Some of the calls I take that matter most don’t start with “I want to sell.” They start with “My mom passed, and I don’t know what to do with the house.”
If that’s where you are right now, first — I’m sorry. Inheriting a home usually means you’ve lost someone, and the paperwork shows up long before the grief settles. Nothing in this post has to be decided this week.
What I can do is lay out how inherited homes work in California and here in Shasta County, so you know what questions to ask and who to ask. I’m a REALTOR®, not an attorney or a tax pro, so treat this as a map — then bring in the right professionals for your family’s situation.
Step One: Figure Out How the House Is Being Passed Down
Before anyone talks about selling, keeping, or renting, the first question is how the title actually transfers to you. That depends on how your loved one held the property:
- Living trust: If the home was in a trust, the successor trustee can usually manage or sell it without going through probate court. This is the smoothest path, and it’s common here.
- Joint tenancy or community property with right of survivorship: The surviving owner typically records an affidavit and a death certificate to clear title.
- Transfer-on-death deed: California allows these, and the beneficiary records paperwork after the death.
- A will, or no will at all: The home usually has to go through probate unless it qualifies for a simplified procedure.
I’d suggest pulling the most recent deed (the Shasta County Recorder’s office can help) and any trust documents early. Everything else flows from this.
Probate in California: Slower, But Manageable
Probate gets a bad reputation, and some of it is earned — a full California probate commonly takes 9 to 18 months, and statutory fees for the attorney and executor are based on the gross value of the estate.
There’s some good news, though. Under AB 2016, for deaths on or after April 1, 2025, heirs can use a simplified court petition to transfer a decedent’s primary residence worth up to $750,000 — a big change from the old limits. With Shasta County home values where they are, that covers a lot of the family homes I see in Redding, Anderson, and Shasta Lake.
You can still sell a home during probate. In many cases the executor can list it with court confirmation or under limited court supervision. It takes some extra steps and a little more patience, and buyers need to understand the timeline — but it’s done all the time.
Prop 19: The Property Tax Question Families Miss
This is the one I’d put at the top of your list. Before 2021, parents could pass a home to their kids and the low property tax base usually came along with it. Proposition 19 changed that.
Today, a child (or in some cases grandchild) can keep the parent’s taxable value only if they move in and make it their primary residence — and they need to file for the homeowners’ exemption within one year of the transfer. Even then, the exclusion is capped: the home’s existing taxable value plus $1,044,586 (the BOE’s adjusted figure for transfers from February 16, 2025 through February 15, 2027). Anything above that gets added to the assessed value.
If no one moves in — say you plan to rent it out or keep it as a second home — the property is reassessed to current market value. For a home your parents bought decades ago, that can mean a much higher yearly tax bill.
In practice, Prop 19 is often what decides whether keeping the house pencils out. Talk to the Shasta County Assessor’s office about the claim form and deadlines before you commit to a plan.
The Step-Up in Basis (Why Selling Isn’t Always a Tax Hit)
Here’s one piece of good news many families don’t know about. When you inherit a home, the federal tax basis is generally “stepped up” to the market value on the date of death.
So if Dad bought the house for $60,000 in 1985 and it was worth $380,000 when he passed, your starting basis is roughly $380,000 — not $60,000. If you sell soon after for about that amount, there may be little or no capital gain to pay.
That’s a big reason I recommend getting a date-of-death appraisal from a licensed appraiser. It documents the value for your CPA and can save real headaches later. Your tax professional will confirm how it applies to you.
Keep, Rent, or Sell? An Honest Look at Each
There’s no right answer here — only the one that fits your family. Here’s how I’d think about it:
Keep it and move in. If you’d love to live there, this is often the strongest financial option because Prop 19 may let you keep the low tax base. Check the roof, HVAC, and any deferred maintenance first — older Redding homes can need updates.
Keep it as a rental. Redding has steady rental demand, but remember the reassessment, landlord insurance, repairs, and the work of managing tenants (or the cost of a property manager). Run the numbers with the new tax bill, not your parents’ old one.
Sell it. Selling is often the cleanest choice when there are several siblings, when no one lives nearby, or when the home needs more work than anyone wants to take on. With the step-up in basis, the tax side is frequently lighter than people expect.
If siblings disagree, that’s normal. Getting a neutral broker opinion of value or appraisal in hand early tends to make those conversations calmer, because everyone is working from the same number.
Getting an Inherited Home Ready to Sell
Many inherited homes come with decades of belongings, older systems, and some deferred maintenance. A few things I walk families through:
- Secure the house. Change the locks, keep utilities and insurance active, and let the insurance company know the home is vacant — many policies change after 30–60 days of vacancy.
- Take your time with belongings. Pull out family keepsakes and important papers first. Estate sale companies and junk-haul services can handle the rest.
- Decide on repairs carefully. You don’t have to remodel. Sometimes a deep clean, fresh paint, and yard cleanup is plenty. Other times selling as-is makes the most sense — especially during probate.
- Know your disclosures. Some trustee and probate sales are exempt from certain California disclosure forms, but you still have to disclose what you know. Your agent and attorney will guide you.
We don’t do it the same way for every family. Some want to be done quickly; others need a few months before they’re ready to walk through the house again. Both are okay.
Your Team for an Inherited Home
You don’t have to figure this out alone. A good team usually looks like this:
- Estate or probate attorney — title, probate, trust administration
- CPA or tax professional — step-up in basis, capital gains, final tax returns
- Appraiser — date-of-death value
- Shasta County Assessor’s office — Prop 19 claims and exemptions
- A local REALTOR® — market value, prep, and selling (or renting) the home when you’re ready
I’ve helped local families through this, and I’m happy to be a calm first phone call — even if you’re months away from any decision.
Need a hand with an inherited home in Redding or Shasta County? Whether you just want to know what the house is worth or you’re ready to talk through options, I’m glad to help — no pressure, no rush.
530-953-1100 · jcreteam.com/contact · [email protected]
About Justin Cartwright — Justin Cartwright is a third-generation Shasta County resident and licensed REALTOR® with Waterman Real Estate in Redding, CA. He and the JCRE Team specialize in helping buyers and sellers navigate the Redding and greater Shasta County market with honest guidance and genuine care. DRE License #02093872 · Waterman Real Estate, 1760 Churn Creek Rd, Redding, CA 96002 · 530-953-1100.
Sources: California State Board of Equalization (Prop 19 exclusion adjustment, News Release 25-02); California Probate Code §13151 as amended by AB 2016 (2024); IRS rules on inherited property basis (IRC §1014). This post is general information, not legal or tax advice.
