Orange County Real Estate Blog

Straight answers from Dar Mardan, Realtor® + CPA, on selling, buying, taxes, Prop 19 and downsizing in Newport Beach, Irvine and across Orange County.

Inherited a Newport Beach Home but Live Out of State? A Checklist for Remote Heirs

How do you handle an inherited Newport Beach home when you live out of state? You do it in 3 stages: protect the house in the first 30 days, meet the property tax deadlines that start at the date of death, and then decide whether to sell, rent, or keep it, using a local team so you don't have to fly

View more
Can You Sell Mom's House in a Living Trust Without Probate?

Watch the full breakdown in the video above. Can you sell Mom's house in a living trust without probate in California?Yes. If the house is titled in the trust, the successor trustee can list and sell it with no judge and no probate. The trouble starts when the deed never made it back into the trust.

View more
Buying a Home as a Married Couple in Orange County: Title, Taxes and Your Down Payment

How should a married couple take title to a home in California?Most married couples do best with community property with right of survivorship. It avoids probate and gets a full step-up in basis at the first death. Document any separate-property down payment before closing. When a married couple buy

View more