Q: My grandmother and I purchased a home in League City together 15 years ago and she passed without a will.
My grandmother and I purchased a home in League City together 15 years ago. I invested 10,000 cash towards the purchase of the home. Her name plus the names of my parents are on the mortgage. She passed. No will. She verbally told people the house would be mine. There is still a mortgage on the home being paid by my parents currently since her passing. Two of her children want their "share" and the other 2 (1 being my mother) do not want anything. I do not make the income to qualify for a mortgage. My grandmother passed in July of 2016. I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop anyday....Do I have any rights? What should my next step be?
A:
It depends a GREAT deal on how the deed was technically structured. if your name is on the deed with some sort of survivorship characteristic, you may be fine and need to do nothing other than insure the mortgage is paid on time. If that is NOT the case, depending on how things are structured you may have other options, but without seeing everything it is impossible to say for sure.
I'd urge you to consult with a local probate / real estate attorney to review all the paperwork and provide you some real guidance. We can't do that in a forum like this, but the good news is that you're probably going to be able to visit with an attorney once and get most of what you need, and the cost won't be great. Don't be afraid to call around and find a local attorney who can meet with you!
--This answer is offered for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney/client relationship. I am licensed to practice in Michigan only. Please seek competent local legal help if you feel you need legal advice!
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