Practical, honest information to help you navigate selling your home, whether you're facing a difficult situation or just weighing your options.
Receiving a Notice of Default is alarming, but it doesn't mean you've lost your home. California law gives you more options than most people realize, including a right of redemption period that most distressed sellers never use.
Read the full guide →Inheriting a property in California is more complicated than most families expect. Here's what probate actually means for the sale timeline, when you can skip it, and how to decide whether to list or sell directly.
Read the full guide →The right answer isn't always obvious. Depending on your timeline, property condition, and financial situation, one option can put tens of thousands more in your pocket than the other. Here's how to think it through.
Read the full guide →If you've received a Notice of Default (NOD) in California, you're probably feeling a mix of fear, confusion, and urgency. That's understandable. But it's important to know upfront: receiving an NOD does not mean you've lost your home. It's the beginning of a legal process, and California law gives you meaningful time and real options to respond.
A Notice of Default is a formal document recorded by your lender (or their trustee) with the county recorder's office. It's the first official step in California's non-judicial foreclosure process, meaning the lender doesn't have to go through the courts to foreclose. The NOD notifies you, and the public, that you are behind on your mortgage and that the foreclosure process has started.
In California, a lender generally can't file an NOD until you are at least 30 days past due on a payment and the lender has attempted to contact you. Once filed, the clock starts on your reinstatement and redemption periods.
Here's what the typical timeline looks like in California after a Notice of Default is recorded:
If you can come up with the missed payments plus fees within 90 days, you can stop the foreclosure entirely. This is the cleanest option if you want to keep the home and can access the funds through savings, family, or a loan.
Contact your lender immediately and ask about modification or forbearance options. Many lenders would rather modify a loan than go through the cost of foreclosure. Some programs temporarily reduce or pause your payments while you get back on your feet.
If you owe less than the home is worth, even accounting for missed payments and fees, you can sell the property and pay off what you owe. Depending on your timeline and property condition, you may be able to list on the MLS and sell at full market value, or accept a cash offer and close quickly. Either way, you walk away with equity rather than a foreclosure on your credit.
If you owe more than the home is worth, a short sale lets you sell for less than the balance owed with your lender's approval. This avoids foreclosure and is generally far less damaging to your credit than letting the home go to auction.
This is the worst outcome for most homeowners. You lose the property, receive nothing for any equity you had, and take a major hit to your credit that affects your ability to rent, buy, or borrow for years. It should be a last resort.
The single most important thing you can do after receiving a Notice of Default is act immediately. The timeline is fixed, every day you wait is a day less you have to respond. Contact your lender, explore your modification options, and get a realistic picture of your home's value so you know whether selling makes sense.
If you'd like to talk through your situation, Trinity Property Group works with homeowners in exactly this position across Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, and San Bernardino County. We can tell you what your home is worth, walk you through the cash offer vs. listing question, and help you make the decision that protects as much of your equity as possible.
Talk to us, no cost, no pressure. We'll be honest about your options and help you figure out the fastest path to protecting your equity.
Get a Free ConsultationInheriting a home in California should be straightforward, but it rarely is. Between probate court, property taxes, family disagreements, deferred maintenance, and the emotional weight of the situation, most families find the process significantly more complicated than they expected. This guide explains what you're actually dealing with and how to move through it as smoothly as possible.
Not always. California has several mechanisms that allow real estate to transfer outside of probate:
If none of these apply, the estate must go through the full California probate process before the property can be sold.
California probate is notoriously slow. A straightforward estate with no disputes typically takes 9 to 18 months from filing to close. Contested estates, complex assets, or court backlogs (which are common in LA County) can push that to 2–3 years. During this time, the property typically cannot be sold without court approval, though there are exceptions.
One of the most overlooked parts of an inherited property is the ongoing cost of holding it while probate moves through the courts. Property taxes, insurance, utilities, HOA fees, and maintenance add up, often $1,500 to $4,000 per month depending on the property. If the home has been vacant for a while, deferred maintenance can compound quickly.
This is one of the main reasons families choose to sell an inherited property quickly rather than waiting for the highest possible price. The net difference between a fast sale and a prolonged listing process often narrows significantly once carrying costs are factored in.
Once you have legal authority to sell, you have the same two basic options any seller has:
As licensed agents who also make cash offers, we can model both scenarios for you and show you the realistic net proceeds from each path, not just the headline numbers.
Inherited property in California typically receives a "stepped-up" cost basis, meaning your capital gains tax is calculated based on the home's fair market value at the time of inheritance, not what the original owner paid. This can significantly reduce or eliminate capital gains tax on a sale. Consult a CPA before selling, especially if the property has appreciated significantly.
We've helped families navigate this process across LA, Orange, Kern, and San Bernardino County. No obligation, just a straight conversation about your situation and options.
Talk to Us for FreeOne of the most common questions we get from homeowners is some version of: "Should I just take the cash offer, or would I do better if I listed?" It's a genuinely important question, and the honest answer is that it depends. Here's how to think through it.
The comparison isn't cash offer price vs. list price. It's net proceeds after all costs and time factors. A $650,000 list price with a 6-month listing period, $15,000 in repairs, 5% commission, and 2% closing costs might net you less than a $580,000 cash offer that closes in two weeks, especially if you're carrying a mortgage, property taxes, or other costs during that time.
On the other hand, a property in great condition in a strong market might generate $80,000 more on the open market than any cash buyer would offer. The math matters.
Most cash buyers are not licensed agents, which means they have no obligation to tell you if you'd do better on the open market. Their job is to buy your house for as little as possible. That's not inherently dishonest, but it means you're getting advice from someone with an obvious conflict of interest.
As licensed real estate professionals who also make cash offers, we can give you both sides honestly. If listing your property would put significantly more money in your pocket, we'll tell you that, and we can list it for you. If a cash offer is the better move given your situation, we'll make you one.
We'll run the numbers on both options for your specific property, no cost, no pressure. Just a straight answer from licensed professionals who can do either.
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