Okay, so here is the situation: My father owns about 16 acres of land. My grandparent’s gave this to him because they were right-wing radicals who believed that paying property taxes violated their constitutional rights, and so they didn’t pay taxes and almost lost the entire land to the IRS! My father paid the taxes and saved the land, and they signed it over to him, with the provision that they have a ‘life time estate’, meaning they both have the right to live on that land. Fast forward twenty years later: My grandparents divorced and both moved off the property. They divorced mainly so my grandmother could get her previous husband’s social security, which was higher. My grandfather was diagnosed with alzheimers and eventually dies. My grandmother can’t live on the property by herself but doesnt want us to sell it either because of memories. He’s selling it anyway behind her back and not letting her know. Is this wrong?! She’s suicidally depressed and wants to cling to the past!
It should be noted that my grandmother has been obsessed with my grandfather (or I should say step-grandfather since he’s not my grandfather by blood), and they actually had a horrible marriage which was actually abusive! But now she’s acting like it was wonderful and she wants to pretend that she can live out there again. She thinks the banks are going to go under and that we’ll need to flee to the country! A lawyer told us that since she’s divorced and can’t live out there, the lifetime estate is voided, so legally he CAN sell it. The problem is, would it be wrong to do so?! She’s very unreasonable about this and tends to scream and throw a fit when you try to even discuss it with her!
Sell and Rent Back
