How Our Lakewood Cash-Offer Process Works

Our Lakewood overview page walks through the basic steps of selling to us. This page goes deeper into the Lakewood-specific mechanics behind each one — 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 Lakewood’s Own Market

Lakewood is bordered by Long Beach, Bellflower, Cerritos, and Downey, and pricing in any one of those cities doesn’t automatically transfer across the border — school districts, lot sizes, and even property tax rates can shift within a few blocks. Because much of Lakewood was built out within a few years in the early 1950s as one of the first master-planned postwar suburbs in the region, comparable homes tend to be genuinely similar in size and layout, which makes pulling accurate, neighborhood-specific comps more reliable than in a lot of other cities. We build every offer from recent sales in your specific part of Lakewood, adjusted for the property’s condition, 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 state or simply prefer not to drive to a title office, you can sign the closing documents remotely with a live online notary. If you’d rather sign in person, that’s 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

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 for Lakewood and every other city in the county. 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, set at the county level at $1.10 per $1,000 of sale price. We haven’t found a record of Lakewood imposing its own separate city transfer tax on top of that county rate, but local ordinances can change, so it’s worth confirming the exact figure with your title company before closing rather than assuming. What is consistent either way: this is a transfer tax owed on the sale itself, not a commission tied to using an agent, so it applies the same whether you sell to us or to a retail buyer. 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is my offer actually calculated?
From recent comparable sales in your specific part of Lakewood, adjusted for the property’s condition 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 Lakewood city transfer tax on top of the county rate?
We haven’t found one on record, but confirm the current rate with your title company before closing, since local tax 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 any applicable city ordinance, 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.