Many Chico heirs can skip full probate: a parent's primary residence worth $750,000 or less can pass by one court petition.
Redfin's Chico median sale price was $449,786 for the three months ending September 2026. The petition is heard at the North Butte County Courthouse in Chico.
This is general information, not legal advice. State rules vary.
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If you want to sell an inherited house in Chico, California, the first question is how the house passes to you. For many Chico families the answer is a single court petition, not a full probate case. A parent's primary residence worth $750,000 or less can qualify, and most Chico houses sell for well under that line.
This guide compares the petition, full probate, and a trust. It also walks through the petition at the Butte County Superior Court and what Prop 19 means for an heir who will not move in. It is general information, not legal advice. The court's self-help pages and an attorney can speak to your own case.
Do you need probate to sell an inherited house in Chico?
Many Chico heirs do not need full probate. If the house was your parent's primary residence, its gross value is $750,000 or less, and no probate case has been opened, an heir can ask the court for one order instead.
Three questions usually decide the route:
- Was the house in a living trust? If so, the successor trustee usually handles the sale, with no probate case.
- Was it your parent's primary residence? The petition covers only the primary residence in California, not a rental or a second house.
- Is it worth $750,000 or less? A probate referee's appraisal answers this one, not a guess or an online estimate.
If the answers are no trust, yes, and yes, the Judicial Council's self-help page describes a way to transfer the home "without going through the full probate process" with one petition. If any answer goes the other way, full probate or trust administration is the usual path.
| Path | Who qualifies | Court involved | The Butte County step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary residence petition (Prob. Code § 13151) | A successor to a primary residence with a gross value of $750,000 or less, at least 40 days after the death | Yes, one petition and one hearing | File at the North Butte County Courthouse, 1775 Concord Avenue, Chico, with a referee's appraisal attached |
| Full probate | Estates where the house is over the line, not the primary residence, or already in a probate case | Yes, from appointment to final distribution | Bond rules, filing deadlines, and sale confirmation under Local Rule 12 |
| Trust administration | Houses titled in a living trust | Usually none to sell | Usually no Butte County filing for the trustee to sell (Prob. Code § 16226) |
Sources: Cal. Prob. Code §§ 13151, 13152, and 16226; Butte County Superior Court Local Rule 12 (January 2026 edition).
Why does the $750,000 petition fit most Chico houses?
Chico prices sit far below the cap. Redfin's median sale price was $449,786 for the three months ending September 2026, down 4.3% from a year earlier (Redfin, September 2026).
Zillow measures something different: a smoothed typical value for the whole housing stock, not the houses that sold. Chico's typical house value was about $458,244, up about 0.5% from a year earlier (Zillow ZHVI, September 2026). Either way, a typical Chico house sits roughly $290,000 to $300,000 under the $750,000 line.
The cap comes from Assembly Bill 2016. For deaths from April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2028, it lets a successor petition for a primary residence with a gross value up to $750,000, adjusted after that:
"... the gross value of that real property does not exceed seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000), as adjusted periodically in accordance with Section 890, and 40 days have elapsed since the death of the decedent ..."
Probate Code 13151(a), the California statute
Our statewide guide to selling an inherited California house explains why most inherited houses in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego still go through full probate. Their typical values are above the line. Chico's are not, so the petition is often the first route to check here.
A median is only a midpoint, though. Some Chico houses do appraise above $750,000, and the court generally relies on the referee's appraisal unless someone opposing the petition offers other evidence (Cal. Prob. Code § 13154).
Where does Butte County probate happen?
Butte County probate is heard in Chico. The Superior Court's probate division sits at the North Butte County Courthouse, Civil/Probate Division, 1775 Concord Avenue, Chico, CA 95928. The division's phone number is (530) 532-7017.
The petition goes to the county where the estate may be administered. For a California resident, that is the county where your parent lived, wherever the death happened (Cal. Prob. Code § 7051). A Chico parent's estate belongs in Butte County.
What the court posts online
- Tentative rulings. The court lists probate tentative rulings on its website by hearing date and judge.
- Local probate rules. Local Rule 12 sets the county's own probate procedures, from filing deadlines to bonds and sales.
- Remote appearances. A remote appearance at a probate hearing needs a judge's approval and a notice filed ahead of time.
Butte County's Local Rule 12.1 sets two conditions for any petition. Every petition needs a proposed order, or it will not be set for hearing. All papers for a hearing are due no later than seven calendar days before it.
How does the petition run in Butte County?
The petition runs in a set order: wait 40 days, get the appraisal, file, give notice, and attend the hearing. The court sets the hearing date, so the pace after filing depends on its calendar.
- After 40 daysThe earliest a successor can file (§ 13151)
- Before filingA probate referee appraises the house (§ 13152)
- Filing dayThe verified petition and a proposed order go to the Chico courthouse
- Within 5 business daysNotice of the petition to each heir and devisee (§ 13151)
- At least 15 days before the hearingNotice of the hearing goes out (§§ 13153, 1220)
- 7 calendar days before the hearingLast day to file hearing papers (Local Rule 12.1)
- Hearing dateThe court can order that the house passes to the petitioners (§ 13154)
The appraisal and the form
The value test runs on an inventory and appraisal by a probate referee. You pick the referee from those the State Controller appointed for the county where the house sits (Cal. Prob. Code § 13152). The Judicial Council form is DE-310, the Petition to Determine Succession to Primary Residence.
After the order
The order names the house and each petitioner's share. Once final, it is conclusive on all persons (Cal. Prob. Code § 13155). The heirs named in it hold the house and can sell it, and a sale's closing follows that order.
The petition has one more condition. No probate case can be open or have been conducted for the estate, unless the personal representative consents in writing (Cal. Prob. Code § 13150).
Prop 19 for a Chico heir who will not move in
If no child moves in, the inherited house generally loses the parent-child tax break and is reassessed. Under Prop 19's statute, the exclusion requires the house to become the heir's principal residence within one year, with a homeowners' or disabled veterans' exemption filed within a year (Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 63.2).
The Board of Equalization treats the date of death as the date of the change in ownership. It also says that only one of the children has to live in the house and claim the exemption. A rental house does not qualify.
The current value cap
Even for an heir who moves in, the break has a ceiling. For transfers from February 16, 2025 through February 15, 2027, the cap is the factored base year value plus $1,044,586 (BOE Letter to Assessors No. 2025/009, March 2025). Value above that line is added to the taxable value.
If you plan to sell
For an heir who sells, the higher assessment mostly affects the months the family holds the house. A buyer's purchase is its own change in ownership (Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 60). Questions about one parcel's bill go to the Butte County Assessor.
Our Prop 19 guide for inherited California houses covers the exclusion in more depth.
What if the house is over the line or in a trust?
A house over $750,000, a house that was not the primary residence, or an estate already in probate usually goes through full probate in Butte County. A house in a living trust usually goes to the successor trustee, who can sell without a court order.
Full probate in Butte County
Butte County's Local Rule 12 adds its own steps to the Probate Code:
- Bond. As a general policy, the court requires at least a $10,000 bond from a personal representative. Written waivers attached to the petition ordinarily remove it when every heir is competent to act (Local Rule 12.2).
- Out-of-state executors. A nonresident personal representative may still have to post a bond, even when the will waives one.
- Final distribution. In general, the court sets the final distribution hearing one year from the date it appoints the personal representative (Local Rule 12.1).
When the court confirms a sale
Some estate sales need a confirmation hearing. In Butte County, the price must be at least 90% of an appraisal made within one year before that hearing. Notice goes to interested heirs at least 15 calendar days ahead (Local Rule 12.3).
Trust administration
California law gives a trustee the power to sell trust property "for cash or on credit, at public or private sale" (Cal. Prob. Code § 16226). A trustee can also check the trust document itself for any limits on that power.
Selling an inherited Chico house as-is
An inherited Chico house can be sold as it stands, with the furniture and the belongings still inside. A direct cash sale is one way to skip the cleanout, the repairs, and the showings.
Some heirs live far from Chico, and some share the decision with siblings. There's no rush to decide. Some families keep a few things and leave the rest for the buyer to handle.
The RECO retrofit
Chico has a point-of-sale energy rule for houses inside city limits that were permitted before July 1, 1991. The City's Residential Retrofit Program page lists "Sales or transfers pursuant to a court order" among its exemptions. It also asks owners to verify any exemption with the Program Administrator.
Whether a given inherited sale fits that exemption is the Program Administrator's call. Our guide to the Chico RECO retrofit covers the inspection, the cost limits, and the exemptions in full.
How can Propcash help with an inherited Chico house?
Propcash is a direct cash homebuyer, and we want to buy your house as-is. That means no repairs, no cleaning, and no cleanout: take what you want, leave the rest. Our offers are based on local market data, and we'll show you how we got to our number.
A cash offer can sit beside a listing while the petition or the probate case moves along, and our offers don't expire. You pick the closing date, and the closing follows the court's order or the trustee's authority. If a cash sale isn't your best move, we'll tell you. You can get a no-obligation cash offer, or read more on our Chico cash house buyer page and our page on selling an inherited house.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the $750,000 petition cover my parent's bank accounts and car?
No. The primary residence petition covers only the house (Cal. Prob. Code § 13151). Bank accounts, a car, and other personal property can often pass by a separate, simpler process. For deaths on or after April 1, 2025, it applies when the estate's gross value in California is $208,850 or less (Cal. Prob. Code § 13100). The house in the petition is not counted toward that limit.
What if my parent moved to a care facility before they died?
The petition can still be an option. For this procedure, the Probate Code says a primary residence "is not limited to the decedent's residence at the time of their death" (Cal. Prob. Code § 13150). A Chico house your parent lived in before moving to care may still count, and the court decides on the facts in the petition.
Do heirs who use the petition take on the parent's debts?
Partly. A petitioner who receives the house through the order is personally liable for the parent's unsecured debts (Cal. Prob. Code § 13156). That liability cannot exceed the house's fair market value at the date of death, minus liens and encumbrances. An attorney can explain how this applies to a specific estate.
Can I appear by video at a Butte County probate hearing?
Sometimes. The Butte County Superior Court requires a judge's approval for remote appearances, except case management conferences and law and motion matters. For most hearings, a Notice of Remote Appearance (form RA-010) is filed and served at least five court days before the hearing.
Can I file the petition without an attorney?
Some heirs file on their own using the Judicial Council's self-help pages and form DE-310. Butte County's Local Rule 12 asks for current Judicial Council forms and a proposed order with each petition. Where an attorney helps, the fee for the petition is set by private agreement and is not subject to court approval (Cal. Prob. Code § 13157).
If two siblings inherit, does only one have to move in for Prop 19?
Under the Board of Equalization's guidance, at least one of the children must live in the house and apply for the homeowners' or disabled veterans' exemption within one year. The other siblings do not have to live there. When that sibling moves out, the house takes a new taxable value as of the next lien date.
Reviewed by the Propcash Editorial Team under our editorial standards. Published by Propcash, a direct cash buyer of houses. This guide is general information. Laws, fees, and market figures change, so check the current rules for your state.
