When a parent or spouse dies owning a home in Los Angeles County, the same handful of tasks comes up in most families. This overview lists them in a typical order so nothing important is missed. It is general information, not legal or tax advice; an estate attorney can tell you which steps apply to your situation.
1. Gather certified death certificates
Several offices and institutions will each want a certified copy. Funeral homes usually order them; additional copies are available from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
2. Find out how the home was titled
The deed tells you what comes next. A home held in a living trust is administered by the successor trustee, usually without probate. Joint tenancy passes to the surviving owner. A home held in the decedent's name alone may require probate. An estate attorney can confirm the path.
3. Record the right affidavit, if one applies
When a trustee or joint tenant dies, an affidavit of death is commonly recorded with the Registrar-Recorder to document the change. A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report usually accompanies documents that are recorded.
4. Notify the Assessor
California requires a Change in Ownership Statement – Death of Real Property Owner (form BOE-502-D) to be filed with the county assessor, generally within 150 days of the date of death. The Los Angeles County Assessor publishes the form.
5. Consider Proposition 19
If a child will move into a parent's home, a parent-child exclusion claim may preserve part of the parent's assessed value. The rules are narrower than they were before 2021, and the market value at the transfer matters. See our Prop 19 page for how the calculation works.
6. Establish the date-of-death value
The home's fair market value on the date of death generally becomes the heirs' new tax basis. A date-of-death appraisal documents it for the trust or estate file and for the eventual sale.
7. Protect the property
Keep property taxes, utilities, and insurance current. Many homeowners policies limit coverage when a home sits vacant, so call the insurer if no one is living there.
8. Decide: keep, rent, or sell
Heirs often choose between a buyout, a sale, or keeping the home as a rental. Each choice benefits from a clear value; buyouts and in-kind distributions are covered on our trust administration and family sale pages.
By Brian Ward, California Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser. Reviewed November 2026.