My Aunt Left Me Her House in St Elizabeth, Termites and All. Do I Fix It, Rent It or Let It Go?

A reader writes:

My Aunt Merle died last year at ninety-one. She never married and had no children, and she raised me for part of my childhood when my mother was working in the Cayman Islands. In her will she left me her house in the hills of St Elizabeth. The attorney is handling the estate and says it should be in my name before too long.

I went up to see it properly last month for the first time since the funeral. I cried in the car before I even went inside. The front is still the same, the red steps she polished every Saturday, the breadfruit tree, the grill with the little pattern of birds. But the back rooms are bad. Termites have eaten into the wooden part at the back, one section of the zinc is rusted through, the water tank is cracked and the kitchen floor is soft in one corner. Nobody has lived there properly for about four years. A cousin down the road checks on it, sort of.

I am fifty-two, I live and work in Kingston, and I have a mortgage of my own. My husband thinks we should sell it as is and use the money to finish paying off our house. My son, who is twenty-six, says we should fix it and rent it, or fix it and keep it for when we retire. My cousin says a man already asked him if the land was for sale and would pay cash. Everybody has an opinion. Nobody has money to put in except me, and I don’t have a lot.

Part of me feels that selling Aunt Merle’s house would be like selling her. Part of me knows I cannot be driving three hours every other weekend to fight termites. How do people decide these things?

— Pauline, Kingston

Our response

Pauline, we are sorry for your loss. Aunt Merle clearly meant a great deal to you, and it is no surprise that the red steps made you cry. Grief and property decisions arrive together far too often, and it is wise not to rush the second while you are still carrying the first. Where the estate is not yet settled, you may not be able to sell or sign a tenancy anyway, so use that time to gather facts.

Find out what you actually have

Before choosing between renovating, renting and selling, get three things. First, a clear picture of the title and the estate from your attorney-at-law, including any costs you will need to pay before the transfer. Second, an honest assessment of the building from a qualified builder or structural engineer: which parts are sound, which need replacing and a rough order of cost. Termite damage in timber sections can be more extensive than it looks. Third, a sense of what the property might sell for as it stands and what similar repaired houses rent for in that area, from a reputable local valuator or agent. A cash offer from a man who “asked” is not a valuation.

The three paths

• Sell as is. Simplest and quickest once the estate is settled, and it may help your own mortgage. The trade-off is letting go of the house and possibly accepting a lower price because of its condition.
• Repair and rent. Can produce income and keep the house in the family, but you would be a long-distance landlord. You would need a reliable local manager, proper agreements and a maintenance fund. Rural rents may be modest compared with repair costs, so run the numbers carefully.
• Stabilise and hold. A middle path: treat the termites, replace the worst of the roof, fix the tank and secure the house, then decide later. This protects the value without committing to a full renovation.

Questions for your household

• If your son wants to keep it, is he willing to contribute time or money, in writing?
• Would you and your husband realistically retire to St Elizabeth, or is that a nice idea for a hard day?
• How would any repair cost affect your own mortgage and savings?
• Is there a way to honour Aunt Merle that does not depend on keeping the building?

On that last question: selling her house is not selling her. Some people keep the grill with the birds, or plant a cutting from the breadfruit tree in their own yard, or give part of the proceeds to her church. Others keep the house and let it become a family gathering place. Either can be faithful stewardship. What matters is that the decision is made clearly, with your husband, rather than drifting while the termites decide for you.

Speak to your attorney-at-law about the estate and any tax on transfer or sale, to a builder or engineer about the condition, and to a financial adviser about how each option fits your own plans. Then pray over the facts, not just the feelings.

This article is general information only and is not financial, legal, tax or other professional advice. Please speak to a qualified professional about your own circumstances.

Reader letters may be edited for length and clarity, and names and identifying details are changed.

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