Inherited a Home in San Diego? Your First-Steps Checklist

The first two weeks

• Secure the home: change or re-key locks if keys are unaccounted for, set lights on timers, and ask a neighbor to keep an eye out
• Notify the homeowner's insurance carrier — an empty home can change coverage; ask about a vacant-home endorsement
• Forward the mail (USPS change of address) so bills, tax notices, and statements reach you
• Order several certified copies of the death certificate — banks, insurers, and the county will each want one
• Locate the will or trust, the deed, mortgage statements, and any homeowner's insurance paperwork — keep them together in one folder
• Keep utilities on (water, power, gas) so the home stays protected and showable later

The first one to two months

• Talk with a California estate attorney about whether the home goes through probate or is handled through a trust — timelines and paperwork differ a lot, and this step gates most others
• Ask a tax professional about your specific situation — inherited property, property taxes, and any exclusions have deadlines in California that are worth knowing early
• Keep paying the mortgage, property tax installments, insurance, and HOA dues if any — falling behind creates problems that are expensive to unwind
• Walk the home with a notebook before anything is removed: room by room, note what is there, photograph everything, and flag documents, valuables, and sentimental items
• If family members are involved, agree in writing on who is coordinating — one point person prevents most friction

Deciding what happens to the home

• Talk through the realistic options with everyone who has a say: a family member keeps or moves in, rent it, or sell it
• Get a clear picture of the home's condition — deferred maintenance and clearing costs affect every option
• Do not rush the clear-out. Once items are gone, they are gone; inventory first, decide second

Clearing the home, when you are ready

• Sort into four groups: keep, family, sell or donate, discard — room by room, not all at once
• For a home with significant belongings, an estate sale can offset costs; for a home that mainly needs emptying, a cleanout crew is faster
• Set aside anything hazardous or restricted (paint, chemicals, medications) for proper county disposal
• Keep a simple record of what was sold and for how much — executors and trustees are glad they did

When you want help

Doorway matches San Diego families with local estate cleanout crews, estate sale companies, downsizing specialists, and hauling help — free for families, and your contact details are only shared with a provider you approve.