Sell a Tenant-Occupied House in Los Alamitos, CA

Owning a rental property in Los Alamitos while trying to sell it can put you in a difficult position: you don’t want to lose rental income by leaving it vacant, but many retail buyers only want a move-in-ready home for themselves. Cash Home Buyers CA buys occupied rental property directly as an investment, which means your tenant doesn’t have to move out, and you don’t have to navigate a termination or eviction before closing.

California’s Tenant Protections Still Apply

Under the California Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482), most tenancies that have lasted 12 months or longer are subject to just-cause eviction rules and specific notice requirements. That means a landlord generally can’t simply ask a long-term tenant to leave because the property is being sold, absent a qualifying just cause (such as an owner or buyer intending to occupy the unit, subject to its own notice and disclosure requirements) or a no-fault reason with the required relocation assistance. Selling to a buyer who intends to keep the property as a rental, like we do, sidesteps this issue entirely because the tenancy simply continues under the new owner.

Why Selling Occupied Can Be the Simpler Path

• No lost rent while you wait to sell. The property keeps generating income through closing instead of sitting vacant during a listing period.
• No eviction process to navigate. Just-cause and notice requirements under AB 1482 can add weeks or months if you tried to terminate a tenancy solely to sell to an owner-occupant.
• No disruption to your tenant. Many landlords in Los Alamitos have a good relationship with long-term tenants and don’t want to force them out.

What We Need From You

A copy of the current lease, the security deposit amount held, and general information about the rent roll and any known maintenance items. We factor the existing lease terms and the property’s condition into our offer, and the tenant simply continues paying rent to the new owner after closing, per standard California landlord-tenant transfer practice.

What Happens to the Security Deposit?

Under California law, the security deposit is generally transferred to the new owner at closing (or returned to the tenant and a new deposit collected, depending on how escrow structures it), and the tenant is notified in writing of the change in ownership and where to send rent going forward. Escrow handles this accounting as part of closing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to evict my tenant before selling to you?
No. We buy the property with the tenant in place and simply take over as landlord.

Will my tenant be forced to move?
Not because of the sale itself. The lease and California’s tenant protections carry over to the new owner.

What if my tenant is behind on rent or causing problems?
Tell us the situation upfront — we still consider these properties and factor it into the offer.

Does AB 1482 apply to my rental?
Most tenancies of 12 months or longer are covered; some property types have exemptions, so it’s worth confirming your specific situation.

Get a free, no-obligation cash offer on your Los Alamitos rental property from Cash Home Buyers CA today.