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What is a Notice of Proposed Action

Understanding the Notice of Proposed Action (NOPA)

When you take on the responsibility of managing a loved one’s home, your probate attorney will mention a Notice of Proposed Action (NOPA). This essential legal document is required when selling real property within a probate. The NOPA must be written and sent to interested parties, including heirs, beneficiaries, or anyone requesting special notice regarding the probate proceedings.

Actions Requiring Notification

For specific actions affecting the estate, such as the sale of a home, your attorney will draft a NOPA to inform all beneficiaries. This notice ensures transparency by notifying beneficiaries that you, as the executor or administrator, are taking steps that will impact the estate.

Role of a Certified Probate Real Estate Advisor (CPREA)

Knowledgeable probate real estate agent/broker collaborates with your attorney, providing crucial details about the proposed sale of the decedent’s home. Once negotiations are completed and escrow is opened, the agent/broker will send the necessary transactional information to the attorney.

Delivery and Expiration of the NOPA

The NOPA, once mailed to all beneficiaries, has a 15-day expiration period. If no objections are raised during this time, the proposed action selling your loved one’s home can proceed. As your CPREA, our team collaborates with your attorney to ensure the NOPA was delivered and expired correctly (without any objections) before finalizing the sale of the decedent’s home.

Entities Named in the Will

Typically, the NOPA is sent to individuals connected to the deceased, such as family members or friends. However, entities like charities or religious organizations may also be named as beneficiaries. These entities are included in the will and bequeathed a portion of the estate. Beneficiaries don’t have to be family members; friends can be named too. Only a decedent’s will can allocate estate portions to non-family members, except for creditors.

Accelerating the 15-Day Period

To shorten the NOPA timeline from the standard 15 days, you or your attorney can request beneficiaries to check a box, sign, date, and return the NOPA, indicating their consent to the proposed action.

Handling Objections

If a beneficiary objects within the 15-day period, a court order is necessary to proceed. This involves your attorney scheduling a court date with the probate court.

Completing the NOPA Process

Typically, NOPAs expire without objections, allowing the sale of your loved one’s home to move forward. Your probate attorney monitors the deadline, and if no objections are received, the NOPA process is complete.

Importance of Timelines

Due to the critical nature of probate timelines, it’s essential to have an experienced probate attorney guide you. Most executors and administrators opt for professional legal assistance. Equally important is selecting the right real estate advisor. When you choose our team, we will lead, guide, and protect you and the estate throughout all steps necessary to successfully sell your loved one’s home.

Charlotte Volsch

What’s the right way to handle an inherited property—renovate, list, or sell it as-is? I am Charlotte Volsch, an Estate Property Advisor and Probate & Trust Real Estate Specialist helping attorneys, executors, and families make clear, confident decisions when selling inherited homes. I help attorneys, executors, and families navigate inherited property decisions throughout the Inland Empire and High Desert of Southern California, including Apple Valley, Victorville, Hesperia, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Loma Linda, Fontana, and surrounding communities. Over the course of my career, I have completed 774+ real estate transactions across 24 years, including more than 230 probate and trust property sales. For the past 16+ years, I have focused specifically on estate property situations, working alongside probate and trust attorneys, fiduciaries, and their clients to guide each case from evaluation through sale. Many families are unsure what to do with an inherited home—whether to invest in repairs, list it traditionally, or sell it as-is. Without a clear strategy, estates can make costly mistakes such as over-improving a property, underpricing it, selecting the wrong sale method, or facing delays that impact timelines and estate objectives. I help evaluate those decisions early, so attorneys and their clients can move forward with clarity, avoid unnecessary risk, and choose the most appropriate path based on the property and the situation. I work directly with attorneys and their clients to determine the best path forward, whether that involves preparing a property for the retail market or facilitating a direct sale through a network of qualified investors. For properties that require repairs, may not qualify for traditional financing, or are best suited for as-is sale, I provide access to a network of more than 50 active real estate investors. Over the past 12 months, I have closed 68 transactions, reflecting consistent production and experience navigating changing market conditions. I guide each case using the C.A.L.M. Method: C — Clarify We identify what matters now versus what can wait. A — Align We define priorities—legal, financial, and personal. L — Lead I guide each step in the proper order to avoid delays and unnecessary complications. M — Move Forward Clients proceed with clarity and confidence. I am the Broker Owner of The Volsch Team at Volsch Enterprises, Inc., and hold certifications in Probate Real Estate through the National Association of Realtors (NAR) as well as Certified Probate Real Estate Advisor (Probate Biz). If you are an attorney handling probate or trust matters—or assisting a client with an inherited property—I’m available as a resource to help evaluate the best path forward.