Homeowners Share Their Experience Selling to Us
Watch real Bay Area homeowners share how we helped them sell quickly, avoid repairs, and move forward stress-free.
Cash Home Buyers San Mateo
Sell Your San Mateo House for Cash, With No Repairs or Showings.
We buy houses throughout San Mateo, including San Mateo Park, Baywood, Hayward Park, Hillsdale and Shoreview, in any condition. There is no commission, no fee and no repair list. We put a fair cash offer in writing with no obligation, and we can close in 7 days or less.
Thinking of selling your San Mateo home? Get a written cash offer within 24 hours.
Mid-Peninsula homes bought for cash since 2014
Homes We've Bought Near San Mateo
Including 1 right in San Mateo, out of 300+ Bay Area homes we've bought since 2014. Zoom out to see them all.
Selling a House in San Mateo: Neighborhoods, Local Rules & Situations We Handle
San Mateo is a mid-Peninsula city between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, with Caltrain, Highway 101 and El Camino Real running through it. West of the tracks are older neighborhoods with homes from the 1920s through the 1950s. East toward the bay are Shoreview, Bay Meadows and other newer areas. San Mateo also has its own transfer tax, a sewer lateral inspection at sale and its own tenant rules, and each of those can slow a listing.
San Mateo neighborhoods we buy in
- San Mateo Park: large lots, mature trees and older homes.
- Baywood and Aragon: established neighborhoods west of downtown.
- Hayward Park: early and mid-1900s homes near downtown and the Caltrain station.
- Hillsdale: homes around the shopping center and the Hillsdale Caltrain station.
- Shoreview and North Shoreview: family neighborhoods near Coyote Point, part of the city's flood zone history.
- Bay Meadows and Sugarloaf: newer homes on the former racetrack site, and hilltop homes to the west.
San Mateo rules that affect a sale
- A city transfer tax on top of the county's. Under Measure CC (November 2022), the City of San Mateo charges 0.5% of the price, or 1.5% on sales of $10 million or more. San Mateo County adds its documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000, and per the county recorder's FAQ San Mateo is the only city whose tax the county collects at recording. When you sell to us, we cover the closing costs.
- Sewer lateral inspection at sale. Under Municipal Code 7.38.432, the private sewer lateral must be inspected when a property is sold. It is exempt if it was inspected in the last five years or replaced in the last 25 with a city permit. A failed lateral can mean a repair before closing on a normal sale. We buy either way.
- Flood maps. Per the city's FEMA flood zone history page, the 2011 South Bayfront levee work took about 4,000 properties out of the flood zone, and after the North Shoreview project was finished in 2023, a FEMA map revision effective October 11, 2024 removed about 1,600 more addresses. Lenders and insurers still look closely at homes near the bay.
Selling a tenant-occupied San Mateo home
San Mateo's Residential Tenant Protection Program (Chapter 10.100, in effect since December 31, 2025) applies state just cause rules once a tenant has been in place 11 months, a month earlier than state law. For a no-fault termination, such as an owner move-in or a substantial remodel, the owner owes one month's rent in relocation help regardless of the tenant's income, and after a remodel the former tenant must be told when the unit is available again. You do not have to deal with any of that to sell. We buy with the tenants in place.
What gets settled at a San Mateo closing
- Two transfer taxes, one recording. The title company pays the city tax and the county tax when the deed is recorded with the San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder.
- Supplemental tax. After a change in ownership the San Mateo County Assessor sends the new owner a supplemental bill for the rest of the fiscal year, and a purchase between January and May can bring two. When we buy, those bills are ours.
- The lateral certificate. If your lateral is not exempt, the inspection happens before the sale. If it needs repair, we go over how that will be handled before you sign, and we do not ask you to fix up the rest of the house.
Why San Mateo owners call us
- Estates. Probate in San Mateo County is handled at the Hall of Justice in Redwood City, per the court's probate division page. See our probate guide. Heirs who will not move in usually face a Prop 19 reassessment.
- Foreclosure. We can work toward a trustee's sale date. See options when facing foreclosure.
- Older houses and bayfront homes. Deferred repairs, a lateral that needs work, or flood and insurance questions.
- Nearby cities we buy in. We also buy in Foster City, Burlingame, Belmont and Redwood City, and across San Mateo County.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling Your San Mateo House
The questions San Mateo homeowners ask us most, answered.
1. Can you buy my San Mateo home if it has tenants in it?
Yes. We regularly buy tenant-occupied homes in San Mateo and take them with the existing leases in place. Because the City of San Mateo adds local just-cause and relocation rules on top of California's AB 1482, delivering a vacant property yourself can be slow and risky, so we handle the tenancy after closing. You don't have to evict anyone or serve any notices.
2. How fast can you actually close on a house in San Mateo?
In 7 days or less. We pay cash, so there's no mortgage lender, no appraisal contingency, and no financing delay. If you need more time to move or to coordinate a probate or tenant situation, we'll close on your schedule instead.
3. I'm behind on payments. Can you close before my foreclosure date?
Often, yes. In California the foreclosure timeline runs on its own legal clock, and there's typically a reinstatement window before the scheduled trustee's sale. Because we can close in 7 days or less, we can frequently complete a cash purchase before that date and help you avoid the sale.
4. What about closing costs and San Mateo's transfer taxes?
We pay our standard closing costs, and there are no agent commissions because there's no agent involved. San Mateo is unusual in charging a city conveyance tax (0.5% of the price under $10 million) in addition to the San Mateo County documentary transfer tax of about $1.10 per $1,000. How those taxes are split is negotiable and we'll lay it out plainly in writing.
5. My house is near the bay in a flood zone. Does that kill the deal?
No. Flood-zone designation, expensive flood insurance, or a Shoreview/North Shoreview bayfront location are exactly the kinds of issues that scare off financed buyers but don't stop us. We buy as-is and aren't relying on a lender's flood or insurance requirements.
6. Do I need to repair or clean up the property first?
Never. We buy in any condition: foundation or drainage problems common to older bay-side lots, dated mid-century homes, fire or water damage, hoarder conditions, an inherited house full of belongings. Leave what you don't want; we handle all repairs and cleanup after closing.
7. How do you figure out your cash offer?
We start with what comparable San Mateo homes in your neighborhood have actually sold for, then subtract the repairs, updates, and carrying costs the property needs to reach market condition. What's left is a fair, no-obligation cash offer with no fees or commissions taken out.
Google ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 Rating
Sell My House for Cash in San Mateo, CA
Many San Mateo houses have decades of history behind them. Homes in Hayward Park, Baywood and North Central date to the early and middle 1900s, including craftsman bungalows, Tudors and Spanish revival houses. After years of deferred maintenance, an outdated kitchen, an old foundation or original wiring can turn a listing into a long project. We buy San Mateo houses for cash as they are, so you skip the repairs, the cleanout and the open houses. You pay no commission and no closing costs, and we close in 7 days or less, or on a later date you choose.
How selling your San Mateo house to us works
How to Get Started
We begin with a call about the house, the sewer lateral if you know its history, any tenants, and your timing.
Visit Our How It Works Page
Step through a San Mateo sale with us, from the first visit to the recorded deed.
Check Out Our Reviews
Read what Bay Area homeowners said after selling their houses to us.
Request Your Fair Cash Offer
Share your San Mateo address and some details. We get back to you within 24 hours.
Google ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 Star Rating
“Great people to work with. Always looking to present a win win solution!”
Jose M.
We Want to Buy Your San Mateo Home
No Strings Attached
If your San Mateo home has been sitting unsold, or you’ve weighed calling an agent and stalled at the thought of what comes next, you already know the listing route asks a lot before it gives anything back. Prepping the property, staging it, hosting showings, and then waiting on a buyer whose offer hinges on their loan can stretch on for weeks while the costs and the uncertainty pile up. We’re a family-owned cash buyer, and we take all of that off your plate by purchasing your San Mateo house directly: no listing, no showings, no guessing whether the deal will hold together.
Selling to us means no repairs and no cleanouts: we buy in any condition, exactly as it stands. There are no agent commissions, no fees, and no closing costs charged to you, and because we pay with cash, there’s no appraisal and no financing that can collapse at the last minute. You get a fair, straightforward cash offer and the freedom to close in 7 days, or on a later date you choose, entirely on your San Mateo timeline.
What You Get
Traditional Real Estate
Written offer in 24 hours
No agent commission
A closing date you set
No repairs first
Sold as it stands
No closing costs for you
Close in 7 days or less
San Mateo Homes Bought for Cash in Any Condition
Any Challenge
Let's Talk About Your San Mateo Home
Why Homeowners Choose Us
San Mateo owners choose a direct sale for a known price and no listing prep.
We Pay All Cash
We pay cash, so there is no loan, no appraisal and no financing deadline.
Easy & Clear Terms
Clear, short terms. We talk through the lateral inspection, tenants and any liens before you sign.
We Do the Paperwork
A licensed title company runs escrow and pays the city and county transfer taxes at recording.
Zero Fees
You pay no commission and no closing costs when we buy your San Mateo home.
Sell "As-Is"
Knob-and-tube wiring, an aging foundation or a dated kitchen: we buy it without repairs.
Close in 7 Days or Less
With title ready we can close in as little as 7 days, or on the date you choose.
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San Mateo Home Sale Options, Side by Side
Listing, investor or direct sale: a quick comparison for San Mateo sellers.
Traditional Sales Process
- 6% of purchase price plus other fees
- Price haggling and unpredictable offer
- Clean up and repair hassle
- Showings and open houses
- Long sales timeline, often 2-3+ months
Rapid Home Solutions
- ZERO FEES to sell your home
- Highest off-market price
- Sell AS-IS. No cleanup or repairs, or showings
- Close in 7 days or less, or move at your pace, up to 60 days
- No closing costs
Property Investor
- Hidden fees at close
- Lower prices, zero transparency
- High-pressure sales tactics, often not trustworthy
- Small-scale local operators not a trusted brand
Our Google Reviews
★★★★★
“Fast and smooth transaction with Steve and his crew. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a reliable and trustworthy team, rapidhomesolutions gets the job done!”
★★★★★
“If you are in need of quick and trouble-free as-is sale for a reasonable offer and no contract loopholes like most as-is buyers, choose Rapid Home Solutions. Dawson is honest and upfront about everything. The offer was fair and quick closing. A big help to my family when we needed it.”
★★★★★
“Super easy, super fast. … not to mention really nice people. No hard sell whatsoever. It was a huge relief.”