Rapid Home Solutions: Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers about selling your Bay Area house for cash — probate, foreclosure, divorce, tenants, condition, fees, and how fast we close. Can’t find yours? Call us or send the form below.

Selling in a tough situation

Can I sell an inherited house before probate is finished in California?

Yes. If the personal representative holds full authority under the Independent Administration of Estates Act (Probate Code §§10400, 10309–10314), the estate can sell the home during probate without a court-confirmation hearing or the 90%-of-appraisal floor that applies to court-confirmed sales. We buy inherited homes mid-probate for cash and can close in as little as 7 days. Sell a house in probate.

Will I owe capital gains tax if I sell a house I inherited?

Usually very little. Under IRC §1014, an inherited home's cost basis steps up to its fair market value on the date of death, so only appreciation after that date is taxable — and inherited property always counts as long-term. Capital gains and Prop 19 are separate systems: Prop 19 (effective Feb 16, 2021) only affects property tax, not your income-tax basis. Inherited a house.

Can you help if I'm behind on my mortgage or facing foreclosure?

Yes. We regularly buy homes from owners who are behind on payments or already in foreclosure. A cash sale lets you pay off the loan, stop the process, and walk away with your remaining equity instead of losing it at a trustee's sale. There are no agent fees and no repairs required, and we can close in 7–10 days. Facing foreclosure.

Can you stop my foreclosure if the trustee's sale is only days away?

Often, yes. California Civil Code §2924c gives you the right to reinstate the loan up until 5 business days before the trustee's sale, and a cash sale can pay off the default entirely within that window. Because we buy with cash — no lender, no appraisal — we can close in as fast as 7 days, often beating a sale date that's still a week or two out. Stop a foreclosure.

How do we sell the house fast in a divorce?

A clean cash sale is the fastest way to convert a co-owned home into a divisible asset. California Family Code §2550 requires community property to be divided equally, so once we close, the net proceeds split cleanly between both spouses with no agent commissions to argue over. We buy as-is, need no repairs, and close in 7–10 days — far faster than a 45–75-day listing. Sell a house during divorce.

Can I sell a rental with tenants still living in it?

Yes. We buy tenant-occupied rentals with the tenancy in place, so you never have to issue a no-fault notice or pay AB 1482 relocation assistance. Under California Civil Code §1946.2 (AB 1482), once a tenant has lawfully occupied a unit for 12 months you generally need just cause to end the tenancy, and a no-fault termination triggers relocation assistance; Costa-Hawkins separately governs which units can be rent-controlled and lets you reset rent to market on vacancy. Selling to us avoids all of that — we take the property as-is, keep the lease intact, and close in 7–10 days. Sell a tenant-occupied rental.

Condition, repairs & disclosures

Can you buy my house if I can't get fire insurance or it's in a High Fire Severity Zone?

Yes. A cash purchase needs no homeowner's insurance and no lender, so a home that's uninsurable on the admitted market or stuck on the California FAIR Plan still sells to us at full speed. Deals that collapse for traditional buyers at the insurance contingency close fine with us. We buy as-is and close in 7–10 days. Sell a hard-to-insure house.

Do I have to make any repairs or even clean before you buy?

No. We buy every house completely as-is — no repairs, no cleaning, no staging, no inspections to pass. Leave behind whatever you don't want, including furniture and junk, and we'll handle it. Because we're cash buyers, there's no lender requiring the home to meet condition standards, so even fire-damaged, hoarder, or major-deferred-maintenance homes qualify. We close in 7–10 days. Sell a house that needs repairs.

Do I still have to fill out California disclosures if I sell for cash?

Yes. California Civil Code §1102 requires sellers of 1–4 unit residential property to complete a Transfer Disclosure Statement, and that duty cannot be waived even in an as-is sale — the law voids any such waiver. The good news: you only disclose the condition you know about, then sell as-is. We never expect a perfect house, so honest disclosure won't cost you the deal.

How we work — and how we’re different

Are you licensed real estate agents?

No. Rapid Home Solutions is a family-owned cash home buyer, not a brokerage. We're the actual buyers of your home, not agents listing it for someone else, so you pay zero commissions and we're not collecting a 6% cut at closing. That's the core difference: an agent finds a buyer and charges you a fee; we are the buyer and write the check directly.

Do you pay retail/market price for homes?

We pay a fair cash price, and what matters is your net, not the sticker. A retail listing's higher gross price gets eaten by roughly 6% in commissions, repair credits, staging, and one to three months of mortgage, tax, and insurance carrying costs. Our offer has none of those deductions — no fees, no repairs, no commissions — so the gap between gross and net is often small once you do the real math.

How fast can you close?

As fast as 7 days, and typically within 7–10 days. Because we pay cash, there's no mortgage underwriting, no appraisal wait, and no lender conditions to clear — the timeline is set by the title company and your readiness, not a bank. Compare that to a traditional listing, which runs 45–75 days from offer to close once financing and contingencies are factored in. You pick the closing date that works for you.

Fees, costs & where we buy

Will I have to pay any closing costs out of pocket?

No. We cover the standard closing costs, including escrow and title fees, so you don't pay anything out of pocket to sell. There are no commissions, no listing expenses, and no surprise deductions sprung on you at the table. The cash offer we agree to is what flows to you at closing, minus only any existing loan payoff or liens on the property. We close in 7–10 days.

How much will I pay in fees and commissions?

Zero. There are no agent commissions, no listing fees, no transaction fees, and no junk charges — because we're the buyer, not a broker, there's no 6% to pay. You also skip repairs, staging, and months of carrying costs that a traditional sale piles on. The cash offer we agree to is the figure you net, less only your existing mortgage payoff or any liens. We close in 7–10 days.

Which Bay Area cities and counties do you buy houses in?

All nine San Francisco Bay Area counties and roughly 96 cities. We've bought around 250 homes across the region since 2014 — from Oakland, San Jose, and Fremont to Vallejo, Concord, Richmond, and the smaller distress-dense markets in between. Wherever your house sits in the Bay Area, we buy as-is for cash and close in 7–10 days. See our full coverage on the locations page.

Answered by Steven Williams, Founder & CEO, Rapid Home Solutions — buying Bay Area homes since 2014. Last updated June 2026.

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Bay Area homeowners we’ve helped

Amanda Lee

May 23, 2026

Working with Steven was an absolute pleasure from start to finish. Not only did they provide a competitive cash offer and close in just 10 days, but they also honored my full commission as the listing agent — something that truly speaks to their professionalism and integrity. The property was sold completely as-is and required multiple dumpsters worth of clean-out and hauling, yet they never questioned a thing or made the process difficult. The transaction was smooth, straightforward, and one of the easiest deals I’ve ever been a part of. If you’re looking for a reliable buyer for a quick and hassle-free sale opportunity, I highly recommend Steven and his team.

Bill Pearce

April 7, 2026

We were about to retire and move out of state, so we needed to sell our home of 16 years. Our home needed some TLC but we just wanted to move on and retire! We looked at all the options and decided to sell off-market with Rapid Home Solutions and we couldn’t have made a better decision. Super fast closing, no real estate agents or commissions, and they took the house as-is, no questions asked. Dawson and his team were super friendly and flexible and we couldn’t recommend them highly enough. Stay away from the lowballing sharks and work with someone who is all about a win-win for both parties!

Vanity Art LLC

December 12, 2025

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.

K M

September 30, 2025

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!

Carol Sievers

May 2, 2025

I recently used Rapid Solutions to sell my house, and I’m thrilled with the experience. From start to finish, their process was seamless, efficient, and stress-free, making them a standout choice for homeowners looking to sell quickly. Pros: • Speedy Process: True to their name, Rapid Home Solutions lived up to their promise of a fast sale. After reaching out, they provided a fair cash offer within 48 hours, and we closed the deal in just 16 days. This was a lifesaver as we needed to close as soon as possible. • Hassle-Free Experience: No need for repairs, staging, or endless showings. They bought the house as-is, which saved us time and money. The team handled all the paperwork, making it incredibly convenient. • Transparent and Fair: The offer was competitive, and there were no hidden fees or commissions. Their team clearly explained the process, so we felt confident every step of the way. • Professional Team: Dawson was courteous, responsive, and genuinely cared about our needs. He answered all our questions promptly and tailored the timeline to fit our schedule.

Christine Cuddy (Toymentor)

April 10, 2025

Super easy, super fast. 10 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ not to mention really nice people. No hard sell whatsoever. It was a huge relief.

Kari Murray

January 16, 2025

Great experience!! Super fast funding and wonderful people to work with. Highly recommend!!

Carlos Anaya

December 13, 2024

Rapid Home solutions will help you sell fast and no hassle. They won't waste your time at all, but will come with a personalized solution for you! If you are lucky enough to work with Dawson, that guy is not playing games. I've worked personally with him and he cares about the sellers he talks to and he enjoys helping people. I know no one with better work ethics! If you happen to meet these guys and think they could possibly help, don't hesitate, just call them!!!

Greg b

December 5, 2024

I worked with Dawson for my mother's condo that was in bad shape. Dawson was incredibly fair on price and very compassionate about her situation and made the process very easy to complete. Everything went smoothly and she received her funds quicker than we expected. I did check with other companies and there was no comparison in my mind.

Belinda M. Byrne

September 5, 2024

Dawson was knowledgeable and professional.