Can I Sell My House in Santa Monica Without Listing It?

Should I sell my Santa Monica house as-is or fix it up first?

Fix only what will add more to the price than it costs. Sell as-is when the work would be large, slow or uncertain.

Santa Monica is a mix of older and newer homes. In our sample, two of five were built in 1980 or earlier, so an older house competes with newer ones and its condition shows. Older homes there hold more of their value against new construction than the California median, 61.9 percent against 29.5 percent.

More in Should I Sell My House As-Is or Fix It Up First?

What does it cost to sell a house in Santa Monica?

On a listed sale, commission is usually the largest cost, followed by transfer taxes, title and closing fees, and any repairs or credits after the buyer’s inspection. A private sale to Address District has no commission.

Federal tax on the gain may not apply at all. If you owned the house and lived in it as your main home for two of the last five years, the IRS lets you exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly.

Line by line in How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House?

What are the benefits of selling my Santa Monica house off-market?

Discretion, no preparation and control of the calendar.

• No public listing. No MLS listing, no listing photos and no open house.
• The house as it stands. No repairs, no staging and no deep clean before closing.
• Your date. Close in a few weeks or a few months, whichever suits your next move.
• One counterpart. You deal with one buyer, not a run of showings and counteroffers.

What you give up is reach. A listing shows the house to every active buyer at once, which can lift the price in a strong market. Should I Sell My House Off-Market? sets out both sides.

Is now a good time to sell my house in Santa Monica?

For most Santa Monica owners, the calendar that matters is their own. A sale works best when it fits your next move, your finances and the condition of the house.

To read the market in Santa Monica, look at how long homes like yours take to go under contract and what they actually sold for in the last few months, not at asking prices.

More in How Do I Know When It’s Time to Sell My House?

How fast can I sell my house in Santa Monica?

Off-market, on the date you choose, whether that is a few weeks out or a few months, once the title work and the documents California requires are done.

A listed sale usually takes longer, because the house has to be prepared, shown and negotiated, and the buyer’s inspection, appraisal and loan approval can still undo the deal late in the process.

If you are relocating, read How Do I Sell My House Fast When I’m Moving for Work?

How does selling my Santa Monica house off-market work?

In four steps, with no listing and no showings.

1. Send us the address and a few details through the offer form, or get in touch.
2. A person on our team looks at the house and recent sales nearby, and may ask for a walk-through.
3. We send a written offer. You are under no obligation to accept it.
4. If you do, the closing is handled by a title company or closing attorney, on your date.

You will know in writing who the buyer is before you sign anything.

What if my Santa Monica house isn’t selling?

Look at price, condition and exposure, in that order. Few showings usually mean price, and showings without offers usually mean condition.

Before you talk to another buyer, read your listing agreement. Most owe the agent a commission on any sale during the term. More in Why Isn’t My House Selling?

How do I sell an inherited house in Santa Monica?

Start with who has the authority to sign, usually the personal representative the probate court appoints, or a trustee. A title company will generally not close until that is documented.

Inherited property generally takes a basis equal to its value on the date of death, the IRS says, which can shrink the taxable gain. A probate attorney in California can explain the rest. More in How Do I Sell a House I Inherited?

How does Santa Monica compare with nearby neighborhoods?

Brentwood, 3 miles away, shows eight older homes among the 17 we sampled. Venice, 4 miles away, has one older home among the nine we sampled. Westwood, 4 miles away, counts one older home among the two we sampled. Santa Monica ranks tied for 463rd nationally for older homes, behind one of them.

Every neighborhood in the index has its own page, and the California page lists all 177 in the state.

Do older homes in Santa Monica sell for less than new construction?

In our sample, yes. The average price of older homes in 90402 was 61.9 percent of the average price of new construction in the same ZIP code. The California median is 29.5 percent, and the index median is 23.1 percent. With two older homes behind it, treat the figure as a rough guide.

The gap reflects size, lot and condition as much as age, so price an older house against recent sales of other older houses nearby, not against new construction.