My maternal grandparents, joint owners of a household, are both deceased. They were the parents of three grown, living children. Two of the ...

Question

My maternal grandparents, joint owners of a household, are both deceased. They were the parents of three grown, living children. Two of the three children own their own homes and have "verbally" said they do not want their parents' home. They "verbally" said my mother, their sister, can have the home being she does not have her own residence. However, both parents are deceased and have no will. Is there a way to change ownership from the deceased to my mother without a costly succession in Louisiana? I know it is a costly and time consuming process. Thank you for your attention. I look forward to your reply.

Answer

It is not as costly as you might think, but regardless of the cost you have to do it. There is no way to transfer legal ownership of that property without opening the succession. Moreover, I would do it immediately and get some quitclaim deeds and/or renunciations of grandmother's estate IN WRITING from those heirs as soon as possible. What if one of those heirs who doesn't want anything dies tomorrow and THEIR heirs feel differently? There goes the house. You need to get to a succession attorney in your parish soon.