Inherited a House in Detroit? Your Complete Guide to Selling It (Without Getting Stuck in Probate)

You just inherited a house in Detroit. Maybe it was your parents' home, maybe a grandparent's, maybe a relative you were not particularly close to. Regardless of the relationship, you are now the owner of a property in a city where 28% of homebuyers recently searched to move out of the metro area — and you may not even live in Michigan.

The inheritance itself might feel straightforward. Someone died, they owned a house, now it is yours. But between you and a clean sale stand a series of legal, financial, and bureaucratic obstacles that can trap Detroit heirs for months or years: probate proceedings that take 7 to 12 months, a 42-day deadline most people do not know exists, property taxes that can double overnight under Proposal A, delinquent tax bills left by the deceased, water liens that survive ownership transfers, code violations accumulating fines while you figure out what to do, and a deed fraud epidemic that has generated over 13,000 inquiries in Wayne County alone since 2005.

This guide walks you through every step of selling an inherited house in Detroit — from the moment you learn about the inheritance to the moment you deposit the sale proceeds. No fluff, no legal jargon without explanation, and no assumptions about what you already know.

The 42-Day Rule: Why Your First Deadline Is Sooner Than You Think

Most people who inherit a house in Detroit do not learn about the 42-day rule until it is too late. Under Michigan Compiled Laws section 700.3971, if no interested party — meaning an heir, beneficiary, or personal representative — files a petition to open a probate estate within 42 days of the decedent's death, a creditor or the Public Administrator can petition the court to open the estate themselves and take control of the administration.

This is not a theoretical risk. It is a mechanism that creditors actively use when there are debts to collect — medical bills, reverse mortgages, unpaid taxes, utility arrears. Once a creditor or the Public Administrator is appointed to administer the estate, they control the timeline, the sale process, and the distribution of proceeds. Their legal obligation is to pay the estate's debts first. What is left over — if anything — goes to the heirs.

What Happens When a Creditor Takes Control

When a creditor-appointed administrator controls the estate, the practical consequences for heirs are significant:

• The property may be sold below market value: A creditor-appointed administrator is focused on liquidating assets to pay debts, not maximizing the sale price for the benefit of heirs. They may accept the first reasonable offer rather than marketing the property to find the best buyer
• Heirs lose negotiating power: Once an outside administrator is in place, family members become passive beneficiaries rather than decision-makers. You cannot choose the listing agent, set the asking price, or decide when to accept an offer
• Legal fees are paid from estate assets: The administrator's attorney fees, court costs, and administrative expenses all come out of the estate before heirs receive anything — and these costs can consume a substantial portion of a modest Detroit estate
• The timeline extends: An outside administrator has no personal incentive to move quickly, and the creditor claims process can add months to the already lengthy probate timeline

How to Protect Your 42 Days

The solution is straightforward: file a petition for probate within 42 days of the death. This does not mean probate must be completed in 42 days — it means the petition must be filed. In Wayne County, you file with the Wayne County Probate Court. The filing establishes the family's control over the estate and prevents creditors from taking the reins.

If you are an out-of-state heir — and many Detroit heirs are, given that 28% of Detroit-area homebuyers searched to relocate out of the metro — you can still file within the deadline by retaining a Michigan probate attorney who can prepare and file the petition on your behalf. The cost for a basic probate petition filing typically runs $300 to $500 in attorney fees plus court filing fees of approximately $175.

The Detroit Probate Process: What to Expect and How Long It Takes

Probate is the court-supervised process of transferring a deceased person's assets to their heirs or beneficiaries. For a Detroit inherited house, probate is the legal mechanism that gives you the authority to sell the property and transfer clean title to a buyer. Without completing probate — or qualifying for an exemption — you cannot sell the house.

The Probate Timeline: 7 to 12 Months

A typical Detroit probate case moves through these stages:

The 4-month creditor claims period is the biggest fixed delay — it cannot be shortened regardless of how clean the estate is. Everything else depends on the complexity of the estate, whether heirs agree on what to do with the property, and how quickly the personal representative addresses outstanding obligations like back taxes and liens.

Wayne County Probate Court: Practical Considerations

Wayne County Probate Court handles one of the highest caseloads of any probate court in Michigan. Practical realities that affect your timeline include court scheduling backlogs that can add 2 to 4 weeks to hearing dates, the requirement for all interested parties to receive notice (which can be difficult when heirs are scattered across multiple states), and the possibility that title searches reveal unexpected liens or claims that must be resolved before the property can be sold.

If multiple heirs are involved and they disagree about whether to sell the property, the probate court may need to intervene — adding months to the timeline and significant legal costs. This is a particularly common issue with Detroit inherited properties where one heir wants to keep the family home and others want to sell and split the proceeds.

Simplified Probate for Estates Under $27,000

Michigan offers a streamlined alternative to full probate for smaller estates. Under MCL 700.3983, if the total value of the estate — after subtracting funeral expenses and liens — is $27,000 or less, the heir can use a small estate affidavit to transfer property without going through the full probate process.

Why This Matters for Detroit Heirs

With Detroit's median home price around $90,000, many inherited properties — especially those in distressed condition, with delinquent taxes, or in lower-value neighborhoods — fall below the $27,000 threshold once liens and obligations are subtracted. Consider a scenario that is common in Detroit:

• Inherited property value: $45,000
• Delinquent property taxes: -$8,000
• Outstanding water liens: -$4,500
• Code violation fines: -$3,000
• Funeral expenses: -$7,500
• Net estate value: $22,000 — below the $27,000 threshold

In this scenario, the heir qualifies for simplified probate using the small estate affidavit. The process can be completed in as little as 28 days after death (the statutory waiting period), compared to 7 to 12 months for full probate.

Requirements for the Small Estate Affidavit

To use the simplified process, you must meet all of the following conditions:

• At least 28 days have passed since the decedent's death
• No probate petition has been filed or granted
• The total estate value, after subtracting liens and funeral expenses, does not exceed $27,000
• The affiant (person signing) is entitled to the property under the will or Michigan's intestacy laws

The small estate affidavit is filed with the probate court and, once accepted, gives the heir legal authority to transfer the property. This is a powerful tool for Detroit heirs whose inherited properties have limited net value — which is more common than most people realize once delinquent taxes, water bills, and other obligations are accounted for.

Detroit's Hidden Tax Traps for Heirs

Inheriting a house in Detroit comes with financial obligations that can surprise heirs who are unfamiliar with the city's property tax landscape. Three specific issues make Detroit inherited properties more financially treacherous than inherited homes in most other cities.

Trap 1: Delinquent Property Taxes Left by the Deceased

Many Detroit homeowners — particularly elderly homeowners who were the most likely to leave inherited property — fell behind on property taxes during their lifetimes. Detroit's property tax delinquency rate has historically been among the highest in the nation. When you inherit a house in Detroit, you inherit whatever tax balance the deceased left behind.

Michigan's tax foreclosure timeline does not pause for probate:

• Year 1: Taxes become delinquent on March 1. Penalties and interest begin accruing
• Year 2: Delinquent taxes are forfeited to the county. Additional fees are added
• Year 3: The property is eligible for Wayne County tax auction. If it does not sell, it transfers to the Detroit Land Bank Authority

If the deceased was already 1 to 2 years behind on taxes when they died, you may be inheriting a property that is already deep in the foreclosure pipeline. The 7 to 12 months of probate proceedings can push the property past the tax auction deadline — meaning you could lose the inherited house to tax foreclosure while waiting for the probate court to give you authority to sell it.

Trap 2: Property Tax Uncapping Under Proposal A

Michigan's Proposal A, enacted in 1994, caps annual property tax assessment increases at 5% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower — but only as long as the ownership does not change. When a property transfers to a new owner, including through inheritance, the taxable value becomes "uncapped" and resets to the property's State Equalized Value (SEV), which equals 50% of the estimated market value.

For long-held Detroit properties, the difference between the capped taxable value and the uncapped value can be dramatic. A house that a parent purchased in 1985 for $20,000 and has been paying taxes on a capped taxable value of $8,000 might have a current SEV of $45,000. When the heir inherits, the taxable value jumps from $8,000 to $45,000 — and the annual property tax bill increases proportionally. An heir who was paying attention might see their annual tax bill go from $1,200 to $6,750 overnight.

Trap 3: Water Liens That Survive Ownership Transfer

Detroit's water and sewerage department (DWSD) liens are among the most aggressive municipal liens in the country. Unpaid water bills become liens against the property — not against the individual — and these liens survive ownership transfers, including inheritance. If the deceased owed $3,000 in water bills, that $3,000 is now attached to the property you inherited. It must be paid before you can transfer clear title to a buyer.

Water liens in Detroit frequently compound with penalties and interest, and bills from DWSD can escalate quickly. It is not uncommon for inherited Detroit properties to carry water liens of $5,000 to $15,000, particularly if the deceased was elderly and stopped managing utility payments in their final years.

Stepped-Up Basis: The Tax Break Most Detroit Heirs Do Not Know About

Amid all the financial traps associated with inheriting a Detroit home, there is one significant advantage that many heirs overlook: the stepped-up basis. Under federal tax law (Internal Revenue Code Section 1014), when you inherit property, the IRS resets the property's cost basis to its fair market value on the date of the owner's death.

How Stepped-Up Basis Works in Practice

Here is a concrete example using Detroit's current median home price:

• Original purchase price (parent bought in 1992): $25,000
• Fair market value at date of death: $90,000
• Heir's stepped-up basis: $90,000
• Heir sells for: $90,000
• Capital gains tax owed: $0

Without the stepped-up basis, the heir would face capital gains tax on $65,000 of gain ($90,000 sale price minus $25,000 original purchase price). At a 15% long-term capital gains rate, that would be $9,750 in federal tax — plus Michigan's 4.25% income tax on the gain, adding another $2,762. The stepped-up basis eliminates both.

Why This Favors Selling Sooner Rather Than Later

The stepped-up basis is set at the date of death. If the property appreciates after that date, the appreciation above the stepped-up basis becomes taxable gain when you sell. In a market where Detroit home values have been trending upward, holding the property for years after inheritance means accumulating taxable gains above your basis.

Conversely, if the property has been deteriorating — which is common with vacant inherited homes in Detroit — the actual sale price may be below the stepped-up basis, creating a capital loss that you can use to offset other capital gains or up to $3,000 of ordinary income per year.

The optimal tax strategy for most Detroit heirs is to sell relatively soon after inheritance, while the sale price is close to the stepped-up basis. This minimizes capital gains tax (often to zero) and avoids the carrying costs — property taxes, insurance, maintenance, utilities — that erode the inheritance's value every month you hold the property.

Heir Property Vulnerability: Why Inherited Detroit Homes Are at Risk

Heir property — real estate passed down without a clear will or without completing the probate process — is one of the most significant sources of involuntary property loss in the United States. In Detroit, heir property is particularly vulnerable because it sits at the intersection of three compounding risk factors: unclear title, delinquent property taxes, and systematic over-assessment.

The Three Risks That Converge on Detroit Heir Property

Risk 1: Unclear title. When a property owner dies without a will (intestate) in Michigan, the property passes to heirs according to the state's intestacy laws (MCL 700.2101-2114). But the legal transfer does not happen automatically — it requires probate. If the heirs never complete probate, the deed still shows the deceased owner. The heirs have equitable ownership but not clear legal title. This makes the property effectively unsellable through conventional channels, ineligible for most mortgages and home equity loans, and difficult to insure.

Risk 2: Delinquent property taxes. Heir property owners who never completed the title transfer often miss property tax bills because the bills are still addressed to the deceased. Even when heirs know about the tax obligation, the confusion about who is responsible — particularly when multiple heirs are involved — frequently leads to non-payment. Michigan's 3-year tax foreclosure timeline means that heir property with delinquent taxes can be seized and auctioned by the county, extinguishing the family's ownership entirely.

Risk 3: Over-assessment. Detroit's history of property tax over-assessment is well-documented. A 2020 study found that Detroit assessed homes at roughly 2 to 4 times their actual market value for years following the 2008 crisis, leading to inflated tax bills on properties that had lost most of their value. Heir property owners — many of whom are lower-income, elderly, or live out of state — were disproportionately affected because they were less likely to file assessment appeals and less likely to be aware of the homestead exemption and other relief programs.

The Compounding Effect

When these three factors combine, the result is a property that is slowly being taken from the family through bureaucratic attrition. The heirs cannot sell because the title is unclear. They are paying inflated taxes (or not paying at all) because the assessment is too high and the bills go to a deceased person. The county tax foreclosure clock is ticking. And because the property has unclear title and delinquent taxes, it becomes a target for opportunistic buyers, deed fraudsters, and predatory actors who know the heirs are in a weak position.

The solution is completing probate, clearing the title, and either keeping the property with a clear ownership structure or selling it while the family still has control. Every month of inaction increases the risk of involuntary loss.

Deed Fraud in Wayne County: 13,000+ Inquiries and Counting

Wayne County has been the epicenter of Michigan's deed fraud epidemic. Since 2005, the Wayne County Register of Deeds has received more than 13,000 inquiries related to suspected deed fraud — and the actual number of fraudulent transfers is believed to be significantly higher, as many victims do not discover the fraud until they try to sell or refinance the property.

How Deed Fraud Targets Inherited Properties

Inherited properties in Detroit are prime targets for deed fraud because of several converging factors:

• The owner of record is deceased: A dead person cannot contest a fraudulent deed. If the heirs have not completed probate, there may be no one actively monitoring the property's title
• Heirs often live out of state: With 28% of Detroit-area homebuyers searching to move out of the metro, many inheriting family members are in other states and not checking on the property or its title records
• Delinquent taxes create urgency: Properties facing tax foreclosure are particularly attractive to fraudsters, who can file a fraudulent deed, pay the back taxes, and claim ownership at a fraction of the property's market value
• Low property values mean low scrutiny: A $50,000 or $80,000 property does not get the same level of title examination and due diligence as a $500,000 property, making fraudulent transfers easier to execute without detection

Common Deed Fraud Schemes in Detroit

The most common forms of deed fraud affecting inherited Detroit properties include:

• Forged quit-claim deeds: A fraudster creates a quit-claim deed with a forged signature of the deceased (or an heir), records it with the Wayne County Register of Deeds, and claims ownership
• Identity impersonation: The fraudster impersonates an heir — often using publicly available obituary and genealogy information — to execute and record a deed transfer
• Tax sale manipulation: The fraudster allows taxes to become delinquent (or the deceased already left them delinquent), then purchases the property at tax auction for a fraction of its value, extinguishing the heirs' ownership
• Predatory contracts: The fraudster approaches heirs — particularly those who are elderly, out of state, or unaware of the property's value — and obtains a deed transfer through misleading agreements, lowball offers, or pressure tactics

Protecting Your Inherited Property from Deed Fraud

Michigan's House Bills 5598 and 5599, signed into law in late 2024, made deed fraud a felony with penalties of 3 to 10 years imprisonment. But prevention is more effective than prosecution. To protect an inherited Detroit property from deed fraud:

• Complete probate promptly: A completed probate with a properly recorded deed in the heir's name is the single best defense against deed fraud
• Monitor the title: Check the Wayne County Register of Deeds records periodically to ensure no unauthorized documents have been recorded against the property
• Pay the property taxes: A property with current taxes is far less vulnerable to tax sale manipulation
• Do not leave the property vacant and unmonitored: Vacant properties with absent owners are the easiest targets for fraudsters and squatters alike

Out-of-State Heirs: Managing a Detroit Inheritance from a Distance

The statistic is telling: 28% of Detroit-area homebuyers recently searched to move outside the metro area. Many of those who left are now inheriting property back in Detroit from parents and grandparents who stayed. Managing an inherited property from another state introduces practical challenges that compound every other problem described in this guide.

The Distance Problem

Out-of-state heirs face a specific set of obstacles:

• You cannot easily inspect the property: Assessing the condition of an inherited Detroit home, identifying necessary repairs, and monitoring for vandalism or unauthorized occupancy all require physical presence — or hiring someone local to act as your eyes on the ground
• You cannot claim the Principal Residence Exemption: If you live in Texas, Georgia, California, or any state other than Michigan, you cannot claim the PRE on the inherited property. This means you pay the full property tax rate, including school operating millages, from day one
• Wayne County Probate Court proceedings require Michigan representation: While you do not need to be physically present for most probate hearings, you do need a Michigan attorney who can appear on your behalf, file required documents with the Wayne County Probate Court, and manage the estate's local obligations
• Property management is expensive and unreliable: Paying a local property management company $100 to $200 per month to check on a vacant inherited property adds to carrying costs that are already substantial — and many property managers are reluctant to take on vacant properties in areas with high crime or vandalism risk

The Financial Drain of Holding from a Distance

The monthly carrying costs of an inherited Detroit home for an out-of-state heir add up quickly:

On a $90,000 inherited property — Detroit's median — annual carrying costs of $10,000 to $18,000 represent 11% to 20% of the property's total value. Every year you hold the property, you are effectively losing 11 to 20 cents on every dollar of your inheritance to carrying costs alone. This does not account for depreciation from deferred maintenance, potential vandalism, or code violation fines.

For out-of-state heirs, the math strongly favors selling as quickly as possible. The carrying costs that accumulate during a 7 to 12 month probate period can easily consume $8,000 to $15,000 of the inheritance before the property is even sold.

Your Options for Selling an Inherited Detroit Home

Once probate is complete — or if you qualify for simplified probate — you have several paths to selling the inherited property. Each has different implications for price, timeline, and out-of-pocket costs.

Option 1: List with a Real Estate Agent

Best for: Move-in ready homes in desirable Detroit neighborhoods where the property can command close to market value

A traditional listing gets the property in front of the widest pool of buyers, which generally produces the highest sale price. However, inherited homes in Detroit often need significant work before they are list-ready — cleaning out personal belongings, making repairs, addressing code violations, bringing deferred maintenance current. Agent commissions of 5 to 6% on a $90,000 home are $4,500 to $5,400, and the listing-to-close timeline typically runs 60 to 90 days on top of whatever time you spend preparing the property.

For out-of-state heirs who cannot manage the preparation process in person, a traditional listing can be logistically difficult and expensive.

Option 2: Sell For Sale By Owner (FSBO)

Best for: Heirs who live locally, have time to manage the sale process, and want to save on agent commissions

Selling FSBO eliminates the agent commission but requires you to handle marketing, showings, negotiations, and the closing process yourself. In Detroit's market — where many buyers are investors with experience negotiating — FSBO sellers without real estate experience are often at a disadvantage. The time commitment is substantial, and the risk of pricing errors, contract mistakes, or legal missteps is higher without professional guidance.

Option 3: Sell to a Single Cash Buyer

Best for: Heirs who want speed and certainty but should be cautious about accepting the first offer

Cash buyers who specialize in inherited properties can close quickly — often within 14 to 21 days — and purchase the property as-is, with no repairs, no cleaning, and no agent commissions. The trade-off is price: a single cash buyer who knows you are an out-of-state heir dealing with probate, back taxes, and carrying costs has leverage to offer below market value. Without competition, you have no way to know whether the offer on the table is fair or a lowball.

Option 4: See What Cash Buyers Will Offer

Best for: Heirs who want the speed and convenience of a cash sale but at a fair, market-driven price

When multiple cash buyers see the same property, the dynamics shift in your favor. Each investor knows that another buyer is willing to bid, which forces everyone to sharpen their offers. The property sells at or near the fair market value for a cash sale — not the lowest number a single buyer thinks you will accept.

Multiple cash offerss are particularly valuable for inherited Detroit properties because the buyers who compete are experienced with the specific challenges these properties present: probate title, delinquent taxes, water liens, code violations, and condition issues. They factor these costs into their offers, but competition ensures they are not adding an excessive discount on top.

Comparing Your Selling Options

Why Speed Matters More for Inherited Detroit Properties

The case for selling an inherited Detroit property quickly is stronger than for most other cities. The combination of high carrying costs, aggressive tax foreclosure timelines, property tax uncapping, loss of the PRE, vulnerability to deed fraud, and the ongoing deterioration risk of vacant property in Detroit means that every month of delay costs the heir real money.

On a $90,000 inherited property with $1,200 per month in carrying costs, a 6-month delay costs $7,200 — plus whatever value the property loses from sitting vacant. That $7,200 often exceeds the price difference between a fast cash sale and a traditional listing, once you factor in the agent commission and repair costs the traditional listing requires.

For out-of-state heirs especially, the fastest clean exit that produces a fair price is almost always the optimal financial decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 42-day rule for inherited property in Michigan?

Under Michigan law (MCL 700.3971), if no heir or interested party opens a probate estate within 42 days of the decedent's death, a creditor or the Public Administrator can petition the court to open the estate and take control of administration. This means an outside party — not a family member — could end up managing the sale of the inherited property, distributing proceeds according to their priorities (paying debts first), and potentially selling the home for less than market value. Filing the probate petition within 42 days protects the family's control over the process. This is separate from the requirement to file a will with the probate court within 30 days of death.

Do I have to pay property taxes on an inherited house in Detroit?

Yes. Property tax obligations transfer to the new owner immediately upon death, regardless of whether probate has been completed. In Detroit, this is especially critical because many inherited homes already have delinquent taxes from the previous owner. Michigan's tax foreclosure timeline is aggressive: taxes become delinquent after March 1, are forfeited to the county after one year, and the property can be sold at tax auction after two years. Under Proposal A, the property's taxable value also becomes "uncapped" when ownership transfers through inheritance, which can cause a significant increase in the annual tax bill — sometimes doubling or tripling the amount the deceased was paying. Additionally, if you do not live in the property, you lose the Principal Residence Exemption, further increasing the tax burden.

What is stepped-up basis and how does it affect selling an inherited house in Detroit?

Stepped-up basis means the IRS resets the cost basis of the inherited property to its fair market value on the date of the owner's death, rather than the price the deceased originally paid. For Detroit heirs, this is often very favorable. If a parent bought a house for $15,000 in 1990 and it is worth $90,000 at death, the heir's basis is $90,000. If the heir sells for $90,000 or less, there is zero capital gains tax. This eliminates what could otherwise be a $75,000 taxable gain — saving the heir approximately $9,750 in federal capital gains tax and $3,187 in Michigan income tax. The stepped-up basis applies regardless of whether the property goes through probate or is transferred via a trust, beneficiary deed, or other mechanism.

How long does probate take for an inherited house in Detroit?

Probate for a Detroit property typically takes 7 to 12 months from petition filing to final distribution. The timeline includes filing the petition and obtaining Letters of Authority (4-8 weeks), a mandatory creditor claims period (4 months minimum under Michigan law), property valuation and inventory (2-4 weeks), resolution of any title issues, liens, or disputes (varies widely), and final accounting and distribution. However, Michigan offers simplified probate for estates valued at $27,000 or less — which applies to many Detroit inherited properties once delinquent taxes, water liens, and funeral expenses are subtracted. Simplified probate using a small estate affidavit can be completed in as little as 28 days, bypassing the full court process entirely.

Can I sell an inherited house in Detroit before probate is finished?

Generally, no — you cannot transfer clear title to a buyer until the probate court grants you legal authority to sell. However, there are ways to accelerate the process. Once the court issues Letters of Authority appointing you as personal representative, you can list and market the property while probate continues. You can also accept a cash offer and schedule closing to coincide with the expected probate completion date. Cash buyers experienced with probate properties in Detroit can often work within the probate timeline, handling title issues and coordinating with the probate court to close as soon as legal authority is granted. For estates under $27,000, the simplified small estate affidavit process can give you authority to sell in as little as 28 days after the decedent's death.

Protect Your Inheritance: Act Before the Costs Add Up

Inheriting a house in Detroit should be a financial benefit — not a financial burden. But without prompt action, the combination of probate delays, property tax uncapping, delinquent tax bills, water liens, code violations, and the ever-present risk of deed fraud can erode the value of your inheritance faster than most heirs realize.

The numbers are clear. On a $90,000 inherited Detroit property, carrying costs of $10,000 to $18,000 per year mean you are losing 11 to 20 cents of every dollar of your inheritance for every year you hold the property. The 42-day rule means creditors can take control if you do not act quickly. The tax foreclosure timeline does not pause for probate. And if the property sits vacant while you figure out what to do, it is a target for vandalism, scrapping, and deed fraud.

The heirs who preserve the most value from their Detroit inheritance are the ones who act quickly: filing for probate within the 42-day window, addressing tax and lien obligations before they compound, and selling the property as soon as legal authority is granted. Multiple cash offerss let you sell as-is — no repairs, no cleaning out the house, no agent commissions — while ensuring you get a fair, market-driven price instead of a single lowball offer from a buyer who knows you are eager to exit.

Whether you live in Detroit or are managing this inheritance from across the country, the fastest clean exit is almost always the best financial decision.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Michigan probate laws, property tax rules, and related statutes are subject to change. Specific statutes referenced include MCL 700.3971 (42-day rule), MCL 700.3983 (small estate affidavit), MCL 700.2101-2114 (intestacy), Michigan Proposal A of 1994 (property tax assessment caps), and IRC Section 1014 (stepped-up basis). The data regarding deed fraud inquiries is based on publicly available Wayne County Register of Deeds records. The 28% out-migration search figure is based on publicly available migration data for the Detroit metropolitan area. Consult with a Michigan probate attorney and tax professional for advice specific to your situation.