Probate is a slow, public, paperwork-heavy process. My job is to take the real-estate piece off your plate — with the same calm a probate attorney brings to the legal piece — so the math is clear before you decide.
Before you file. Before you sign anything. Before anyone tells you what your inherited home is "worth." Get clarity first — the consultation is free and there is nothing to sign at the end of it.
"Most people I talk to are dealing with three things at once — grief, paperwork, and family. The real estate question can wait a few weeks. It will not improve by being rushed."
The information on this site is here so you can make a calm, informed decision — whether or not we ever speak. Probate in California changed materially in 2025: thresholds went up, simplified procedures expanded, and the math on whether you need full probate at all is different than it was even two years ago.
One consideration worth naming: the information gathered when a probate is filed becomes public court record. Solicitations — phone calls, texts, mailers from investors offering to buy the home cheaply — arrive within days. Knowing this before you file is half of protecting yourself.
View the full California probate guideGet the data, name the tradeoffs, then decide. No pressure to list. No pressure to sell now.
Full and limited authority sales, court confirmation hearings, overbid mechanics. Coordinated with the attorney handling the case.
Learn moreThe successor trustee has the authority to sell. Typically faster than probate — weeks, not months — if the trust paperwork is in order.
Learn moreA clean, defensible value the probate referee will accept — useful for the inventory, for tax basis, and for setting a realistic price later.
Learn moreTwelve to eighteen months is typical for a full probate in California. Faster routes exist — some you may already qualify for.
Living trust, joint tenancy, community property, spousal petition, Heggstad petition, RTOD — nine common scenarios avoid probate entirely or shorten it materially. Worth checking first.
Filing fee around $465. Court date set ~30 days out. Notice published in a local paper. Heirs and beneficiaries mailed notice.
Order for Probate (DE-140) signed. Letters issued (DE-150). Full or limited authority granted. You are now an officer of the court.
Inventory & Appraisal (DE-160) filed within 120 days. This sets the value the court works from — the better the data going in, the cleaner the appraisal.
Full authority: Notice of Proposed Action, 15-day objection window, close escrow. Limited authority: court confirmation hearing, overbid mechanics, longer timeline.
Once creditor period (4 months) has passed and accounting is complete, the court signs the Order for Final Distribution. Heirs receive their shares. The case closes.
Assembly Bill 2016 took effect April 1, 2025. The small-estate affidavit threshold rose, and a brand-new $750,000 simplified procedure was created specifically for the decedent’s primary residence. Worth checking whether your situation qualifies before filing anything.
Read what changed“During the difficult time of settling my mother’s estate, Paul was calm, kind, and extremely knowledgeable on estate home sales. He made a difficult task bearable and facilitated the highest sale with the least inconvenience.”
“Paul listened to my concerns and gave me honest realistic strategic advice. He’s very responsive, kind, punctual, and most importantly, he’s on your side to protect you at all cost during the entire process.”
“The trust paperwork was a mess and we were three siblings in three states. Paul handled every coordination call, every signature, every walkthrough. He never raised his voice. We sold above asking.”
Reviews paraphrased from past client feedback. Identifying details changed for privacy.