A family in Orange County may believe a parent's home is ready for sale after probate closes, only to have the title company find an old money judgment recorded against the decedent. In Los Angeles, an owner refinancing an investment property may discover that a judgment from an unrelated lawsuit has become an obstacle to…
A sibling has died, and you're now looking at a family home in Santa Ana with a deed that names several owners. One person wants to keep living there, another needs liquidity, and nobody is sure whether the property must go through probate or can be transferred. That uncertainty is common with tenancy in common…
A family often learns what constructive notice means after a death, not during a calm planning meeting. A parent passes away, the house in Orange County or Los Angeles is supposed to transfer through probate or trust administration, and everyone believes title is straightforward. Then the title report shows a recorded deed, lien, abstract of…
A daughter comes into my office after her father dies. She's trying to do the right thing. She has his rental records, a stack of bank statements, and a growing sense that something is wrong. Rent checks went into his personal account. Security deposits seem to have been used to pay ordinary household bills. One…
A lot of families discover a title problem at the worst possible moment. A parent has passed away. The house in Orange County or Los Angeles is supposed to move through probate or trust administration. Everyone assumes the property can be sold, refinanced, or transferred without much trouble. Then the preliminary title report arrives, and…
A lot of families first learn there's a title problem at the worst possible moment. A parent has died. The house is supposed to be sold or transferred. Everyone thinks the next step is paperwork, then a closing. Instead, the title report shows an old deed issue, a missing heir, or a claim that no…
A common call starts like this. Two siblings inherited a house in Orange County or Los Angeles. One wants to sell. The other wants to keep it. A third person may be living there, paying some bills, and refusing to move the discussion forward. That kind of deadlock is exactly where people ask, what is…