Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California

Dear Dave. The link below is a good place to start.

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/stateArticle-32181.html

You can write a holgraphic will (i.e. all in your own handwriting) stating your intent to leave the property to your friend and disposing of any other property you might have in any way you want. There are a number of sites on the internet that will walk you through the specifics of writing a holographic will. You also might ask your friend if he wants to pay for a lawyer to prepare a simple trust to hold the house now and transfer it when you die. Given the added convenience this will have for him (above getting your house), and the fact that is should not cost more than a couple of thousand dollars, he will probably be willing to do so.

Good luck.

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Save yourself the money and deed the property from yourself to you and your friend in joint tenancy. When you pass, all he has to do is record an affidavit of death of a joint tenant.