Talk to UsTRUST SALES · LOS ANGELES
As successor trustee, you may need to explain your decisions to the beneficiaries. We handle the real estate work on the trust property, from valuation and any approved preparation through marketing and closing, and keep a clear record of what was done and why.
THE REAL ESTATE WORK, HANDLED AND DOCUMENTED
You should not have to manage the belongings, vendors, showings, buyers, and escrow yourself. We organize the property sale around the trust's priorities and keep a clear record of the work and decisions along the way.
Assess condition, access, occupancy, and value. Compare selling as-is with any preparation worth considering, including the cost, time, risk, and likely net proceeds.
Arrange access, clean-out, cleaning, and any approved preparation or staging. Sometimes no repairs are needed. We manage the agreed scope and keep vendor bids and invoices organized.
Build the marketing around the property, track buyer activity, compare offers, negotiate, and coordinate escrow through closing. Keep the trustee informed and coordinate with counsel when involved.
Actual property prepared and sold by our team. Preparation depends on the property and the trustee’s goals. Sometimes selling as-is is the right choice.
RECENT TRUST SALES
Every trust is different. Some sell as-is to cash buyers in weeks. Others need title work or court approval first. What they share is a documented process and offers tested against the market.
After litigation removed the original trustee, we sold for a professional fiduciary with every decision documented. Multiple offers lifted the price from early bids near $1.4M to $1.8M, all cash and as-is. Beneficiaries received notice and none objected.
Virtually staged
An attorney reached out to us before a successor trustee had been appointed, and the heir lived out of town. We facilitated the occupant's relocation, cleared the property, and kept wary beneficiaries informed. Eight offers came in, and the accepted one was $135K over asking. When the court asked how the property was marketed, we provided a declaration documenting every step taken to secure the best offer.
Virtually staged
A professional fiduciary called several agents before reaching us. After the tenant moved out, we cleared and cleaned the unit and worked within strict HOA rules. Six offers came in, and the accepted one was over asking, with no contingencies, repairs or credits. When an HOA dispute threatened escrow, we resolved it directly with the HOA and the buyer's agent, without involving the fiduciary.
The successor trustee was handling the trust without an attorney. Title turned up an old deed of trust that had never been reconveyed, and the original note was lost. We worked with the trustee, title and escrow to gather the documents needed to clear it, and escrow closed on time. We also handled the clearing and cleaning, and the trustee made no repairs.
HOW A TRUST SALE WORKS
During their lifetime, the person who created a revocable living trust often serves as trustee. After their death, all or part of the trust may become irrevocable, depending on its terms. Those terms guide who takes over and how the property is handled.
The trust names a successor trustee to step in. That person can manage and sell trust property, usually without going to court. With that authority comes a duty to act in the beneficiaries' best interest and keep them reasonably informed.
In probate, much of the work is establishing authority and getting court confirmation. In a trust sale, we usually know who is in charge from day one. The focus shifts to trust administration: documents, notices, title, and a sale that holds up to scrutiny.
WHERE WE START
01
Many trusts are administered without one, and that is common. When there is a trust attorney, we coordinate with them from day one. When there is not, we keep the process organized and flag any question that needs legal advice.
02
One beneficiary or eight changes everything: how decisions get made, who needs updates, and how much documentation the trustee will want. We plan the sale around the people who need to be kept informed.
03
This is the first document to secure. The title company will ask for a certification of trust, and sometimes a full copy of the trust, before it insures the sale. We request what is needed early so escrow doesn't stall waiting on paperwork.
04
Ideally, title is held in the decedent's name as trustee of the living trust. Sometimes a home was taken out of the trust to refinance and never put back. We check the recorded title early and coordinate with title and counsel on what is needed. A Heggstad petition may be an option, depending on the trust documents and facts.
WHEN IT GETS COMPLICATED
When a revocable trust or a portion of it becomes irrevocable because of a death, California generally requires notice to the relevant beneficiaries and heirs. Notice can start a trust-contest period that affects sale planning. We coordinate the real estate timeline with the trustee and counsel when involved.
If the home was deeded out to refinance and never returned, ownership has to be resolved before the sale can close. We catch it at the start, not in escrow, and plan the listing timeline around the steps title and counsel require.
When the named trustee has died or cannot serve, the trust's replacement provisions must be checked. A replacement may be appointed under the trust or another applicable procedure; a court petition may be needed. We have sold trust properties that required a court-appointed trustee and coordinate with counsel on the real estate timeline.
A relative still living in the home, a house full of belongings, or no key at all. These affect timing and value. We plan the sale around them and coordinate the clean-out vendors, so the trustee is not handling it alone.
THE TRUSTEE'S DUTY
A quick offer from an investor can be the right answer, especially when timing, access, or condition are difficult. But a successor trustee owes the beneficiaries a sale they can stand behind. We test every offer against real market exposure, so the trustee can show why the accepted offer was the right one.
FREQUENT QUESTIONS
START WITH THE PROPERTY
Tell us about the property and the trust. We will start with a realistic property review and a clear plan for the trustee.
Discuss the PropertyPrefer to talk? Call (310) 776-5145
Real estate information and services only. Not legal or tax advice.