Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California

There are only four ways that I know of to transfer title to a decedent's real property outside of probate. They are as follows:

1. The owner of the property deeded the real property to the trustee of an intervivos trust, and the trust instrument controls the beneficial interest in the property.

2. Title to the real property was held as a joint tenancy between the deceased and a living person, and the living person records an affidavit of death of joint tenant.

3. Prior to death, the real property was subject to a deed of trust, and the lender forecloses when the note is not paid.

AND

4. No one ever steps up and pays the taxes, allowing the property to go into tax default. The County Tax Assessor then sells the property at a tax foreclosure sale.

None of these appear to apply to the situation you have presented. You need to contact the executor or administrator of your estate and inform them of what is going on.

The information provided is cryptic, but it appears that a mobile home may be involved, which could be located on real property owned by the decedent. In any case, the advice to contact the executor or administrator of the probate estate (or the attorney involved) is good advice, as the probate court has jurisdiction to sort out what the step-daughter may have done. You should do so without any delay.

Your question raises a number of issues which require additional facts to address. I suggest that you get yourself an attorney ASAP.

Good luck.

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