Our deceased mother owned a country house. How can we find out what it is worth?

A: When it comes to California real estate, the first thing to do is to carefully review all deeds and find out how title is held. If you have doubts, you may contact a title company and ask for a title search.

To determine the value of real property, you need to consider the condition of the land and buildings, the neighborhood, and recent sales prices of comparable real estate in the area.

You may get a licensed real estate appraiser or broker to make the appraisal, but ask for a quote before ordering. If the property is going to be probated, there is no need to go through a private appraisal because the court will appoint a referee to perform the task. The probate referee will charge a fee based on the gross value of the real property.