If a person dies intestate and the state cannot locate any heirs, what happens to that person's property?

When a person dies intestate, meaning without a valid will, and there are no identifiable heirs to claim the estate, the property does not simply go to the next of kin or get sold off. Instead, under the legal principle of escheat, the property reverts to the state. This is a safeguard used by the government to ensure that property does not remain in a state of limbo indefinitely and can be reassigned for public use or other purposes.

States have specific laws governing the process of escheat, and it typically involves a thorough search for potential heirs before the state can claim the property. However, if the search reveals no claimants after due process, the property is officially handed over to the state. This serves not only as a means to manage unclaimed properties but also as a way to ensure that no property is left without ownership or management. In contrast, other options do not accurately reflect the legal consequences of dying intestate without identifiable heirs.