Probate Resources
Selling a Home in Probate
Selling real property through a California probate estate involves specific legal requirements, court oversight, and procedures that differ from a standard home sale. These articles walk executors, administrators, heirs, and attorneys through what to expect — from establishing authority to closing escrow.
Articles in This Section
What Happens to a House in Probate in California?
Learn who controls a probate house, whether the property must be sold, when a sale can occur, and how valuation, repairs, mortgages, expenses, and sale proceeds are handled.
Can You Sell a House Before Probate Is Completed in California?
Find out whether a house can be sold before probate closes in California, what authority is required, and what steps executors and administrators must follow.
What Is a Probate Sale in California?
Learn what makes a probate sale different from a traditional home sale, who has authority to sell, and how full authority, limited authority, appraisals, and court confirmation affect the transaction.
Should You Repair a Probate House or Sell It As-Is in California?
Learn how to compare repair costs, as-is value, carrying expenses, buyer demand, and potential sale proceeds before spending estate money preparing a probate home.
How Is a Probate House Valued in California?
Learn the difference between a probate referee appraisal, date-of-death value, current market value, and the price an estate may use when selling a probate property.
What Happens to the Mortgage During Probate in California?
Learn who handles mortgage payments after a homeowner dies, what rights heirs may have, how loan assumptions work, and what happens to the mortgage when a probate property is sold.
Who Pays Property Taxes, Insurance, and Expenses During Probate in California?
Learn who pays property taxes, homeowner's insurance, mortgage payments, HOA dues, and other carrying costs on a California probate property, and how those expenses affect the estate's net proceeds.
Can You Clean Out a House Before Probate Is Complete?
Learn when a probate home can be cleaned out, who controls the belongings, what should be inventoried before anything is removed, and how to prepare the property for sale.
Selling a Probate House With Full vs. Limited Authority
Learn how Full Authority and Limited Authority under California probate law affect court approval, buyer offers, sale timing, notices, and the closing process.
Does a Probate Sale Require Court Confirmation in California?
Learn when a California probate sale requires court confirmation, when it does not, how the confirmation hearing and overbidding work, and how Full Authority can change the process.
How Does the California Probate Overbid Process Work?
Learn how probate court overbidding works, how California calculates the minimum first overbid, what competing buyers should expect, and how the final buyer is selected.
How Long Does It Take to Sell a Probate House in California?
Learn what affects the probate home-sale timeline, when a property can be listed, how Full vs. Limited Authority changes timing, and why the estate may remain open after the house closes.