Q: Mom lived in house 50+yrs & paid off original mortgage in her mom's name. She has 3 siblings, who owns it?

A: It is not possible to answer your questions without more information. This will probably require some kind of probate procedure to get the title out of your grandmother's name and into the names of her heirs. Who those heirs are depends on facts that have not been stated. Your best bet is to hire a probate attorney to help you finally wrap up your grandmother's estate.

A: The first step is to look at the deed to the house. Whose name is it in? Is it in your grandmother's name or your grandmother and someone else? That will make a big difference. It could be in "Joint Tenancy" or "Community Property" or just in your grandmother's name. The property cannot be sold if the person or persons whose name(s) it is in have passed away. It must go to court to change the name of the owner. That process is called "Probate". The first step is to look for a will or trust signed by your grandmother. The second step is to get a copy of the deed to the house. This is public information and a realtor can help you get this. The third step is to take this information to estate planning or probate attorney to have it evaluated. There IS an answer to your question. Even if you can't find a will, something can be done. The judge can order the house sold and the net proceeds divided up among the heirs.

When you ask a question online, like here, the answers you get are only going to be basic information, a starting point. Attorneys are trained to talk to you to find out all the important details of your story. Getting all the details is very important because it will make a big difference in the legal information given to you. It is strongly recommended that even if you get a response here on Justia, that you also talk to an attorney. Many have free first interviews. Even if you have to pay, it is worth it because you talking to a professional who is going to focus on you.