How Our Lancaster Cash-Offer Process Works
From First Call to Recorded Deed
A closer look at how we price, sign, and close a Lancaster sale, and what actually happens to your proceeds along the way.
Our Lancaster overview page walks through the basic four steps of selling to us. This page goes deeper into the mechanics specific to a Lancaster sale — how we actually price a property, who handles the closing, and what it means for what you walk away with.
Step 1: A Property Evaluation Built on Antelope Valley Comps
Lancaster’s neighborhoods vary widely, from established tracts near the Boulevard and downtown to newer developments on the west side and larger-lot rural residential parcels toward the edges of the valley. Rather than applying one countywide formula, we pull recent comparable sales specific to your part of Lancaster and adjust for the property’s condition, lot size, and any repair needs.
Step 2: A Written Offer and a Licensed Escrow Company
Once we agree on a price, the purchase agreement goes into escrow with a licensed Los Angeles County title and escrow company — a neutral third party, not us and not you. The title company runs a full title search, clears any liens, judgments, or unpaid taxes against the property, and holds the funds until every condition of the sale is met.
Step 3: Signing — Remote or In-Person
California allows remote online notarization (RON) for real estate closings, so if you’ve relocated out of the area or simply prefer not to drive in for an appointment, you can sign the closing documents remotely with a live online notary. In-person signing remains available too, either at the title company’s office or with a mobile notary who comes to you.
Step 4: Recording at the Registrar-Recorder in Norwalk
Because Lancaster is part of Los Angeles County, once signing is complete and funds are ready, the deed is recorded with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, headquartered at 12400 Imperial Highway in Norwalk — the office that makes the transfer official and public. Recording usually happens the same day funds are confirmed, which is the moment the sale is actually complete.
What You Net: Transfer Tax Still Applies, Commission Doesn’t
One cost that doesn’t go away no matter who you sell to is the documentary transfer tax, which runs $1.10 per $1,000 of the sale price at the county level. Some California cities add their own transfer tax on top of the county’s; confirm with your title company whether the City of Lancaster currently imposes a separate tax, since local ordinances can change. What you do avoid selling to us is the 5-6% agent commission and any repair credits, which is where most of the actual savings comes from — the transfer tax itself applies the same way regardless of who you sell to.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is my offer actually calculated?
From recent comparable sales in your specific part of Lancaster, adjusted for the property’s condition, lot size, and any repairs it needs.
Do I have to sign in person?
No. California permits remote online notarization for real estate closings, so signing remotely is an option.
Is there a Lancaster-specific transfer tax?
Confirm current rates with your title company or escrow officer at closing, since city ordinances can change.
Do I pay any commission if I sell to you?
No. There’s no agent commission on a direct sale, though standard transfer taxes still apply as they would on any sale.
Transfer tax rates are set by the County of Los Angeles and possibly the City of Lancaster and can be adjusted; confirm current figures with your title company or a tax professional before closing.
Get a free, no-obligation cash offer from Cash Home Buyers CA today.