Selling a house in San Diego: what it costs, what you must disclose, and how long it takes
Who customarily pays which closing costs, the disclosures California requires, a step-by-step timeline, and how Karina Somenzari, REALTOR®, helps sellers across the county.
Selling a house in San Diego County usually means paying your listing agent, whose pay is negotiable and not set by law, and the county transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of the price. Chicago Title's 2026 guide lists the seller as customarily paying that tax and the owner's title policy, with escrow fees split. Your contract decides who actually pays.
California also requires written disclosures, starting with the Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS). In August 2026, the median time on market for San Diego County single-family homes was 19 days (California Association of REALTORS®).
General information only, not legal or tax advice.
Karina Somenzari, REALTOR®, represents sellers across San Diego County in English or Portuguese. Contracts and escrow documents are in English, and she explains each one. Her listing work covers:
Preparing the home: what to repair, clean or leave as is, and starting your disclosures early.
Marketing on the MLS, if you authorize it, and online.
Showings and open houses scheduled around your plans.
Negotiating offers on price, financing, contingencies and timing.
Managing escrow deadlines with the escrow officer, the buyer's agent and the lender.
Selling a house in San Diego, step by step
Contract dates vary, so this order is typical, not fixed.
Talk about price and timing. Before you sign a listing agreement, your agent must give you California's agency disclosure form (Civil Code 2079.14).
Sign the listing agreement. It sets your agent's pay and, only if you authorize it, puts your home on the MLS (Civil Code 1088).
Prepare. Make the repairs you choose and start the TDS, NHD report and other forms. An HOA has 10 days to provide its documents after a written request.
List the home and hold showings and open houses.
Review offers. Compare what you would net, not just the price.
Open escrow and deliver disclosures. A buyer who gets the TDS after signing their offer has 3 days after delivery in person, or 5 days after mail or agreed electronic delivery, to cancel in writing (Civil Code 1102.3).
Inspections, appraisal and loan. Any repair requests or credits get negotiated.
Close. You sign the deed, escrow pays off your loan, and the transfer tax is paid when the deed is recorded.
After closing. Your lender has 30 days to send the reconveyance request, and the trustee then has 21 days to record it (Civil Code 2941).
What it costs to sell a house in San Diego
The escrow, title and transfer tax rows show San Diego County customs from Chicago Title's 2026 California Customary Practices Guide (06/26), which says each sale's terms are negotiable. Your contract controls.
Cost
Who pays
How it works
Listing agent's pay
Seller
Set in your listing agreement. Negotiable, not fixed by law (Business and Professions Code 10147.5).
Buyer's agent's pay
Set in the buyer's agreement
That agreement must be in writing (Civil Code 1670.50). You may agree to contribute.
County transfer tax
Seller
$0.55 per $500 of the price, or $1.10 per $1,000. Paid when the deed is recorded.
City transfer tax
None listed for any San Diego County city in the 2026 guide
The City of San Diego's tax is credited against the county tax, so the total stays $1.10 per $1,000.
Escrow fees
Split between buyer and seller
Charged by the escrow company.
Owner's title insurance policy
Seller
A local custom. Your contract can change it.
Your loan payoff
Seller
Paid from your proceeds.
Property taxes
Prorated between buyer and seller
Your contract sets the split. Installments are due November 1 and February 1.
HOA documents
Seller
A reasonable fee based on the HOA's actual cost (Civil Code 4530).
Tax withholding at closing isn't a cost, but it reduces the cash you receive. See taxes when you sell.
The transfer tax, worked out
An illustration with round numbers: on a $1,000,000 sale, $1,000,000 ÷ $500 = 2,000 units, and 2,000 × $0.55 = $1,100. In the City of San Diego the total is the same, with $550 to the city and $550 to the county. Part of a $500 unit counts as a whole one.
The tax is figured on the price minus only liens that stay on the property, such as a loan the buyer takes over, so paying off your mortgage doesn't lower it (Revenue and Taxation Code 11911). As of October 14, 2026, the county rate is $0.55 per $500 ($1.10 per $1,000). We'll update this page if that changes.
Fees and the buyer's agent
Printed California listing agreements for homes of up to 4 units must say, in bold type, that the agent's fee is not fixed by law and may be negotiable (Business and Professions Code 10147.5). Since August 17, 2024, under NAR's settlement practice changes, offers of pay to a buyer's agent can't appear on the MLS. You can still make one off the MLS, and you can still offer buyer concessions, such as help with closing costs, on the MLS. The buyer and their agent must sign a written agreement that covers pay by the time the buyer signs an offer (Civil Code 1670.50).
California seller disclosures
The TDS and NHD rules cover houses with 1 to 4 units, condo, co-op and planned-development units, and mobile or manufactured homes sold through a broker, unless exempt (Business and Professions Code 10018.08). Selling as is doesn't remove the TDS or your duty to disclose known facts that materially affect value or desirability (Civil Code 1102.1).
Disclosure
When it applies
Law
Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS)
Most home sales, as soon as practicable before title transfers. It can't be waived.
Civil Code 1102 to 1102.3
Seller questionnaire
Most purchase contracts also call for one.
Your contract
Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD)
Homes in a mapped hazard zone: FEMA flood (Zone A or V), dam inundation, very high fire hazard, state responsibility area, earthquake fault or seismic hazard.
Civil Code 1103
Lead-based paint
Most homes built before 1978: a pamphlet, known lead information, and a 10-day inspection chance the buyer can waive.
Federal rule (EPA)
Fire zone notices
High or very high fire hazard severity zones: a fire-hardening notice for homes built before January 1, 2010, and defensible-space documents where a local rule or inspection program applies.
Civil Code 1102.6f and 1102.19
Earthquake guide
1 to 4 units of conventional light-frame construction built before January 1, 1960.
Government Code 8897.1
Special taxes
Mello-Roos, 1915 Act bonds or PACE-type assessments: a good-faith effort to get each agency's notice, if a Government Code 53341.5 notice isn't already required.
Civil Code 1102.6b
Plumbing fixtures
The state's water-conserving fixture rule, and whether any fixtures don't comply.
Civil Code 1102.155
Smoke alarm, carbon monoxide, water heater
A smoke alarm statement, carbon monoxide devices where required, and water heater bracing certified in writing.
Health and Safety Code 13113.8, 17926 and 19211
HOA documents
Condo and HOA homes: governing documents and other listed items.
Civil Code 4525 and 4530
Megan's Law notice
In every contract to sell a home with 1 to 4 units.
Civil Code 2079.10a
A death on the property
Not required if more than 3 years before the offer. Never lie if asked directly.
Civil Code 1710.2
Recent additions
Electrical advisory (from January 1, 2026): a written note that an electrical inspection may be advisable, except for a building sold within 3 years of its certificate of occupancy (Civil Code 1102.6i).
Gas appliance rules (from January 1, 2026): known state or local rules on replacing gas appliances that stay with the home (Civil Code 1102.6j).
Smoking residue (added by a 2025 law): if you actually know of tobacco or nicotine residue, or that occupants smoked or vaped there, disclose it in writing (Civil Code 1102.6k).
HOA balcony report (added by a 2025 law): the latest balcony and elevated-element inspection report joins the HOA packet (Civil Code 4525).
Fire zone rules in San Diego County
The City of San Diego's fire hazard map uses the State Fire Marshal's map dated March 24, 2025. The city re-designated areas mapped Moderate and High as Very High, and it added other wildland areas, plus a 500-foot ember buffer around them. In Santee, sellers in Very High and High zones must provide an NHD report and get a vegetation management inspection from the Santee fire department. Since July 1, 2025, the fire-hardening notice also lists low-cost retrofits and which ones were done while you owned the home. The free San Diego property report pre-checks fire, flood and fault zones, but it doesn't replace the NHD report.
How long it takes to sell a house in San Diego
Each source measures this differently:
California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.): median time on market for San Diego County single-family homes, 19 days in August 2026 (27 in August 2025).
Redfin: the typical county home went under contract in 28 days in August 2026.
Realtor.com, via FRED: the median county listing spent 46 days on the market in September 2026, counted from list date to pending, closing or off-market date, depending on the data.
Escrow then takes as long as your contract says. For a buyer with a loan, ICE Mortgage Monitor reports that the national average purchase loan closed in 36.8 days in March 2026. It measures loans, not escrow. A cash sale skips the loan steps.
Listing on the MLS vs a cash or instant offer
Some companies and investors buy homes directly for cash, often called instant offers. That can fit some sellers. Compare, in writing, what you would net each way.
Factor
Listing on the MLS
Cash or instant offer
Price
Open-market offers after showings.
One buyer's offer. You can ask others to bid.
Fees
Agent pay, negotiable and not set by law.
The buyer's service fee, if any. Get it in writing.
Timing
Time on market plus escrow.
No loan approval to wait for. The contract still sets the date.
Repairs
Negotiated after inspections.
Ask whether the price can change after an inspection.
Disclosures
Required.
Still required.
For context, C.A.R.'s statewide sales-price-to-list-price ratio was 98.9% in August 2026 (final sale price divided by original list price). Karina can help you compare a cash offer's fee and repair deductions with a listing estimate, line by line.
Special situations
Inherited, probate or trust property
In probate, a personal representative with only limited authority under the Independent Administration of Estates Act needs court supervision to sell real property (Probate Code 10501). At a court confirmation hearing, a higher bid can still replace the one you accepted if it is at least 10% more on the first $10,000 and 5% more on the rest (Probate Code 10311). For example, if the accepted bid was $800,000, the lowest bid that can replace it is $840,500.
Court-ordered probate sales and sales by a fiduciary administering a trust or estate skip the TDS form, except a sale by an individual trustee of a revocable trust who is a former owner or lived there in the past year (Civil Code 1102.2). Other rules with their own scope can still apply, such as the federal lead paint rule. An heir's tax basis is generally the fair market value on the date of death. Talk to a probate or trust attorney and a CPA before you list.
Selling a rental with tenants
Tenants' rights continue through a sale. Talk to a landlord-tenant attorney before you give any notice.
Showings. Reasonable written notice (24 hours is presumed reasonable), during normal business hours unless the tenant agrees otherwise (Civil Code 1954).
Just cause. State law requires it, stated in the written notice, once a tenant has lived there 12 months (Civil Code 1946.2). Inside the City of San Diego, the City's ordinance applies instead and requires it from the start of the tenancy, except for fixed-term leases of three months or less.
Relocation. For a no-fault ending, state law requires one month's rent, paid within 15 days or as a waived final month. The City of San Diego requires two months of actual rent, or three for a tenant 62 or older or disabled, paid or waived.
Deposits. On a sale, transfer the remaining deposit to the buyer or return it to the tenant, and tell the tenant (Civil Code 1950.5).
Both laws exempt some single-family homes from the just-cause and relocation rules if the tenant got the required written notice. Ask a landlord-tenant attorney whether yours qualifies. For more on both laws, see ending a tenancy in San Diego: state and City rules.
Selling from out of state or abroad
You don't have to be in San Diego to sell. You can sign the deed before a US consul, or before a foreign notary whose signature is proved by an apostille (Civil Code 1183). In Brazil, the US Embassy and consulates notarize documents by appointment for $50 per consular seal. They don't issue apostilles; authorized cartórios do. Ask escrow early which method the title company accepts. For FIRPTA and California withholding, see selling a San Diego home as a foreign owner.
Taxes when you sell, in brief
Ask your CPA about each of these.
Home sale exclusion. Up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 on a joint return) if you owned and lived in the home at least 2 of the 5 years before the sale, and generally didn't exclude gain on another home in the 2 years before (IRS Topic 701).
California tax. No lower rate for capital gains. They're taxed as ordinary income.
Form 593. At closing, 3 1/3% of the sales price is withheld for California unless an exemption applies, such as a price of $100,000 or less or a principal residence you certify, or you elect the alternative calculation on your estimated gain. You claim it as a credit on your California return.
1031 exchange. For a rental or investment property, identify the replacement within 45 days and receive it within 180 days, or by your tax return's due date, with extensions, if that's earlier. An out-of-state replacement means filing FTB 3840. Ask a CPA and a qualified intermediary first.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to sell a house in San Diego?
Your listing agent's pay is negotiable and not set by law. By custom, the seller pays the county transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 ($1,100 on a $1,000,000 sale) and the owner's title policy, and splits escrow fees (Chicago Title, 2026). Your loan payoff also comes out of the proceeds, and property taxes are prorated.
Who pays the transfer tax in San Diego County?
By custom, the seller. Chicago Title's 2026 guide lists the seller for the county's $1.10 per $1,000 and no added city tax anywhere in the county. The City of San Diego's share is credited against the county's, so the total doesn't change. Your contract controls.
Do sellers have to pay the buyer's agent in California?
Not necessarily. The buyer's written agreement with their agent sets that agent's pay. A seller may agree to contribute, and that is negotiable. Since August 17, 2024, under NAR's settlement practice changes, those offers can't appear on the MLS, but a seller can still make one off it.
How long does it take to sell a house in San Diego?
In August 2026, the median time on market for San Diego County single-family homes was 19 days (California Association of REALTORS®), and Redfin's typical county home went under contract in 28 days. Realtor.com's median county listing spent 46 days on the market in September 2026. Escrow then runs on your contract's dates.
What do you have to disclose when selling a house in California?
Most sellers give a Transfer Disclosure Statement, even when selling as is. Homes in mapped hazard zones need a Natural Hazard Disclosure, and other notices depend on the home, such as lead paint, fire zone and HOA documents. New for 2026: an electrical inspection advisory and known rules on replacing gas appliances. Your agent will tell you which forms apply.
Can I sell my San Diego home with tenants living in it?
Yes. Tenants' rights continue through a sale. Showings need reasonable written notice (24 hours is presumed reasonable), and at closing the remaining deposit goes to the buyer or back to the tenant. Talk to a landlord-tenant attorney before you give any notice.
Can I sell my San Diego home while living in Brazil or another country?
Yes. You can sign the deed before a US consul, or before a foreign notary whose signature is proved by an apostille. Ask escrow early which method it accepts. If you're a foreign person, the buyer generally must withhold 15% under FIRPTA, and California withholds 3 1/3% of the price unless an exemption or the alternative calculation applies.
Not legal or tax advice. This page gives general information about California and San Diego County rules and customs as of October 2026, drawn from the official sources listed above. Laws, tax rates, fire maps and market figures change, and every sale runs on its own contract. Market figures describe past months and are not a forecast. For legal, probate, trust or tenant questions, talk to a California attorney. For taxes, talk to a CPA. Karina Somenzari is a real estate agent licensed in California, not an attorney or tax advisor.
Karina offers a free, no-pressure conversation in English or Portuguese about your price, your timing and what you would net, before you decide anything. Prefer email? Write to karinahomes@outlook.com.