Selling a House During Divorce in Century City

Dividing a Century City condo in a divorce usually means one asset that two people co-own, one HOA account, and one closing that needs both signatures. Cash Home Buyers CA buys the unit directly from both spouses in a single transaction, converting the property into cash that a court or settlement agreement can then divide.

Why a Shared Condo Is Harder to Split Than It Sounds

California is a community-property state, so a condo purchased during the marriage is typically owned equally regardless of whose income paid for it, and a court generally needs it either sold or refinanced to actually divide the equity.

One spouse buying the other out requires refinancing the mortgage in one name alone, which means qualifying solo for the full loan amount and separately clearing the building’s HOA questionnaire and reserve-study review — a two-step underwriting process that can stall for months on a condo that a single-family refinance wouldn’t face.

What Changes When Both Spouses Have to Agree

• Both names need to sign off on a sale. If both spouses are on title, both need to execute the listing agreement or, with us, both need to sign the purchase agreement, whether or not the divorce is finalized.
• Timing matters for tax and settlement purposes. Some agreements set a sale deadline before a court date or before a settlement finalizes, and a slow financed sale can push past that date.
• Disagreements over price stall a listing. Two owners who don’t agree on a listing price, timeline, or which repairs to make can leave a unit unlisted for months; we make a single offer both parties can evaluate rather than negotiating a listing strategy between them.
• Proceeds can be split directly through escrow. Once we close, escrow disburses funds according to whatever split the settlement agreement or court order specifies, rather than requiring the couple to divide a check themselves afterward.

The HOA Adds a Layer a Single-Family Divorce Sale Doesn’t Have

Beyond the mortgage, a Century City unit carries HOA dues that keep accruing during whatever period the divorce takes to resolve, and an HOA account that falls behind while a couple sorts out who pays what becomes one more thing to settle before closing.

We confirm the HOA’s current standing and any special assessment as part of our purchase, so a dues dispute between separating spouses doesn’t have to be resolved before the sale can move forward — it gets settled as part of the payoff at closing instead.

Why a Buyout Rarely Works on a Condo

A spouse who wants to keep the unit and buy out the other’s share needs a lender’s approval for a solo refinance, and that lender still reviews the building’s HOA financials, litigation history, and owner-occupancy ratio the same way it would for any other condo purchase.

A building with a pending assessment or a high rental percentage, both of which are more common in Century City’s older towers, can sink that refinance regardless of the buying spouse’s own credit.

When a buyout stalls, selling to a cash buyer and splitting the proceeds becomes the faster path to actually closing out the asset.

How the Sale Fits Around a Pending Case

We can make an offer while the divorce is still pending, before a final judgment, since our purchase agreement simply requires both current owners to sign.

Many attorneys prefer this because it removes the property from the list of contested assets early, letting the rest of the settlement focus on dividing cash rather than continuing to negotiate over a condo neither spouse wants to keep managing jointly.

We’re also comfortable coordinating with both spouses’ attorneys directly on closing logistics and fund disbursement instructions.

Why Waiting Adds Cost, Not Just Time

Every month a jointly owned Century City unit sits unsold, the mortgage, HOA dues, and any special assessment keep accruing against both names on title, and neither spouse typically wants to keep funding a shared expense on a property they’re trying to exit.

That carrying cost compounds against whatever equity the couple is trying to divide, so a slow financed sale doesn’t just delay the settlement — it shrinks the amount left to split by the time it finally closes.

A cash sale that closes in one to two weeks caps that carrying-cost exposure at a fraction of what a several-month listing would run.

Long-Term Owners and Prop 13 Reassessment

A couple that bought their Century City unit years or decades ago may be paying property tax based on a Prop 13 assessed value well below the unit’s current market value.

A sale to an outside buyer resets the assessed value to current market value, while a transfer between spouses as part of a divorce is generally excluded from reassessment under California law, which is worth knowing when comparing the net proceeds of a full sale against a spousal buyout — a buyout can often keep the existing assessed value, so confirm the details with a CPA or your attorney.

What the Closing Itself Looks Like

Once both owners accept our offer, we open escrow with a Los Angeles title company and order title, the HOA payoff demand, and the Department of Building and Safety’s 9A report. We handle the city’s $5.60 per $1,000 combined transfer tax as part of the purchase.

Escrow can disburse proceeds in whatever split the settlement agreement specifies, whether that’s an even split or a different proportion, and recording happens at the LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk in Norwalk.

Coordinating With Two Attorneys Instead of One

A divorce sale often means two attorneys reviewing the same purchase agreement, each protecting their own client’s interest in the transaction.

We’re happy to work that way — sending closing documents and disbursement instructions to both counsel simultaneously, rather than expecting one spouse to relay information to the other’s lawyer.

That’s a different rhythm than a typical retail sale with a single listing agent representing the property, and it’s one reason a divorce sale sometimes needs more lead time between accepted offer and closing, even on a cash purchase, simply to let both attorneys review terms on their own schedule.

What If Only One Spouse Wants to Sell

Because Century City units are almost entirely owned jointly by both spouses on title, we generally need both signatures on the purchase agreement regardless of the divorce’s status, which means a sale can’t proceed until both owners agree to the specific terms, even if only one is initiating it.

In practice, most disagreements resolve once both sides can see a firm written offer to evaluate rather than continuing to negotiate over a hypothetical listing price, which is part of why we provide our offer in writing rather than a verbal estimate.

Market Context for a Divorce Sale

Redfin’s March 2026 figures put Century City’s median sale price near $2,325,000, with a median of 123 days on market, up 73 days from a year earlier — a timeline that adds real cost to a divorce settlement waiting on the property to close, since carrying costs and HOA dues keep accruing on a jointly owned unit while a financed sale works through the market at that pace.

The Same Community-Property Rules Apply Citywide

California’s community-property framework applies the same way to a jointly owned property anywhere in the city; the HOA layer described above is specific to a condominium rather than a single-family house. See our page on selling a house during divorce across the rest of Los Angeles for the broader picture.

Sell a House During Divorce in Century City: Choosing a Path

Couples who need to sell a house during divorce in Century City are usually dividing a condo, and the choice tends to come down to three paths. Seeing them side by side can help both spouses, and their attorneys or mediator, settle the question of the home sooner.

Community Property, Proceeds and the Tax Question

California is a community property state, so a condo bought during the marriage is generally treated as shared, and proceeds are typically divided under your written agreement or a court order.

Separate-property contributions and payments made after separation can change the split, which is a question for your family law attorney.

On property tax, a transfer between spouses as part of a divorce is generally excluded from reassessment, while a sale to an outside buyer resets the assessed value for that buyer. A CPA can help you compare the after-tax result of a buyout with a full sale.

Three Steps for a Divorce Sale

1. Either spouse can start. Call or text 424-435-2326 or use the form. We can share the same information with both of you, or with both attorneys.

2. One walkthrough, one written offer. We schedule a single visit around whoever is living in the unit and send a written cash offer with proof of funds, usually within 24 to 48 hours.

3. Sign separately, close once. Escrow can set separate signing appointments, including a mobile notary near each spouse, then pays the mortgage, settles HOA dues, records the deed and disburses or holds the proceeds as your agreement or order directs.

Why Timing Matters in a Divorce Sale

A sale shortens the time the condo sits in limbo and stops both of you from carrying the mortgage, HOA dues and insurance on a home neither may want. If the unit is rented rather than lived in, see our page on selling a Century City condo with tenants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we sell a house during divorce in Century City before the judgment is final?

Often, yes, if both spouses on title agree and sign, or if the court orders the sale. Many couples sell mid-case and have escrow hold or split the proceeds under their agreement.

Who pays the HOA dues on our condo while the divorce is pending?

That is usually set by your agreement or a court order. Any unpaid dues are paid from the sale proceeds through escrow at closing, before the remaining funds are divided.

Do both spouses have to sign at the same time in a divorce home sale?

No. Escrow can arrange separate signing appointments, including a mobile notary near each spouse, so you do not need to be in the same room.

Do we need to be divorced before you can buy our condo?

No. We can purchase while the divorce is pending, as long as both current owners sign the purchase agreement.

What if we can’t agree on a sale price?

We make a single written offer based on the unit’s condition and comparable Century City sales, which both parties can evaluate independently rather than negotiating a listing strategy between them.

Can escrow split the proceeds automatically?

Yes. Escrow disburses funds according to whatever split the settlement agreement or court order specifies.

Will HOA dues we’re behind on affect the sale?

We confirm the HOA’s current standing and any past-due balance as part of our purchase, and it’s settled at closing rather than needing to be resolved beforehand.

Is a cash sale faster than one spouse refinancing to buy out the other?

Usually. A solo refinance still requires the lender’s full building-approval review, which can take longer than our closing timeline and isn’t guaranteed to be approved.

To sell a Century City condo as part of a divorce settlement, call or text 424-435-2326 for a written offer within 24 to 48 hours.