All Forum Posts by: Karen Rivera

 Hi Chris, I presume getting an attorney is the best option especially since some legal action of some kind will be needed. I sincerely appreciate your response and input.

I am helping a friend with a property his mother has some investment in. His mother took over the payments of the property taxes of her sister's house after her sister passed away about 30 years ago. The mother has continued to pay the property taxes and has kept them current. She is now 96 years old and there is no need for her to hold on to the property. The problem is the deed is still in the names of the sister and the sister's husband. Both parties are deceased with no known heirs and unfortunately, we do not have the necessary information to get a copy of the death certificates. Currently the house is vacant.

How do we handle the deed situation? I presume probate court will become part of the scenario. What is our best course of action to put her in a position where she can sell the property?

The attorney already has done everything on his end. All legal matters have been handled. He said he needs a death certificate to finalize and transfer the deed into his mothers name. I believe they are doing an adverse possession by payment of taxes. 

A friend is trying to help is mother get a deed in her name of a property that belonged to her sister who has been deceased for over 20 years. The friends mom continued to pay the property taxes after the relatives death but never transferred the deed in her name and would like to now do so. With her failing memory they do not have the necessary information to obtain the death certificate in order to transfer the deed. For example, date of death, age at death, etc. Is there a service that can be used to get the necessary information on the deceased relative?