For families settling a loved one's affairs
Clear next steps after a death. Trusted help with the house.
Plain-English guidance on what to do first, and a free way to request screened estate cleanout companies, estate sale companies, and probate attorneys in your city. No pressure, no fabricated reviews, no runaround.
- Screened for licensing and insurance
- Up to 3 matches, usually within 1 business day
- 20 metros, growing
Request up to 3 matched providers
Free for families. Tell us a little about the situation and we will connect you with screened providers who serve your area. No obligation.
How we help
Three kinds of help, explained honestly
Most families need one or two of these. Each guide explains what the service does, what it typically costs, and how to vet a provider.
Estate Cleanout
Crews that sort, haul, donate, and clear a home so it can be sold, rented, or returned to a landlord.
Read the guide →Estate Sales
Liquidators who price, stage, and sell household contents, usually for a percentage of proceeds.
Read the guide →Probate Attorneys
Licensed lawyers who guide the executor through court filings, creditor notices, and distribution.
Read the guide →Start here
What to do after a death: a 7-step checklist
Not everything has to happen this week. Here is the order most families find workable.
- 1
Get the death certificate
The funeral home usually orders certified copies. Ask for 10 or more; banks, insurers, and the court each want one.
- 2
Secure the home and valuables
Lock up, collect spare keys, forward mail, and photograph rooms before anything is moved.
- 3
Find the will and key documents
Look for a will, trust, deeds, titles, insurance policies, and recent statements. Do not throw out paperwork yet.
- 4
Notify Social Security, employers, and insurers
Stop benefits that must stop and start the ones that are owed, such as life insurance and pensions.
- 5
Talk to a probate attorney
Even a short consultation clarifies whether probate is needed and who has legal authority to act.
- 6
Decide what happens to the contents
Family keepsakes first, then an estate sale if the contents have value, then a cleanout for what is left.
- 7
Prepare the house for its next chapter
Sell, rent, or transfer. Keep utilities and insurance active until the property changes hands.
How matching works
- You tell us the basics. City, what you need, and your timeline. It takes about a minute.
- We match you with up to three screened providers. Cleanout and estate sale companies pay us a fee to receive requests; that never changes your price, and we never sell your information beyond the providers you asked for.
- You choose, or walk away. No obligation. If we cannot serve your area yet, we will say so plainly.
Attorneys are handled differently: they pay a flat fee for a clearly labeled featured listing. We do not refer clients to lawyers or take per-lead payments for legal services, and we never rate or review attorneys.
Our privacy promise
- Your request goes only to the providers we match you with, never to data brokers.
- You can ask us to delete your information at any time at hello@estatenextsteps.com.
- We do not publish fabricated reviews, ratings, or vendor names. Slots that say "coming soon" mean exactly that.
- Cost figures across this site are typical ranges that vary by market, not quotes.
Estate Next Steps is operated by QuietSignal LLC, Tampa, FL. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice.
Read first
Guides families find useful
What to Do With a House After a Parent Dies
A practical, step-by-step guide to securing, maintaining, clearing, and ultimately selling, renting, or keeping a parent's home after their death.
Estate Cleanout Cost: What Families Actually Pay
How estate cleanout companies price their work, typical cost ranges by home size (varies by market), what drives the price up, and how to keep it down.
Estate Sale vs. Estate Cleanout: Which Do You Need First?
How to tell whether a home's contents justify an estate sale, when to go straight to a cleanout, and how to sequence the two so you do not pay twice.
Coverage
Cities we serve
Tampa, FL
Orlando, FL
Miami, FL
Jacksonville, FL
Atlanta, GA
Charlotte, NC
Nashville, TN
Dallas, TX
Houston, TX
Austin, TX
Phoenix, AZ
Denver, CO
Chicago, IL
Columbus, OH
Philadelphia, PA
Boston, MA
Minneapolis, MN
Seattle, WA
Los Angeles, CA
San Diego, CA