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Your situation points to a probate home sale.
Probate sounds heavier than it usually is. When the home is titled only in your loved one’s name and no trust or survivorship rule takes over, the estate typically goes through court-supervised probate. The court appoints a personal representative (the executor or administrator), a court-appointed probate referee sets the home’s value, and the sale follows a well-worn, watchable process. Sacramento families complete probate home sales every month. The key is knowing the order of steps and who has the legal authority to sign.
Your next steps
- Order certified copies of the death certificate and locate the will and the deed. These unlock everything else.
- Confirm whether formal probate is required, and whether the personal representative receives full or limited IAEA authority. That decides whether the sale needs court confirmation.
- Build the team: a probate attorney for the court work, and a probate-savvy Realtor like Diane for preparing, pricing, and selling the home.
