How to Give Your Kid a House: An Inheritance Guide for Parents

The greatest financial hand-off in history is underway, and Monopoly-minded Americans have a rare opportunity. Experts estimate that US families will pass on more than $105 trillion in assets over the next few decades, and the real estate game is an especially interesting one.

For heirs staring down soaring housing costs — a nearly 70% spike in the median home price since January 2019, hitting $422,800 in May 2025, according to data from the National Association of Realtors — this gameplay could be a lifeline.

Yet to pass property between generations, parents face a tightrope walk: balancing complex inheritance laws with ...