For Sellers

Selling a Trust, Estate, or Long-Held Family Home in Los Gatos

I'm Cassie (Cassandra) Maas, a second-generation Realtor with Anderson Christie. I've helped people buy and sell homes in Los Gatos, the Santa Cruz Mountains, and Santa Cruz County since 2006. A lot of that work is with families selling a home someone has owned for decades, often while settling a trust or an estate. These sales take patience and careful prep. Pressure doesn't help.

Who this is for

• Trustees and successor trustees selling a home held in a living trust
• Executors and administrators handling a probate sale
• Adult children and families deciding what to do with a parent's long-held home
• Long-time owners downsizing or moving on after many years in the same house
• Attorneys, CPAs, and fiduciaries who need a local agent to coordinate with

How trust and estate sales usually work here

Each situation is different. Your attorney or tax advisor is the right source for legal and tax questions. In general:

• Trust sales: a successor trustee can usually sell without court involvement. Their authority comes from the trust document. The process often feels a lot like a regular sale, with some extra paperwork and documentation.
• Probate sales: when a home goes through probate in California, the court process can affect timing, disclosures, and how offers get accepted. Some sales need court confirmation. Others can go ahead with less court oversight. That depends on the authority the personal representative has.
• Disclosures: trustees and executors may not know the home's history the way a long-time owner would. Inspections up front help everyone. They give buyers clearer information and reduce surprises during escrow.
• Timing and family decisions: there are often several people involved, sometimes living far apart. I keep everyone informed and keep the process moving at a pace that works for the family.

Long-held homes need thoughtful prep

A home that's been lived in for 30, 40, or 50 years often needs attention before it goes on the market: years of belongings, deferred maintenance, and choices about what's worth fixing. I help you decide what will actually make a difference and what won't, and I connect you with local resources for clean-out, repairs, staging, and inspections. The goal is to present the home well without spending money that doesn't come back.

Santa Cruz Mountains properties (95033)

Mountain homes come with their own considerations, and these matter even more when the seller didn't live there day to day:

• Wells and water systems: testing and documentation buyers will ask about
• Septic systems: inspections and records
• Fire insurance: availability and cost, which buyers increasingly look into early
• Access, roads, and permits: shared roads, older additions, and records worth gathering before listing

I work in these areas regularly and can help you get ahead of the questions buyers will ask.

How I work

1. A conversation first. We talk through the situation, who's involved, and what timeline makes sense. There's no obligation.
2. A look at the property. I walk the home, review what's known about it, and give you an honest view of its condition and the market.
3. A prep plan. We prioritize clean-out, repairs, inspections, and staging, and I coordinate the vendors.
4. Coordination. I work with your attorney, trustee, or fiduciary so the paperwork and timing line up.
5. Marketing and sale. I price thoughtfully, present the home well, and guide you through offers and escrow, keeping all decision-makers informed.