Sell a House Due to Relocation in Malibu, CA
Sell Before You Go, Not After
Timing a Malibu sale around a move, including how to close remotely if you’ve already relocated.
A job change, family need, or simply a decision to leave the area can put a firm deadline on selling a Malibu home — one that doesn’t always line up with how long a traditional listing takes. Cash Home Buyers CA buys Malibu houses on a timeline built around your move, not a listing calendar.
Why Relocation Sales Are Time-Sensitive
Carrying two households, even briefly, is expensive anywhere, and especially so with a Malibu-area mortgage, property taxes, and insurance still running while a new home elsewhere is also being paid for. A traditional sale, with a 17-day contingency period and typically several more weeks of loan underwriting once a buyer is under contract, can easily stretch a move-out timeline by two months or more from the day an offer is accepted.
Selling Before vs. After You’ve Already Moved
Some sellers list before they move and try to manage showings remotely, which can be difficult from a distance. Others move first and leave the home vacant while it’s marketed, which comes with its own carrying costs and, in Malibu’s high fire-hazard severity zones, insurance considerations for an unoccupied property. A direct cash sale removes both problems: there’s no showings to coordinate and no need for the home to sit vacant and marketed for an extended period.
Closing Remotely
If you’ve already relocated out of the area, or even out of state, before the sale closes, California recognizes remote online notarization (RON) for real estate closings, which allows you to review and sign closing documents from wherever you are, with proceeds wired directly to you. This means physical presence in Malibu isn’t required to complete the sale.
A Note on Non-Resident Withholding
If your move takes you outside California and you’re no longer considered a California resident by the time of closing, California may require withholding on the sale under Revenue and Taxation Code Section 18662 (FTB Form 593). Escrow calculates this as part of closing so there are no surprises, and it’s simply factored into your net proceeds rather than something you need to arrange separately.
How the Sale Works
We evaluate the property and provide a written cash offer, usually within 24 to 48 hours. Once you accept, we open escrow with a licensed Los Angeles County title company, and you can sign remotely via RON if you’ve already relocated. We can close in as little as 7 to 14 days, or on whatever date works with your move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be in Malibu to close?
No. California’s remote online notarization process lets you sign from anywhere, with proceeds wired to you.
Can you close around my specific move-out date?
Yes, we can typically close faster or slower depending on when you need to be out.
What if I’ve already moved and the house is vacant?
That’s fine, and often simpler since coordinating access is easier with no one living there.
Will I owe extra tax if I’ve moved out of state?
California may require standard non-resident withholding under FTB Form 593, which escrow calculates and factors into your net proceeds at closing.
Get a free, no-obligation cash offer from Cash Home Buyers CA today.