Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

What do you want to happen? They're your properties and you can make a will and decide what is done with the houses after you're gone.

Good luck.

It depends on how title is held. If as "Joint Tenants," all the surviving spouse needs to do is record an affidavit of death of joint tenant with a certified copy of the death certificate, and title automatically vests in the surviving spouse as sole owner. If held differently it gets complicated, which is why you should have a trust or will.