# Selling a Parent's Home in Bellevue: A Checklist for Families > A checklist for selling a parent's Bellevue home: papers to gather, who can sign, power of attorney basics, Bellevue utilities, prep, pricing and family talks. Author: Jack Macdonald, REALTOR, Macdonald Group of Compass, Bellevue WA Published: October 20, 2026 Topic: Selling Area: Bellevue, Washington Web page: https://jackmacdonaldre.com/blog/selling-a-parents-home-in-bellevue-checklist/ When it's your mom or dad's house, everything feels bigger. The paperwork, the memories, the opinions from every sibling. I grew up in Bellevue, and a lot of the homes I help sell here belong to parents of people I went to school with. The families who do best aren't the ones with the most time. They're the ones with a list. So here's mine. It's the practical to do list, with the Bellevue specifics, and it works whether your parent is still living and moving on or has passed. If your parent has passed and you want the bigger picture first, start with [where to start with an inherited home](https://jackmacdonaldre.com/blog/selling-an-inherited-home-on-the-eastside-where-to-start/), then come back here to check things off. ## 1. Gather the paperwork Most delays I see come from a missing document, not a hard decision. Start a folder, paper or shared online, and collect: * The deed, or at least a clear answer on how title is held (in your parent's name, a trust, or with a spouse) * The will or trust documents, if there are any * A power of attorney, if your parent is living and someone else will be signing * Several certified copies of the death certificate, if your parent has passed * The latest mortgage or home equity line statement, if there's still a loan * The most recent property tax statement and homeowner's insurance policy * Recent utility bills, so you know every provider serving the house * HOA documents, if the home is in an association * Any receipts for a roof, furnace, water heater or other big work * Every key, garage remote and alarm code you can find ## 2. Confirm who has the authority to sign This one question drives the whole timeline, and the answer changes depending on if your parent is living or has passed. ### If your parent is living If your parent can and wants to sign, that's usually the simplest path. If not, the person named as agent in a power of attorney may be able to sign. Washington's power of attorney law is chapter 11.125 RCW, and a few points in it are worth knowing before you talk to an attorney: * The law lists what authority over real property covers, and selling is part of it, but the document's own wording controls what your agent can actually do (RCW 11.125.270) * Whether the power keeps working if your parent loses capacity depends on the language in the document (RCW 11.125.040) * A power of attorney ends when the parent dies (RCW 11.125.100) * A title company asked to accept one may request a sworn certification from the agent (RCW 11.125.190) Have the estate or elder law attorney read the actual document early. Finding a gap in month one is a lot better than finding it the week of closing. ### If your parent has passed * Ask your estate attorney who signs: a personal representative if the home goes through probate (with nonintervention powers they can sell without a court order, RCW 11.68.090), the trustee if it's in a trust, or the named beneficiary on a recorded transfer on death deed * Get that answer in writing before you pick a list date For how that decision shapes the rest of the sale, see [where to start](https://jackmacdonaldre.com/blog/selling-an-inherited-home-on-the-eastside-where-to-start/) and [how the probate timeline works](https://jackmacdonaldre.com/blog/selling-a-house-in-probate-in-washington-how-the-timeline-works/). ## 3. Handle the Bellevue details * Bellevue Utilities manages water, wastewater, storm and surface water, and solid waste for the city, with Republic Services handling garbage, recycling and compost under contract. Contact Bellevue Utilities to stop or start service at the property, and keep the account active while the house is for sale. * Look at the actual bills before you make calls. They'll tell you exactly which providers serve the home. * Your escrow officer will handle the final utility payoff. The city's utilities page has an escrow payoff request option for that. * Property taxes go through King County. The county Treasury accepts mailing address changes by email, on the payment stub, or with a mailed form, so statements reach whoever is managing the house. * Forward your parent's mail to the person handling the sale. ## 4. Get the house ready * Let family members pick what they want to keep, with a firm date * Book the estate sale, donation pickup and clean out in that order * Consider a pre inspection so nothing surprises you after an offer * Fix what a buyer would notice and skip the remodel * Paint, clean and tidy the yard before photos A pre inspection can find more than cosmetic items. On a Kirkland estate sale earlier this year, the pre inspection found a gas leak at the water heater. We had it fixed, kept the receipts to show buyers, listed at $1,295,000 and sold at $1,300,000. Nobody had to wonder what else might be wrong. ## 5. Set the price together * Ask your agent for recent sales of similar Bellevue homes nearby, not just active listings * Look at how condition changed the price on each one * Talk through what happens if there are no offers in the first two weeks, before you list * Put the plan in writing so every sibling sees the same numbers ## 6. Keep the family on the same page * Pick one point person to talk to the agent and attorney * Use one shared email thread or folder for updates * Agree ahead of time on how you'll decide between offers * Decide who pays upkeep costs in the meantime and keep every receipt * If your parent is living, ask what matters to them about the sale and give them a say That last one gets skipped more than anything else on this list. A parent who has lived in a Bellevue house for decades usually cares less about the final number than about who buys it and whether the garden gets taken care of. Asking costs nothing, and it changes how the whole family feels when the sale closes. ## Related guides * [Selling a Home After a Parent Moves to Assisted Living](https://jackmacdonaldre.com/blog/selling-a-home-after-a-parent-moves-to-assisted-living/) * [Clearing Out a Family Home Before You Sell on the Eastside](https://jackmacdonaldre.com/blog/clearing-out-a-family-home-before-you-sell-on-the-eastside/) * [Selling an Inherited Home on the Eastside: Where to Start](https://jackmacdonaldre.com/blog/selling-an-inherited-home-on-the-eastside-where-to-start/) Sources: [Washington Uniform Power of Attorney Act](https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.125), [RCW 11.125.270](https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.125.270), [RCW 11.125.040](https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.125.040), [RCW 11.125.100](https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.125.100), [RCW 11.125.190](https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.125.190), [RCW 11.68.090](https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.68.090), [King County Law Library on transfer on death deeds](https://kcll.org/from-the-director-october-2023/), [City of Bellevue Utilities](https://bellevuewa.gov/utilities-service), [King County Treasury property tax FAQ](https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/executive-services/buildings-property/treasury-operations/property-tax/faq). General information only, not legal or tax advice. For the full rundown, see [how I help with inherited and estate homes](https://jackmacdonaldre.com/inherited-homes/). ## Common Questions ### Can I sell my parent's Bellevue home with a power of attorney? Often, if the document gives the agent authority over real property and is still in effect. A power of attorney ends when the parent dies, and its wording matters a lot, so have an attorney review it before you list. ### Who signs if my parent has passed? Usually the personal representative if the home goes through probate, the trustee if it was in a trust, or the named beneficiary if there was a recorded transfer on death deed. Your estate attorney will confirm which applies. ### Should we keep the utilities on while the house is listed? Yes, in most cases. Buyers and inspectors need power, heat and water, and an empty house is easier to protect with the heat on. For City of Bellevue Utilities accounts, contact Bellevue Utilities about stopping or starting service. ### Is a pre inspection worth it on a parent's home? Often. It shows you what buyers will find, so you can fix the items that matter, keep receipts, and avoid surprises after an offer comes in. About the author: Jack Macdonald grew up in Bellevue and helps buyers and sellers across Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Issaquah, Woodinville, and Bothell with Macdonald Group of Compass. Phone 425.941.6998. Website https://jackmacdonaldre.com/