About Cherise Gunnerson
I specialize in serving families navigating rightsizing, inherited homes, and major life transitions. My goal is to help you make informed decisions, maximize your home’s market potential, and move confidently into your next chapter.
A Dedicated Advocate for Families in Transition
I’m an experienced Metro Atlanta REALTOR® and Associate Broker with nearly 20 years of real estate experience. I help homeowners sell strategically, maximize their home’s market potential, and confidently navigate life’s transitions.
I’m passionate about education and empowering homeowners, and I focus on helping adults 50+ and families navigate rightsizing, inherited properties, estate-planning considerations, and important housing decisions. My approach goes beyond buying and selling real estate; it’s about helping people protect their interests, make informed decisions, and move confidently into their next chapter.
Why Selling an Inherited Home Is Different
An inherited property rarely behaves like an ordinary sale. Before the home can change hands, the estate itself usually has to move through probate or trust administration, and the court’s timeline, not yours, often sets the pace. I work in step with that process so the property side is ready the moment it is cleared to sell, instead of becoming the thing that holds everything up.
These situations also tend to involve more than one person. Siblings and other heirs may live in different places, remember the home differently, and want different outcomes. I keep the process transparent and even-handed, sharing the same information with everyone at the same time, so decisions about the house are made on facts rather than assumptions and old family history.
The homes themselves add another layer. Many inherited properties have been lived in for decades and are sold as-is, sometimes after years of deferred maintenance or a full clean-out. Part of my job is to help you weigh what is worth doing before a sale and what is not: where a modest amount of preparation returns real money, and where selling as-is is simply the wiser, less stressful path. Because inherited property can also carry specific tax considerations, such as the stepped-up cost basis, I will encourage you to confirm the details with your attorney or tax advisor before you decide.
A Clear, Step-by-Step Process
When everything already feels like a lot, a predictable process is its own kind of relief. I start by understanding where the estate stands, who is involved, and what the timeline looks like, so nothing about the property catches you off guard later. From there we establish what the home is realistically worth today, using recent comparable sales rather than guesswork or sentiment.
With a clear value in hand, we look at the real options: sell as-is, invest in targeted preparation and list, or hold for a defined period if that serves the family better. Throughout, I coordinate directly with the executor, the attorney, and the other heirs, handle the logistics of showings and offers, and manage the sale all the way to closing. You get one steady point of contact and a plan you can actually follow, one manageable step at a time.