San Diego, CA real estate: buy or sell with a local AXEN agent
San Diego has beach towns, canyon neighborhoods, downtown high-rises and newer suburbs to the north and east. Fire zones, HOA and Mello-Roos fees and coastal rules change the real cost. An AXEN agent who works here helps you check them.
Buying a home in San Diego: what to know
The steps are the same everywhere. These are the California and San Diego details that trip people up.
Get pre-approved →-
Read the disclosures. Sellers of most 1 to 4 unit homes must give you a Transfer Disclosure Statement and a Natural Hazard Disclosure. The NHD shows fire and flood zones. Read both before your contingencies end.
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Ask about Mello-Roos and HOA fees. Many newer communities pay a Mello-Roos special tax on the property tax bill, and most condos have an HOA. Ask for the full yearly cost.
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Get an insurance quote early. Homes near canyons and brush can be in a high fire hazard zone, and some insurers limit coverage there. Get a quote before you remove contingencies.
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Near the coast? Check the rules. Homes near the beach can fall under coastal permit rules for remodels and additions. Ask before you plan changes.
Selling a home in San Diego
Fill out the TDS and NHD
The Transfer Disclosure Statement and Natural Hazard Disclosure tell buyers what you know. Be complete; it protects you.
Know your closing costs
Escrow and title handle the closing. San Diego County charges a documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of price.
Price to the neighborhood
Two blocks can sell very differently here. Your agent pulls the closest recent sales.
San Diego real estate questions
What disclosures do California home sellers have to give?
Most sellers of 1 to 4 unit homes must give a Transfer Disclosure Statement and a Natural Hazard Disclosure, plus other forms depending on the home.
What is the transfer tax in San Diego?
San Diego County charges a documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of the sale price. The City of San Diego does not add its own. Who pays is set in the contract.
Who handles the closing in San Diego?
A neutral escrow company holds the money and papers, and a title company insures the title and records the deed.
Does it cost anything to talk to an AXEN agent in San Diego?
No. Talking with an AXEN agent about buying or selling in San Diego is free.
Buying or selling in San Diego? Talk to a local agent.
An AXEN agent who works in San Diego answers your questions for free. No cost to talk. No pressure to sign anything.