That read like, Damn that's cold.....
My old family mechanic friend, took care of an old man he knew for decades. Guys wife had died in the 50's and they had no children (if I heard correctly, wife and child died in child birth).
He lived in a house with no a/c and refused to let the mechanic put one in, and lived just shy of his 96th birthday. Developed either dementia or Alzheimers, as before it was diagnosed, he got very lost and had driven quite a ways from home, was put into a home, and they saw he had skin cancer from his elbow to his shoulder and had been hiding it. He was in the home a week and passed.
Between the house, vehicle, life insurance and hands on money, he left my friend close to a million dollars.
As to why don't they sell family homes, there are several reasons from siblings fighting, out of sight, out of mind (incompetence), etc.