Perhaps you currently live in the house your deceased relative owned, or you think living in it during the probate process would make things easier. Whatever the case, you shouldn’t assume you can reside in the house while going through the probate process. You must ensure that doing so aligns with your loved one’s wishes for the estate.

Review the decedent’s will and other estate planning documents to determine their intentions for the property. They may have:

Left the house to you (or another beneficiary)
Owed a reverse mortgage on the property, requiring the sale of the house after their death
Not specified what to do with the house, in which case it would be subject to intestate succession and likely left to successors