Selling a Parent’s Home in Menlo Park

Whether you’re helping a parent downsize or managing an inherited home, Mary Murphy can help you make a clear plan for the sale.

Schedule a Free, No-Pressure Consultation

Helping a Parent or Handling an Estate?

You may be an adult child who has inherited a home, a trustee or executor responsible for selling one, or a longtime homeowner considering a move. Sorting through belongings, preparing the property, and deciding what happens next can feel like a lot to manage.

I’m Mary Murphy. For 35 years, I’ve helped families navigate the practical and personal decisions involved in selling a longtime home. If you’re selling an inherited home in Menlo Park or helping a parent downsize, we can begin with a conversation about your situation and timeline.

Schedule a Free, No-Pressure Consultation

CSA Certified Senior Advisor

A woman in a black suit stands in a bright, modern living room.

You Are Not Alone in This

Here are concerns I often hear from families:

  • “I’ve never sold a house before. Where do I start?”

  • “There’s so much to sort through.”
  • “My siblings and I don’t agree on what to do.”
  • “I live out of state. Can I manage the sale?”
  • “My parent needs time to make this decision.”

Whether you’re helping an aging parent move or selling a home after a loss, you don’t have to work through every decision at once. We’ll identify the next step together.

A Clear, Step-by-Step Plan — Not a Sales Pitch

You don’t need every answer today. Here’s how I guide the sale from the first conversation through closing.

A Conversation First, Not a Listing Appointment

We discuss your family’s situation, the home, and your timeline before talking about a listing. If you’re a trustee or executor, we’ll discuss the sale requirements you’re working through. If you’re the homeowner, we’ll talk about where you hope to go next. There’s no pressure to move before you’re ready.

A woman meets with a young couple in a bright living room, with papers and an open notebook on the table.

Help With the Hard Part: The Stuff

Decades of belongings can make it difficult to begin. I can connect you with estate sale companies, donation services, and organizers to help you prepare the home. For families seeking downsizing help in Menlo Park, that practical support can make the process more manageable.

A woman and an older man sort belongings in a crowded garage, packing boxes and household items.

A Written Plan, Start to Finish

You’ll receive a plan outlining recommended preparation, a budget, and a timeline. We’ll review whether selling as-is or making selected updates fits your goals. If updates make sense, we can discuss whether Compass Concierge is an option for your sale.

An open home-selling plan notebook with marketing strategy and timeline on a wooden table.

We Handle the Logistics, Wherever You Are

Many people responsible for a parent’s home live outside the area. I coordinate local tasks such as contractors, cleaning, staging, and inspections, while keeping you informed by phone, text, or email.

Two-story home with a California Coast Moving truck parked outside and a woman holding papers nearby.

Pricing With Real Data, Not Guesswork

I use local market information and Compass’s Buyer Demand tool to help assess interest in a home like yours. We’ll review the information together before setting a listing price.

Woman in glasses working on a laptop at a table in a bright shared office.

A Smooth, Well-Communicated Close

I’ll explain offers, deadlines, and next steps as the sale progresses. If you’re a trustee or executor selling a property in Menlo Park, you’ll know what’s happening and whom to call when a question comes up.

See Our Full Selling Process

Real estate agent hands keys to a smiling couple outside a suburban home.

What Our Clients Say

"I Was the Trustee. I Had No Idea What I Was Doing. Mary Did. ...Never having prior experience selling a house, I had no idea what it would entail. As trustee of my parents' trust, I was tasked with selling their beautiful home after their deaths an emotionally difficult duty to be sure. Mary guided me through every step." — Jean B.

"Mary helped me with the sale of my mother's house. Before the house went up for sale, Mary took the time to discuss with me all the potential options for a sale, being mindful of the house's strengths and challenges." — Emily P.

MORE CLIENT STORIES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Start with a conversation, not a contract. The first step is simply understanding your timeline, what condition the home is in, and what the trust or estate requires. From there, I build a plan — most clients in this situation tell me the hardest part was starting, not the process itself once it's underway.

Not necessarily, and not always all at once. Some homes sell well as-is to buyers looking for a project; others benefit from light, strategic updates. I'll walk the home with you and give you an honest recommendation either way — and through Compass Concierge, any needed work can be paid for at closing, not upfront.

This comes up often, and it's normal. I act as a neutral, experienced guide — giving everyone the same facts about value, timing, and options so the family can make a decision together, rather than navigating it alone.

Yes. I regularly manage estate sales for clients who live across the country. I coordinate contractors, cleaning, staging, and paperwork locally, and keep you updated by phone, text, or email — whichever you prefer.

It depends entirely on the home's condition and your timeline, which is exactly why we start with a real conversation rather than a generic estimate. Once we have a plan, I'll give you a realistic, written timeline from preparation through closing.

Correct, a consultation is free and there's no obligation. If we move forward and your home needs work to prepare for market, Compass Concierge can cover those costs with no payment due until the home sells.

Ready When You Are

There's no prize for rushing this, and no penalty for taking the time to do it right.
When you're ready to talk, even just to ask questions and get a feel for what's involved - I'm here.

Call or text (650) 773-4999

Schedule a Consultation.

Mary Murphy | CA DRE# 00675838 | Compass California II, Inc. | CA DRE# 01527235

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