About Us
San Diego Estate & Trust empowers estate professionals, families and trustees with expert support in estate and trust administration - particularly in the valuation, management, and disposition of real estate, real property and tangible assets. Led by founder Michael G. Kovac, whose personal and professional experience inspired a career in real estate and asset management, the firm offers compassionate, strategic solutions that ensure compliance, maximize value, and bring clarity to complex transitions.
Who We Help
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Estate Administrators & Executors
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We support estate administrators in efficiently managing and settling estates, with a focus on the disposition of real property and tangible assets. Our team ensures every step - from asset inventory to sale or distribution - is handled with precision, professionalism, and full compliance with probate requirements.
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Trust Beneficiaries
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Beneficiaries often face uncertainty around how assets are being managed or distributed. We act as a neutral, knowledgeable resource - offering clarity, transparency, and experienced oversight during real estate sales, trust asset transfers, and liquidation processes.
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Professional Fiduciaries
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We provide specialized administrative support to professional fiduciaries managing complex estates and trusts, especially those involving real property. Our team ensures efficient real asset disposition, accurate documentation, and seamless coordination with legal and financial advisors to meet fiduciary standards.
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Family Offices
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We partner with family offices to streamline trust and estate administration involving real estate and tangible assets. Our services enhance internal capacity, ensuring that property sales, valuations, and transfers are managed with discretion, compliance, and expert attention to detail.
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Individual Trustees & Conservators
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We guide individual trustees and conservators through the complex responsibilities of managing and disposing of estate or trust-owned real property. Our team brings structure, clarity, and confidence to every stage - protecting both the fiduciary and the estate’s integrity.
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When Families Face Complexity...
We Deliver Strategic Solutions That Unlock Value
Scenario: Trust Needs Cash and Is Considering a Fire Sale
Situation: A trust is being pressured to sell assets quickly to resolve debts or distribute to beneficiaries.
How We Help:
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Offer immediate value-add roadmap with prioritized execution
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Provide interest free capital to facilitate improvements or sale prep
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Structure quick but strategic disposition - not a rush sale
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Leverage trusted partners to rapidly prep assets without over-capitalizing
Outcome: Assets are sold within the timeline, but not at the expense of value.
Scenario: Mixed Asset Estate with Real Property + Vehicles + Personal Items
Situation: A successor trustee is overwhelmed managing a decedent’s home, car collection, and full household of personal effects.
How We Help:
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Valuation of all assets and build a strategic disposition plan across all asset classes
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Manage estate sale and coordinate with auction houses and buyers
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Handle DMV paperwork and sale of vehicles
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Provide regular reporting and transparency to all beneficiaries
Outcome: Maximum return on assets, compliant and clean administration.
Scenario: Out-of-Town Heirs Inheriting Property
Situation: A family inherits a residential property in San Diego after the passing of a loved one, but all heirs live out of state.
How We Help:
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Coordinate cleanout, repairs, and listing prep
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Manage and broker the real estate sale, including marketing and showings
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Secure value-add improvements to maximize sale price
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Handle all communications and documentation on behalf of the trust
Outcome: Property sells above market value with zero hands-on involvement from the heirs.
Our Founder
Michael’s professional journey was shaped by deeply personal experience. After the untimely passing of both his parents who left no will and few financial resources, Michael was compelled at a young age, to navigate the legal and logistical complexities of probate, estate administration, and asset disposition. This firsthand exposure to the intricate realities of estate settlement instilled in him both empathy and a drive to become a trusted resource for others facing similar challenges.
Inspired by this early immersion in estate matters, Michael pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Connecticut, earned his California Real Estate Salesperson’s License, and embarked on a career in real estate and alternative asset sales. By the age of 20, he had acquired his first income-producing property and steadily built a portfolio and reputation that would eventually place him in the top 1% of producers for multiple years.
Over the past two decades, Michael has developed a unique skill set that spans traditional and nontraditional asset classes. He has successfully managed a high-end collector car dealership, co-owned a luxury jewelry store, and founded a private real estate equity firm. His experience includes the direct transaction of over $500 million in real estate, $30 million in business assets, $20 million in motor vehicles, and more than $1 million in jewelry, precious metals, and other collectible assets.
This breadth of experience enables Michael to serve as a highly effective liaison to attorneys, trustees, fiduciaries, and family offices, offering a seamless and discreet approach to asset management, liquidation, and valuation during estate administration or complex family transitions. His knowledge of probate, succession planning, and the nuances of tangible asset disposition makes him a valuable partner in the execution of trust and estate strategies.
Michael resides in Mission Beach, San Diego with his wife, Danielle, and their dog Lulu. In his personal time, he and his family are committed to philanthropy and community engagement. He is an active Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego and is committed to improving the lives of others he works with closely.
Michael holds a California Real Estate Salesperson’s License and the Certified Estate and Trust Specialist (CES) designation from the Institute of Business and Finance in San Diego, California.
Our values
We believe in earning trust through transparency, respect, and integrity at every step. Our mission is to bring clarity, dignity, and strategic value to families navigating life’s transitions.
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Integrity
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People First
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Velocity
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Flexibility
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Compassion