Questions About Selling a House in Santa Rosa, CA

There is no single number for every house. Net proceeds are what remains after the sale price and the costs tied to your property: mortgage payoff, liens, back taxes, your share of current property taxes, and any repairs, commissions, concessions, cleanout, utilities, insurance, or time carrying the house. Compare the written sale terms with the likely net from your other option, not just the headline price.

We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. Tell us what needs work and what you know about the property so we can review it as it sits today.

A Cash Offer is a direct purchase by USA Home Buyers, with a term of 30 days or less and a lower price. EZ Sale goes to one of our partners, with a term of 60 days or less and a higher price than the Cash Offer. Both have no repairs, no commissions, and no closing costs. Compare the written numbers and terms for your house before choosing.

We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours. You receive the written offer and written terms before you commit; closing is through a title company. The offer timing is not a property-specific closing date. Title, payoff, signing authority, and the details of the sale affect the closing schedule.

California counties charge documentary transfer tax of $0.55 for each $500 of consideration, or fraction of $500, when consideration is over $100; a lien or loan that stays on the property is not counted. A city may take a credited share of the county rate, and some cities add a larger tax of their own. Ask the title company or escrow to confirm the local figures and contract allocation. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the county documentary transfer tax and any city transfer tax. That closing-cost promise does not pay your mortgage, liens, back taxes, or your share of current property taxes.

Yes. A sale does not end the tenants’ leases or rental agreements; the buyer takes the property subject to them. At the ownership change, California law gives you a choice for the remaining security deposit after lawful deductions: transfer it to the buyer and notify the tenant, or return it with an itemized accounting. The new owner must give tenants its contact and rent-payment information within 15 days. Local rent rules may also apply, so bring the leases, deposit records, and tenant notices to the closing professionals.

Sometimes. Only the court-appointed personal representative can sign for the estate. With full authority under California’s Independent Administration of Estates Act, the representative can sell without a court confirmation hearing after giving heirs and beneficiaries at least 15 days’ notice of the proposed action; an objection sends the sale into court supervision. With limited authority, a real-property sale needs court supervision, and a private sale generally must bring at least 90% of a recent appraisal. Have the title company or an attorney confirm the appointment, will, deed, and any court order. If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.

Often, yes, but the sale date matters. Many California home loans use a deed of trust, so the trustee can run a foreclosure without a lawsuit. After recording a notice of default, a 90-day cure period comes before a notice of sale can follow; that sale notice must be posted, published, and recorded at least 20 days before the sale. You can usually reinstate by catching up until five business days before the sale, or pay off the loan up to the sale itself. Have the title company or an attorney confirm the date and payoff. If a trustee's sale is scheduled, tell us the date right away so we can try to close before it.

A sale may be possible, but the notice and local requirements still matter. Under California’s State Housing Law, the local enforcement agency can order a substandard building repaired or demolished, generally after 30 days’ notice or sooner for an immediate threat to health and safety. An enforcement notice may be recorded, and the city may recover abatement costs through a lien or property-tax assessment. An as-is sale does not erase an order, lien, or deadline. Share the notice and confirm its requirements with the issuing agency. When you sell to us, we’re the buyer, so the repairs become our job.

Yes, you can ask us to review a house with a mortgage, lien, or delinquent taxes. The title company confirms the actual payoff amounts and what the settlement must address. Our closing-cost promise does not pay your mortgage, liens, or back taxes, or your share of current property taxes.

Yes. You can call before every paper is gathered or every detail is clear. Start with the property address, what you know about its condition and occupancy, and the question or timing you are working through. A notice, lease, estate paper, or payoff statement can help answer the next question, but you do not need a perfect file before calling.