Using a Cash Sale to Avoid California’s High Foreclosure Legal Fees
Nobody budgets for a foreclosure. You miss some payments, life gets hard, and suddenly you are looking at a stack of fees, attorney charges, and court costs that can pile up to thousands of dollars before anyone has even knocked on your door. California foreclosures are expensive for everyone involved. A cash sale, done before […]
Selling a House With a PACE or HERO Loan Attached
You put solar panels on your roof a few years back and used a HERO or PACE program to pay for it. At the time it felt like a smart move. Now you want to sell your home and your real estate agent is looking at you with that face that says there might be […]
How to Avoid Mortgage Deficiency Judgments Through a Direct Sale
If you owe more on your home than it is worth, the idea of a deficiency judgment can feel like a punch to the gut. You already lost the house, and now the bank might come after your paycheck or bank account. That is a real fear, and it is one that keeps a lot […]
Selling Property Owned by a Foreign Corporation in California
Foreign investment in California real estate has been growing for decades. Companies incorporated in other countries, whether a holding company registered in the Cayman Islands, a corporation formed in Canada, or an entity based in Hong Kong, frequently own residential and commercial property in Los Angeles and throughout the state. When it comes time to […]
Can You Sell a House With a Notice of Default Filed in LA County
Receiving a Notice of Default in Los Angeles feels like the walls are closing in. Your mortgage is behind, the lender has filed with the county recorder, and suddenly the situation is public record. But here is what many homeowners in this position do not realize: a Notice of Default is the beginning of a […]
Who Signs the Papers When Selling a House If the Owner Has Dementia
Families in this situation often discover the problem at the worst possible moment. A parent with dementia needs to move to a care facility, and the family home needs to be sold to cover the costs. Then someone asks a simple question: who is actually going to sign the paperwork? The answer depends almost entirely […]
Dealing With Squatters Rights in Los Angeles and What Sellers Need to Know
Finding out that someone is living in your property without your permission is one of the most stressful situations a Los Angeles property owner can face. And the frustration deepens quickly when you realize that simply calling the police and having them removed often does not work the way you would expect. California law grants […]
How to Remove a Cloud on Your Title Before Selling Your LA Home
Most Los Angeles sellers never think about their title until they are already in escrow. Then the preliminary title report comes back with something unexpected on it and the transaction suddenly stalls. A cloud on title is one of the most common reasons a sale gets delayed or derailed, and it is also one of […]
Selling Real Estate During Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy and real estate ownership do not always mix smoothly. If you own a home or investment property in Los Angeles and are considering bankruptcy, or if you are already in an active case, the question of what happens to that property is one of the most important ones you will face. The answer depends […]
Proposition 19 Explained and Its Impact on Inherited Property Taxes in LA
When a parent passes away and leaves the family home to their children, most Los Angeles families assume the property tax bill stays the same. Before 2021, that assumption was correct. Today, thanks to Proposition 19, it often is not. The rules around inherited property and property taxes in California changed significantly when Prop 19 […]