Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Puerto Rico
Selling deceased grandmothers house
How do we go about selling my deceased grandmothers house in Puerto Rico? Does someone have to actually go to Puerto Rico or can it be sold by just using an attorney and a real estate office in Puerto Rico? Four of her children are still alive and two others passed away but have children of their own. Do all the children and grandchildren have to sign in order for the house to be sold or can one person just sell it and divide the selling price among the rest?
5 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Selling deceased grandmothers house
You don't need to come to PR. The attorney can take care of all legal and tax matters. It is important to provide the attorney with the following information:
Name of your grandmother
Her Social Security Number
Date of Death
Place of death
Her husband's name
Husband's social securityu number
Is he death too - His place and date of his death
Name, birthdate, and place of birth of heirs
Social Security numbers
Death heirs, place and date of death
About property:
Description
Title
Location
Property Tax number
Re: Selling deceased grandmothers house
You can use a title company as escrow agent for the closing and handle document and money transfer by FEDEX. You should have an attorney review the closing papers.
Re: Selling deceased grandmothers house
You need an attorney in Puerto Rico. Although my office is in Boca Raton, Florida I have attorney contacts in Puerto Rico. If you wish you may call me to discuss since I would need more information. Good luck.
Re: Selling deceased grandmothers house
Generally, upon death, a probate estate is typically opened. If your grandmother had a will, it would likely name the "executor" of the estate. If no will, then the probate court would name an executor.
In either event, an executor's job is to marshall all of the assets of the decedent (the person who died) and pay all of the decedent's debts. Anything left over is distributed according to a will or, if no will, pursuant to state law.
The executor typically and frequently has the authority to sell property that was held in the decedent's name, including real estate.
Hope this general background helps.
-- Kenneth J. Ashman; www.AshmanLawOffices.com
Re: Selling deceased grandmothers house
A competent notary public could help you in the matter, however you ave to gather the information pertinent to your relatives in order to assist him in the matter. It would also help that everyone in the family agreed to the sale. If your grandfather had a vesting in the property he would also have to agree.