Expert: Dottie Worthington - 8/30/2009

Question
I was left a condo in florida as a life estate.  My mother and my sister both own 50%.  I would like to sell the property and move.  My sister agrees but my mother does not.  In that my father basically did this to protect me.  He did mean for the property to be mine.  My sister nor my mother want any proceeds from the sale, my mother just seems to want me close to her.  Is there anything my sister and I could do to force her to agree?

Answer
Wow! In Texas those life estates are just that.....life.
I would get an attorney to answer that question, it would probably take a court action to force the sale. Bless your heart, maybe assure her you will always be there, I know I would hate to lose my girls!!!