Client Login | Se Habla Español

Schedule a Consultation: 909-982-3199

About
Services
Resources
Contact

About
Services
Resources
Contact
Consultation

Free Consultation

Certification Test2026-02-27T11:47:55-08:00

Certified California Probate Real Estate Specialist

Probate Certification Test

Below are 20 questions relating to probate real estate. A score of 80% or higher is considered passing.

House not included in living trust. Added with Heggstad petition.

Updates

First Name

Last Name

How can you find probate real estate leads? 

Only through attorneys

Public court records, newspapers (including probate sale ads), and networking

Social media ads only

None of the above

When working with grieving families, what’s the best first step?

Push for a listing agreement

Acknowledge their loss and listen

Discuss market value immediately

Send a sales pitch email

What is “cash for keys”?

Paying buyers to close faster

Offering squatters money to leave voluntarily

A type of mortgage

Court fee

If a property faces trustee sale, what can stop it temporarily? 

Ignore it

Seek a court injunction

Change the locks

List it higher

For reverse mortgages, how long do heirs have to repay after death?

30 days

6 months (extendable)

2 years

Indefinitely

What document proves an executor’s authority? 

Birth certificate

Letters of Administration

Driver’s license

None

What does a title company do in probate?

Sell the property

Search for liens and issue insurance

Handle grief counseling

File taxes

Time frame for court authority to sell under full IAEA? 

Immediate after letters

1 year

Never needed

5 years

Difference between full and limited authority? 

Full requires court approval; limited doesn’t

Full allows sale without confirmation; limited does

No difference

Limited is for small estates only

What petition for small estates?

Full probate

Summary probate

Heggstad

Spousal

How does a probate referee’s appraisal impact the sale?

No impact

Sets baseline FMV; sales much below may need confirmation

Determines final sale price exactly

Only for taxes

Why brand yourself as a probate specialist? 

It’s unnecessary

Builds trust and referrals; families prefer known experts

To charge higher fees only

For social media likes

Where might you find probate sale ads? 

Only online MLS

Local newspaper legal notices (required publication)

TV commercials

None

What’s a key benefit of networking with probate attorneys? 

Free leads early

They handle marketing

No benefit

Only for lawyers

If family disagrees on the agent, what’s a good step? 

Ignore it

Suggest mediation

Force a decision

Withdraw

Why hire an agent immediately as administrator? 

To start repairs

Assess market, market property, keep heirs informed

Avoid taxes

None

What should the administrator provide heirs?

Nothing

Full information on progress/offers

Only final sale price

Legal documents only

When is a Notice of Proposed Action used?

For full authority only

To notify heirs of sale (limited authority)

For evictions

Never

Can heirs waive the Notice of Proposed Action? 

Yes, to speed up process

Only in court

Only for small estates

Under the 2025 law (AB 2016), what happens for a primary residence under $750,000 (death on/after 4/1/2025)? 

Full probate still required

Streamlined petition avoids full probate

No court involvement at all

Applies to all real property types

Legal work can be difficult and frustrating. At Gaudy Law, we make it easy, understandable, and affordable.

Services

Estate Planning
Probate
Estate and Trust Litigation
Corporation & LLC Formation Assistance
Conservatorship
Trust Administration
Heggstad Petition

Contact

Gaudy Law Inc.
267 D St, Upland, CA 91786
909-982-3199

Monday – Thursday 8:30am – 4pm
Friday 8am – 1pm

We’re Hiring! Apply Here

Areas Served

Upland Office
Serving Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Joaquin Valley and surrounding areas

Probate services available throughout California