Imagine you are a Philadelphia homeowner on a fixed income. You've lived in your late mother's home for over two decades. Your family agrees that the home should be yours, and you've handled everything since mom died: paying the utility bills, staying on top of the taxes, and making repairs as best you can. You're excited to pass it on to your children one day.

This situation is not uncommon. Family homes informally passed down through generations— colloquially known as tangled titles—occur frequently in Philadelphia; a 2021 report by the Pew found over 10,000 tangled titles in Philadelphia. It's also not uncommon for families to successfully manage these homes for years without incident.