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Selling a House With Mold in California
The question sellers ask me most often when mold is involved is whether they can actually sell. The answer is yes, and the real question is how disclosure gets handled. California does not prohibit selling a home with mold present. The seller should disclose known mold and moisture history, while a qualified remediation professional determines…
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Who Pays Closing Costs in a Cash Sale in California?
In a California cash sale, the buyer customarily covers the bulk of the closing costs: the documentary transfer tax, the owner’s title insurance policy, escrow fees, and recording costs. The seller’s side is usually thin, mostly the mortgage payoff, any liens, prorated property taxes, and an HOA transfer fee. Because there’s no lender, the loan…
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How to Find Real Estate Investors to Buy Your House
You can find residential cash buyers through local referrals, recent purchase records, or an online search, then verify the person behind the offer before signing. Check the entity through the California Secretary of State business search, verify any claimed real estate license through the California DRE, and ask for current proof of funds tied to the buyer…
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Selling a House With Foundation Issues in California
You can sell a house with foundation issues in California, and the path forward depends on the type and severity of what the inspection finds. Most sellers come in thinking the situation is worse than it is. We’ve worked through enough of these to know the outcome depends a lot on getting a real assessment…
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How to Calculate Capital Gain on a Rental Property
The formula: Capital Gain equals Sale Price minus Selling Costs minus Adjusted Basis. Your Adjusted Basis equals the original Purchase Price plus Capital Improvements minus the Depreciation you claimed over the years. On a rental, that gain then splits into two pieces: the portion tied to depreciation is taxed as unrecaptured Section 1250 gain at up…
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Real Estate Agent vs Investor: Which Is Right for You?
Agents and investors serve completely different purposes in a real estate transaction, and treating the choice between them as a matter of price is where most sellers get confused. An agent’s job is to find a retail buyer willing to pay close to market value and manage that transaction to close. An investor buys the…
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Selling a House With a Reverse Mortgage in California
For a sale with equity in it, the reverse mortgage payoff comes out of closing proceeds the same way any standard mortgage would. Most sellers in that position say the closing process itself didn’t feel that different from what they expected once they had the payoff figure in hand. Two situations create complications: when the home…
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Can You Sell a House With Squatters in California?
Yes, and the squatters don’t need to be gone before you close. California law doesn’t prevent a property owner from selling with an unauthorized occupant still inside. The path depends on how much time you have and whether the occupant will cooperate. We’ve closed deals under all three scenarios. Your Options When There Are Squatters…
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Selling a Condo in California: HOA and Lender Issues
You can sell a California condo even when the association has limited reserves, a special assessment, litigation, or no current FHA project approval, but those issues can narrow financing and delay or change the deal. Ordering the HOA package early and checking the buyer’s actual loan requirements reduces surprises without guaranteeing that the project or…
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How to Sell a Distressed Property in California
You can sell a distressed property in California, and in most cases both a listing path and a cash-sale path are real options depending on what type of distress you’re dealing with. The better path changes based on the specifics, and both tend to stay on the table until something about the situation rules one…













