LA’s New Amnesty Program Lets You Legalize an Unpermitted ADU Before You Sell
Los Angeles now has a streamlined path under AB 2533 to legalize an unpermitted ADU built before 2020, with real fee exemptions and strict eligibility rules.
Oakland’s 3-R Report: The Permit History Check Every Seller Should Order Before Listing
Oakland runs its own Report of Residential Record program, a permit-history check that can cost over $2,000 and take two months to process. Here’s what it covers and when it matters.
The Sewer Lateral and Sidewalk Certificates Oakland Sellers Can’t Close Escrow Without
Oakland has no point-of-sale energy ordinance, but it does require a Sidewalk Compliance Certificate and an EBMUD sewer lateral certificate before a sale can close.
What Rancho Palos Verdes’ Landslide Zones Mean for a Natural Hazard Disclosure
Rancho Palos Verdes sits across several mapped landslide zones, and a seller must check a specific box on the state Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement if the property falls inside one.
The 3R Report San Francisco Requires Before You Can Sell a Home
San Francisco requires a 3R building-history report before a residential sale can close, and what it reveals about a property’s authorized unit count can upend a buyer’s financing.
Berkeley’s New Time-of-Sale Energy Rule Nobody Warns Sellers About
Starting January 1, 2026, Berkeley requires most home sellers to get an energy score and complete an upgrade, exemption, or shared deposit before closing.
Highland Park HPOZ Disclosure Rules Explained
Highland Park’s historic overlay zone adds a layer buyers care about, but it doesn’t change what California law requires sellers to disclose, as-is or not.
Why Santa Ana’s Older Housing Stock Adds an Extra Disclosure to an As-Is Sale
An as-is sale in Santa Ana still requires the standard TDS — and, for homes built before 1978, a federal lead-paint disclosure most newer OC cities never need.
Why “As-Is” Doesn’t Waive Disclosure for a Carlsbad, CA Home Seller
Selling a Carlsbad house as-is means a buyer takes it in current condition — it doesn’t waive California’s disclosure laws. Here’s what still applies, including wildfire and Mello-Roos disclosures unique to this coastal city.
