Death w/ no heirs, next of kin....

[Michael Lemieux]

If a property owner dies with no heirs or next of kin, what happens to the property? Does it go into probate?

[Rick H.]

Maybe the P.A. will catch it and file a probate; maybe not.

No one dies without heirs. Everyone has relatives. I've never seen an estate with no heirs yet. The question then comes down to degrees of lineage and the practical side of identifying, locating and gaining the cooperation of heirs. At a certain level, the cost(s) of administration will tend to overshadow or eat up small, fractional interests and it is usually those that escheat.

Most P.A.'s are about as aggressive as the department of transportation are in repairing potholes. Odds are high you can beat them at their own games (if you don't hit a road hazard en route).