FOR PROBATE ATTORNEYS & EXECUTORS

A steady guide through process that isn’t always steady

Probate has its own timeline, its own rules, and its own pressure. I'm a Certified Probate & Trust Specialist (CPRES) — my job is to take the real estate piece off your plate and handle it the way the court, the heirs, and your firm all need it handled.

THE PROBLEM I SOLVE

Executors are managing a full life. Probate isn't supposed to be a second job.

Most people serving as executor or trustee are doing it for the first time, often while grieving, while juggling their own household, and while trying to follow a court process they've never seen before. My role is to make the real estate part of that process predictable, so you and your attorney can focus on everything else the estate needs.

A family of three, including a mother, father, and young child, sitting in a bright, modern living room. The mother is sitting on a sofa with a green throw blanket, the father is sitting on the floor holding a mug, and the child is standing at a small wooden table drawing with colored pencils.

- CPRES-certified: trained specifically in probate timelines, terminology, and requirements

- Comfortable coordinating with multiple heirs and beneficiaries with different priorities

- Clear, documented communication your firm and the court can rely on

- A vetted network of vendors for clean-outs, repairs, and prepping an estate property

- Bilingual — English & Spanish, so nothing gets lost with heirs or family members

THE PROBATE REAL ESTATE JOURNEY

What actually happens, start to close

Probate typically runs about 12 months from filing to final distribution. Here's the shape of it — and where I step in to carry the real estate portion.

A graphic with two sections: the left side is beige and states "2-6+ Months Listing & Sale" in dark text, the right side is dark blue and states "End of 12 Months Final Distribution" in white text.
Timeline for estate administration: starts with filing and letters within two months, followed by estate administration within 90 to 120 days.

Filing & Court Approval

  • Petition for probate is filed; hearing date set

  • Notice of first hearing published

  • Letters issued by the court & Order for Probate granted

  • Duties, liabilities, and bond (if required) established for the personal representative

Estate Administration

  • Assets gathered; inventory & appraisal filed

  • Notice to creditors, plus required notices to state agencies

  • Creditor claims reviewed — allowed or rejected

Listing & Sale

  • Full Authority (IAEA): listing agreement, probate purchase agreement, escrow opened, notice of proposed action, estate EIN, estate bank account, close of escrow

  • Limited Authority (IAEA): price set within 90% of the probate referee's appraisal, 10% court deposit, published for sale, court confirmation hearing with overbidding, final court order, close of escrow

  • Relevant tax considerations flagged early — Prop 58/193, capital gains, estate tax (Form 706) — always in coordination with your attorney and CPA

Final Distribution

  • Petition for final distribution (accounting) filed

  • Court hearing held

  • Proceeds received and distributed; case closed

Full vs. Limited Authority matters. Whether the estate has full or limited authority under the Independent Administration of Estates Act changes what's required to sell — from court confirmation and overbidding to how pricing is set against the probate referee's appraisal. I build the listing and sale strategy around whichever authority applies to your case.

Flowchart of the probate process, outlining steps within 120 days including filing petition, hearing date, notice of court hearing, letters issued, and sale. Key milestones at 5-6 weeks, 2 months, 6 months, and 12 months, with details on tax filings, real estate transactions, and court hearings.

PARTNERING WITH YOUR FIRM

I'm glad to provide market valuations for estate planning or court purposes, meet with heirs directly, or simply be the name you keep on hand for probate and trust listings. The goal is always the same: make your job easier and your client's experience less stressful.

One referral, and it's handled

Discuss a Referral or Case

Have an estate property that needs to sell?