up the money, stop paying for upkeep on an empty house, and give everyone one less thing to manage.
The right answer depends on the budget, the timeline, and especially any Medicaid planning, so read the next section before you decide.
Can Medicaid take your house in Oklahoma?
This is the question families ask us most, and it's worth getting right before you sell. Here's the general picture for SoonerCare, Oklahoma's Medicaid program:
- The home is often exempt while you're getting care. For example, if a spouse or a dependent child still lives there, or if the owner intends to return home and the equity is under the state's limit.
- Selling changes the picture. Once the house is sold, it turns into cash, and cash generally counts against Medicaid eligibility. Selling at the wrong time, or giving the house or money away, can cause problems.
- Estate recovery. After someone 55 or older who received long-term care passes away, Oklahoma may try to recover those care costs from the estate, which can include the house.
None of that means you shouldn't sell. It means the order of steps matters. We're not attorneys and this isn't legal advice, but we've been through plenty of these sales and we're glad to walk you through how the timing usually works. Before you sign anything, talk to an Oklahoma elder-law attorney, who can often save a family a lot of money.
Health changes, power of attorney and dementia
Sometimes the move comes after a fall, a stroke or a diagnosis, and suddenly the stairs, the yard and the upkeep aren't realistic anymore. If you're the one who needs to sell, we'll work around your appointments and your energy. If you're selling for a parent, here's what usually matters:
- Power of attorney. If your parent signed a durable power of attorney that covers real estate, you can often sell on their behalf. In Oklahoma, it generally needs to be recorded with the county clerk before the deed is accepted.
- Dementia without a power of attorney. If your parent can no longer make decisions and there's no power of attorney, a court-appointed guardian may be needed, and selling the home generally requires the court's approval.
- A spouse may need to sign. If the house is your parents' family home and both are living, both spouses usually need to sign, even if only one is on the deed.
The title company will check all of this before closing. If any piece is missing, we'll help you figure out the next step instead of leaving you stuck.
Downsizing or retiring? Less house, more life.
Maybe the kids are grown, the yard has gotten bigger every summer, or the stairs feel steeper than they used to. Downsizing in Tulsa can mean a smaller one-story home, a 55-plus community, an apartment with no lawn to mow, or a move closer to the grandkids.
The tricky part is timing: buying the next place usually depends on selling this one. Selling to us means you know your number and your closing date up front, so you can plan the next move with confidence instead of crossing your fingers on a buyer's financing.
Your options with the house, honestly
There's more than one right answer. Here's how they compare.
Fix it up and list it
The way to aim for full retail price. Usually that means clearing out decades of belongings, making repairs and updates, keeping the house show-ready, and waiting on a buyer. A great fit if the house is in good shape and someone in the family has the time to manage it.
Rent it out
Monthly income that can help pay for care, and the family keeps the house. Someone also becomes the landlord, and rental income can affect Medicaid planning. A great fit if a family member is up for it.
Keep it for now
Some families hold the house while things settle, especially if there's a chance of moving back home. Taxes, insurance and upkeep keep coming, and an empty house needs someone checking on it.
Sell it to us
As-is, belongings and all, with no repairs, no showings and no strangers walking through. You pick the closing date around the move. In some cases we may also be able to let you stay a little while after closing, or help with moving costs. Just ask.
A lifetime of belongings? Take what matters. Leave the rest.
This is usually the hardest part, and it's where families burn the most weekends. Here's the simple version:
- Family first. Give everyone time to take the photos, heirlooms and things that matter. There's no rush on this part.
- Estate sale, if you'd like. Tulsa has plenty of estate sale companies, and some families like to hold one first. That's completely fine.
- Leave the rest with us. Whatever's left, furniture, the garage, the attic, the basement full of holiday decorations, you can leave behind. We'll handle the cleanout, so you're not renting dumpsters.
Will you owe taxes when you sell?
Maybe less than you think. Many homeowners can exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for married couples, on a home they've owned and lived in for at least two of the last five years. For someone who has moved into a care facility, that time can count toward the requirement in some cases.
We're not CPAs and this isn't tax advice, but we're glad to talk through how your sale might play out, including timing and closing dates, so you can go into your CPA's office with good questions and a clear picture.
How selling the house works with us
Four steps, and no obligation at any point.
-
Tell us about the house
Call, text, or fill out the form. Your parent, you, or both of you together. Whatever's easiest.
About 5 minutes -
One easy visit
We come see the house at a time that works for everyone. If family lives out of town, we'll figure out access together.
Usually within 24 hours -
You get a written offer
A fair cash offer, in writing. Share it with the family, your attorney, or the cousin who "knows real estate."
No obligation to accept -
You pick the closing date
We close through a licensed title company, before or after the move. Take what you want and leave the rest.
As fast as 14 days, or when you're ready
Assisted living and downsizing questions we get a lot
Do you have to sell your house to pay for assisted living?
Not always. Some families rent the house out, keep it for a while, or use savings, insurance or other income first. Selling is often the simplest way to free up money for care, but the right answer depends on the budget, the timeline and any Medicaid planning.
Can Medicaid take your house in Oklahoma?
While someone is on SoonerCare long-term care, the home can often stay exempt, for example if a spouse lives there or the owner intends to return. But after the person passes away, Oklahoma may try to recover care costs from the estate, which can include the house. Selling can also turn an exempt house into cash that counts against eligibility. Talk to an elder-law attorney before you sell.
Can I sell my parent's house with power of attorney?
Often, yes, if the power of attorney covers real estate. In Oklahoma, a power of attorney used to sell a house generally needs to be recorded with the county clerk before the deed is accepted. The title company will check the paperwork.
Can I sell my parent's house if they have dementia?
Usually, but it depends on the paperwork. If your parent signed a durable power of attorney while they were able to, that person can often sell. If not, a court-appointed guardian may be needed, and selling the home generally requires the court's approval.
What do we do with all the furniture and belongings?
Take what matters and leave the rest. You can hold an estate sale first if you'd like, or simply leave what's left after the family has picked through it, and we'll handle the cleanout.
Can you close around the move-in date?
Yes. You pick the closing date, whether that's before the move so the money is ready, or after so nobody's rushed. In some cases we may also be able to let you stay a little while after closing or help with moving costs. Just ask.
Will I owe taxes when I sell?
Many homeowners can exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for married couples, on a home they've lived in. Time spent in a care facility can count in some cases. We're not CPAs and this isn't tax advice, but we're glad to talk through how yours might play out before you meet with yours.
Do we have to fix anything or clean it out first?
No. We buy as-is. No repairs, no deep cleaning, no showings, and no strangers walking through the house.
Are we obligated if we ask for an offer?
Nope. Get our offer, talk it over as a family, run it by anyone you trust, or walk away. We won't chase you.
Let's talk it through
No obligation, no pressure. Just a real conversation with one of us about the house, the move, and what makes sense for your family. Your call.