How Our Los Angeles Cash-Offer Process Works
From First Call to Recorded Deed
A closer look at how we price, sign, and close a Los Angeles sale — and what actually happens to your proceeds along the way.
Our Los Angeles County overview page walks through the basic four steps of selling to us. This page goes deeper into the Los Angeles-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 Your Actual Neighborhood
Los Angeles County doesn’t have one housing market — it has dozens of them, and values can shift meaningfully from one ZIP code to the next, sometimes block to block. Rather than applying a countywide formula, we pull recent comparable sales specific to your neighborhood, adjust for the property’s condition, size, lot, and any repair needs, and build the offer from those real, local numbers.
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 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. 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. If your property is within Los Angeles city limits, that includes the city’s own transfer tax of $2.25 per $500 of sale price (about 0.45%), on top of the county’s base transfer tax. On sales above roughly $5.4 million, the city’s Measure ULA adds an extra 4%, rising to 5.5% above roughly $10.9 million — these thresholds are adjusted upward each year for inflation. The important thing to understand is that this is a transfer tax owed on the sale itself, not a commission tied to using an agent, so it applies the same way 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 neighborhood, 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.
Will I pay the Measure ULA tax on my sale?
Only if your property is within Los Angeles city limits and the sale price is above the current threshold, which is roughly $5.4 million as of 2026 and adjusted annually. Most home sales fall well under it.
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 and thresholds are set by the City and County of Los Angeles and adjusted periodically; 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.