Aaguilar:

The prior answers provided good info.

But, I assume you are worried about whether you can stay in the home & what rent you would be required to pay if the home is not listed for sale. My suggestion is first ask your mom or dad, whichever one whose dad passed away, what is happening with the home. If your mom or dad has passed away, ask an aunt or uncle. Another suggestion is to contact the Probate Court to find out who is the Executor/Administrator of your grandfather's estate, so you can talk to them. Many times the Executor/Administrator is a family member or a close friend, but sometimes it is an attorney.

Aaguilar -

Here is a web site that might help you with understanding more about the probate process:
http://bit.ly/49EtIC

You might also contact the Santa Clara Public Administrator to see if you qualify for legal assistance in handling the matter. (408) 577-2500

CJ

Probate is the process where the probate judge decides who inherits what assets or liabilities that the deceased person owned. Probate is greatly helped if there was a will or a living trust that then dictates to the judge what assets get allocated to whom. If there is no will, probate may take quite a few months or perhaps years depending on how complicated the estate is. As for the house and your living in it, that is unknown. It would be wise to consult a probate attorney as to which way to proceed.

Simply stated, your grandfather most likely did not have hold the property in a Trust or possibly did not have a Will. Probate is a process of determining who has rights to the property and his assets.