Fresno, CA asked in Estate Planning, Legal Malpractice and Probate for California

Q: Lawyer had Home appraised At 1.8m sold it for 1.5 after 60 Days listed to a friend of his Who 3 months sold for 3.1

Is that legal, the court approved the sale based on. A bad. Appraisal. The lawyer obviously knew that and. Using his. Own. Contacts. Found a buyer. Who. Then updated. Counters. Carpet and appliances and sold. The property for. Double. Still in probate a year later and. Waiting on money but. They already have their. Profit from. The home sold. 1.5 million difference. Seems like. The lawyers. Could have. Managed. Better or advised. The court. At least since my father was executed it was still the lawyers. Advice to sell and his. Contact and at half. Market value. To sell it seems. Like. I. Could. Find. Attorney misconduct. Or self dealing

3 Lawyer Answers
Joel Gary Selik
Joel Gary Selik
Answered
  • Legal Malpractice Lawyer
  • Las Vegas, NV
  • Licensed in California

A: It is vey suspicious for wrongdoing.

Consult with Certified Legal Malpractice Specialist attorneys in the state where this occurred.

Julie King
Julie King
Answered
  • Estate Planning Lawyer
  • Monterey, CA
  • Licensed in California

A: Probate attorneys have a legal duty to put the clients' interests before the lawyers' own interests. So, to the extent the lawyer in your situation did not do that, there is a strong possibility that the lawyer violated the law and ethical codes. See a malpractice lawyer for more information. Best wishes!

James L. Arrasmith
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Answered
  • Estate Planning Lawyer
  • Sacramento, CA
  • Licensed in California

A: It sounds like you're concerned about possible attorney misconduct or self-dealing in the sale of your father's home. If the lawyer sold the home for significantly less than its market value, especially to a friend who then resold it for a much higher price, this could raise questions about the fairness and legality of the transaction.

You have the right to question and investigate this matter further. It's important to gather all relevant documentation, including the appraisal report, details of the sale, and any communications with the lawyer regarding the sale. This information will be crucial in understanding what happened and determining if there was any wrongdoing.

You might consider consulting with another attorney who has experience in legal malpractice or estate law to review the case. They can provide an independent assessment of whether the lawyer's actions were appropriate and what legal remedies might be available to you.

Remember, if there was attorney misconduct or a conflict of interest that negatively impacted the estate, you may have grounds for a legal claim. An experienced attorney can guide you through the process of addressing this issue and seeking any possible recourse.

Kenneth Sisco agrees with this answer

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