Santa Cruz, CA · How the process works
How Selling Your Santa Cruz House to Us Works
We buy houses as-is in Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz County. You can start the conversation before every property question is settled. Tell us what you know, and we will talk through the next steps and the written options.
Prefer to talk first? Call 888-274-5006.
Tell us about the houseWe'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the address and what you know. You can start before every property question is settled.
From the first conversation to settlement
The sale, step by step
Tell us about the house
USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is in Santa Cruz, CA and Santa Cruz County. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. You can call before every property question is settled. Start with the address and what you know; we can talk through condition, occupancy, access, timing, and the questions still open.
Talk through the property and your options
We discuss the house as it stands and the situation around it, including repairs, occupancy, access, ownership, and timing. You can explain what is known and what is still uncertain without resolving every detail before the first conversation.
Read the written offer and terms
We give written cash offers in 24 hours. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing. Read the price, responsibilities, timing, costs, and property-specific terms before deciding whether to proceed.
Let the title company check title and payoffs
The title company checks the deed, who can sign, mortgage payoffs, liens, taxes, and the documents needed for settlement. Property-specific balances and authority questions are checked against the actual records and notices.
Review the settlement sheet and close
A settlement sheet shows how the sale money breaks down. We always review the settlement sheet with the seller and walk through how the money breaks down so there is no confusion. We try to do that the day before closing so settlement is smooth; the title company confirms the final numbers. You're going to get a fair price and not have to do anything. Just show up at settlement.
Cash Offer or EZ Sale: compare the written numbers
We have two ways to buy. A Cash Offer is built for speed, condition, and tough situations — heavy repairs, tight timelines, difficult circumstances. EZ Sale is often the better fit when the house doesn't need major repairs and you want a higher number. Either way, you compare written numbers and you pick what works best for you.
Swipe across the table to compare all four selling options.
| Factor | List with a realtor | FSBO | Cash Offer | EZ Sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Market-dependent | Market-dependent | 30 days or less | 60 days or less |
| Price | Highest, if it sells | Varies | Lower price | Higher price than the Cash Offer |
| Repairs | Repairs may be needed before listing or after inspection | The seller handles repair decisions | No repairs | No repairs |
| Commissions | Agent commissions apply under the listing agreement | No listing-agent commission; the seller handles the sale | No commissions | No commissions |
| Closing costs | Seller costs depend on the contract and settlement statement | Seller costs depend on the contract and settlement statement | No closing costs | No closing costs |
| Showings | The seller prepares for and coordinates showings | The seller markets the property and coordinates showings | None | None |
| Who buys | Retail buyer | Retail buyer | USA Home Buyers buys directly | Goes to one of our partners |
| Certainty | Depends on the buyer, inspections, financing, and contract | Depends on finding and qualifying a buyer | Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing. | Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing. |
| Net proceeds | Compare the expected sale price after commissions, repairs, costs, and waiting | Compare the expected sale price after seller-managed costs and work | Compare the written price after your payoff and other property obligations. No commissions. No closing costs. | Compare the written price after your payoff and other property obligations. No commissions. No closing costs. |
Compare what you would keep after costs with the Santa Cruz calculator →
Questions about the two options? Call 888-274-5006.
Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz County
A California transfer-tax detail for the closing
You do not need to calculate documentary transfer tax before the first conversation. Santa Cruz city is in Santa Cruz County; the title company or escrow can confirm the property location, taxable amount, and whether a city tax applies.
California county documentary transfer tax is $0.55 for each $500 or fraction of $500 of taxable consideration ($1.10 per $1,000). It applies when consideration is over $100, not counting a lien or loan that stays on the property after the sale. A city may take half of that rate as its own share, credited against the county tax; some cities add a larger tax on top. The applicable local rules and amount depend on the property and transaction.
Before settlement
Review the closing numbers
The settlement sheet shows the price, payoffs, liens, taxes, costs, and amount scheduled for disbursement. We always review the settlement sheet with the seller and walk through how the money breaks down so there is no confusion. We try to do that the day before closing so settlement is smooth; the title company confirms the final numbers.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs.
Your mortgage payoff, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate. The title company confirms the final figures for the property.
Compare possible Santa Cruz sale proceeds with the calculator →
When things get difficult
We stay with the process
It's real estate. Sometimes there are bumps in the road. We won't disappear when that happens, and we'll be fighting to get this to the closing table.
Questions about selling to us in Santa Cruz
Can I call before every property detail is settled?
Yes. Start with the address and what you know about the house, its condition, who occupies it, and your timing. You can ask questions while other details are still being checked.
Do you buy houses as-is in Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz County?
Yes. USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is in Santa Cruz, CA and Santa Cruz County. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.
What do I see before deciding whether to sell?
We give written cash offers in 24 hours. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.
Which closing costs and transfer taxes do you pay?
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Your mortgage payoff, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate. The title company or escrow confirms the figures for the property.
Ready to talk about your Santa Cruz house?
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form above. Start with the address and what you know about the house.