Savannah Probate Real Estate | Sarah Pounders | Certified Probate Specialist

Probate Case Studies

Probate home sold near Baldwin Park in Savannah, GA.

Selling Multiple Properties

Guiding a Family Through Selling Six Properties After a Loss

When a Savannah attorney referred me to a family in need, they were facing not only the loss of a beloved husband and father, but also the mother moving into assisted living in Atlanta, and the overwhelming responsibility of handling six different properties tied to the patriarch’s estate.
Suddenly a daughter - also based in Atlanta - found herself responsible for both her mother’s care and managing her father’s estate, which included:
- The family home filled with 40 years of belongings
- 3 vacant lots
- 2 investment properties with tenants no longer paying rent
The daughter felt paralyzed by paperwork, grief, and the logistics of selling these properties.
This situation presented several unique hurdles:
- Some properties required probate before they could be sold.
- The home had been vacant for over a year and was filled with personal belongings.
- The rental properties had non-paying tenants, requiring attorney involvement.
- The daughter initially considered keeping a rental, but managing it long-distance wasn’t realistic.
- The mother needed to stay in Atlanta and couldn’t return to Savannah for closings.
To reduce the stress on the family, I created a step-by-step plan:
1. Valuation & Strategy
  - I provided a comparative market analysis (CMA) for each property, showing both current values and the potential with improvements.
  - Together, the family decided which to sell and in what order.
2. Quick Wins
  - We listed one vacant lot first and found a buyer within 60 days, giving the family momentum.
3. Tenant Solutions
  - I connected them with an attorney to resolve the non-paying tenants. One left voluntarily; the other was legally removed.
4. Bundled Sale
  - Once vacant, the two investment properties and two lots were sold together to a single buyer for $350,000.
5. Preparing the Family Home
  - A crew cleared out the house after the daughter removed sentimental items.
  - A deep clean and HVAC servicing were completed, but we sold the home as-is.
6. Market Positioning
  - We listed the home on the higher side due to its neighborhood.
  - After 25 days with no offers, we reduced the price — and within a week, multiple offers came in.
  - An investor purchased the home, and we closed within 30 days.
- All 6 properties sold — 3 vacant lots, 2 investment rentals, and the family home.
  - The mother signed remotely from Atlanta; proceeds were wired directly.
  - The family avoided managing renovations, evictions, or complicated logistics from afar.
- Family Outcome — What began as a stressful, overwhelming situation ended with clarity, closure, and financial peace of mind:
  - With the sale of all properties, the family’s Savannah chapter was now closed.
  - The daughter could focus on supporting her mother in Atlanta, rather than dealing with long-distance property issues.

Probate home in the State Streets/Pine Gardens neighborhoods in Savannah, GA.

Selling a Home with A Medical Debt Lien

Guiding an estate representative through the home sale process with a Medicare lien on the home that needed to sell quickly.

The personal representative of the estate had a home in the estate and they were not sure if they were going to sell it.
However, several years after her mother had passed away they found out that the mother’s assisted living costs were not covered by Medicare and that the Department of Health was putting a lien on the home.
Her excellent attorneys helped negotiate the lien value down but then she had an order to sell the house within 4 months.
This home presented two unique hurdles:
- As part of a negotiated agreement between the Estate Represenative and the Deparment of Health to reduce the Medicare lien value currently on the house, the home had to be sold within 4 months.
- The home sale required the Estate Representative to get an EIN for the estate and open a business bank account once the home was under contract.
Working together, I helped the Estate Representative weigh her options between seling off-market to an investor or listing the home on the MLS.
Ultimately, we determined listing the home for sale on the open market would yield a better result for the client.
Within a month of listing the home for sale we went under contract and closed with an all cash offer.
- Estate Outcome — With the home under contract and sold within a month of listing, the Estate Representative was thankful to have a professional guiding her through the probate process and glad to get this behind her.

Selling a Home with An Out-of-State Executor

Guiding an out-of-state estate representative through the home sale process.

The personal representative inherited her grandfather's home on Talahi Island and was located in Texas. Her grandfather had built the home and was the original owner. The property was unique — a smaller 3 bedroom/1 bathroom house on a large lot, plus an additional wooded lot next door, totaling almost one acre.
The home was full of his belongings and needed to be cleaned out. The personal representative lived out of state, requiring coordination for packing, moving, and disposing of items the heirs didn't want. During the sale process, the initial all-cash offer fell through when those buyers terminated the contract during the inspection period.
She came to town to pack up his belongings, and my team helped her pack. Once she left, I coordinated with a moving company to transport everything to a storage facility in Atlanta for the heirs to collect. I also helped her sell his car and get rid of the remaining items. We listed the home, received 3 offers, and kept a backup offer in place with a local investor when the first contract fell through.
We listed the home and received 3 offers.
We took an all cash offer, but those buyers ultimately terminated the contract during the inspection period.
Luckily we had a back up offer in place with a local investor and the seller made even more money on the second contract.
We closed without issue and the seller was able to do a remote closing and received her funds to the estate account the same day.

Selling a Probate Home with a Reverse Mortgage

Guiding an estate representative through the home sale process when the home had a reverse mortgage on it.

An attorney referred a personal representative whose aunt had passed away, leaving behind a home on Wilmington Island. The aunt had taken out a reverse mortgage 2 years before her death, a decision her nephew had never supported.
As soon as she passed, the reverse mortgage company began aggressively reaching out to the nephew and posting notices on the house, stating that if the home was not paid off or sold within 6 months, it would be put up for foreclosure. This was especially concerning because the probate process in Chatham County was taking about 4 months at the time, leaving a narrow window to get the estate settled and the home sold.
I met with the personal representative and we signed a listing agreement immediately, even though we could not officially list the property until he was appointed Administrator of the estate.
He sent the signed listing agreement to the reverse mortgage company as proof the home would be sold, which often prompts these companies to grant more time, though it varies by company.
As soon as he was appointed Administrator, we listed the house and received multiple offers within 5 days.
We went with a seasoned investor who closed on the home without issue. The reverse mortgage company received their payoff, and my client received the remainder of the proceeds. He was grateful to have a realtor who understood reverse mortgages and could stay calm through a stressful situation to get the house sold.

Selling a Probate Home that Required Court Approval

Guiding an estate representative through the home sale process when court approval was required.

The owner of the home was a young man who passed away tragically at a young age. His parents, who lived in South Carolina, began the process hoping to keep the home and transfer it into their name after his passing.
After 2 years of incompetent legal advice, followed by 2 more years navigating a complicated probate situation involving minors, the parents ultimately decided to sell the house. By the time we met, the home had extensive termite damage and significant deferred maintenance from sitting vacant. They needed an expert in probate who could navigate the court-ordered sale process and secure them the most money possible.
We listed the home at the court-ordered price and found a buyer quickly. After the inspection period, we submitted the contract for court approval, which was granted. When the buyer backed out 3 days before closing over loan fees, forfeiting their $5,000 earnest money, we put the home back on the market and secured a new all-cash offer within 3 weeks, again taking it through the court approval process.
The court approved the new contract, and we were able to close. The seller could finally begin to move on from a long and difficult situation.

Client Success Stories

June 2026 I Multiple Heirs in Alabama and Conneticut

Worked with multiple heirs to clean out the home and coordinate repairs. Listed the home in May 2026 and went under contract in 5 days with an all cash buyer.
June 2026 I Local Client in Savannah

Worked with personal representative to prepare the home for a quick sale. Went under contract with an all cash buyer within 30 days.
May 2026 | Client in Virginia

Sold As-Is off market to an all-cash buyer. Closed in 2 weeks.
February 2026 | Client in South Carolina

Court ordered sale which required court approval of contract. Helped personal representative get the highest and best price for home with deferred maintenance and navigated court’s requirements and approval.
December 2025 | Client in New Jersey

Helped estate’s personal representative prepare the home for sale with organizing and cleaning. Managed repair estimates once going under contract and helped clean out home before closing. Sold home in less than 3 months.
May 2022 | Client in Savannah

Helped secure a quick and easy off market sale for the personal representative who was living in the home. Helped personal representative move out and sell home in less than 1 month, AS IS.
October 2021 | Client in Brunswick, GA

Helped personal representative renovate entire townhome with paint, flooring and small repairs. Navigated aggressive reverse mortgage company and sold property within 34 days.
July 2024 I Client in Texas

Facilitated moving company and moving day. Deep clean, junk removal and car liquidation. Sold for $32,000 over asking AS-IS.
April 2024 I Client in Savannah

Deep clean and minor clean out along with pressure wash and lawn care. Sold for $15,000 over asking AS-IS.
August 2023 I Client in Atlanta, GA

Full clean out and successfully sold this home and 5 other properties for client.
November 2022 | Client in California

Performed a full clean out and minor repairs. Received 11 offers and sold for $40,000 over list price.
January 2020 | Client in Nashville, TN

Helped personal representative clean out home and carriage house. Facilitated minor repairs and sold for full price.