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<p class="MsoNormal">Off the cuff:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Quick/least effort: Quitclaim deeds from Husband’s estate to Husband’s brother, and ignore the issue with Wife’s estate. That probably can be fixed at the time of a later sale. It should just involve convincing the title company to insure
around the gap in title from the Wife’s estate, akin to an Affidavit of Lack of Probate, but modified to indicate that: probate occurred, property was unquestionably community property wholly inherited by Husband in 2009, and Husband continued to live at the
property and pay all taxes until 2026. Basically the risk of a challenge to title based on Wife’s interest is so low that an insurance company should be willing to insure. But it’s not certain.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Clean, still fairly quick, but more expensive: Husband’s brother petitions to re-open Wife’s estate solely for purposes of issuing QCDs on the properties. Then Husband’s brother can issue QCDs from both estates to himself. I think that
would be legally permissible as an inheritance but, if anyone is queasy about it, Wife’s Estate could issue QCDs to Husband’s Estate, and then Husband’s Estate issues the QCDs to brother. Either way, it sews up the tear in chain of title.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If going the clean route, beware the new probate rules. Husband’s brother will be an RCW 11.28.120(3) petitioner as to Wife’s estate, which means determining appropriate bond and no ability to get nonintervention powers, etc. So the petition
likely would need to lay out exactly what needs to be done, and hopefully the appointing order could specifically authorize issuance of the deeds and authorize closure of the estate without further accounting once the deeds are issued.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eric<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com"><span style="color:#467886">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Setareh Mahmoodi<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, October 23, 2026 1:59 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Clearing Title Following Prior Closed Probate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black">Good afternoon,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black">Husband and wife owned two properties. Wife passed away in 2009, and Husband opened and administered her estate through intestate probate. Husband was the sole beneficiary, and there
were no children involved.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black">Husband has now passed away, and his brother is serving as PR of his estate and is also the sole beneficiary. During the administration, we discovered that Wife’s name remains on title
to both properties. It appears that no PR deeds were ever prepared or recorded during the 2009 probate to clear her name from title.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black">What would be the quickest and cleanest way to clear title and transfer both properties to Husband’s brother? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black">I’d appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. Thanks so much!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div id="Signature">
<p class="elementtoproof" style="background:white"><span class="spanwithbackgroundcolor"><b><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#222222;background:white">Best regards, </span></b></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="elementtoproof" style="margin-top:12.0pt;background:white"><b><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#0F5C1A">___</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="elementtoproof" style="margin-top:12.0pt;background:white"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#0F5C1A">For streamlined communication, please remember to reply to all or include my paralegal on all correspondence at
<a href="mailto:nazi@lawofficesofsm.com">nazi@lawofficesofsm.com</a></span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#222222"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#222222">Setareh Mahmoodi </span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="elementtoproof" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#222222">Attorney at Law </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="elementtoproof" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#222222">Law Offices of Setareh Mahmoodi, PS</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="elementtoproof" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#222222">18222 104th Ave NE, Suite 103, Bothell, WA 98011</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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