Orange County · Homes, Condos & Commercial

Got a Notice of Default on an Orange County property?

Check the date your notice was recorded. Then find out what your property is worth today. In Orange County that number often decides which choice makes sense. Free first call. Plain answers, no pressure. Once you hire us as your agent, we represent you — not your lender.

Request a free call Check your dates Call Gay-Lynn: (562) 858-7065Call Francisco: (213) 880-8107

Step 1 · Find your notice

Where your notice is recorded, and what to read on it.

Default and sale notices for Orange County property are recorded with the Orange County Clerk-Recorder in Santa Ana.

The recording date and document number are at the top of the notice. Count from the recording date, not the day the letter arrived.

The trustee named on the notice runs the sale. Call the trustee to confirm the current sale date before you plan around it.

Send us a photo of the first page and we will tell you which notice you have, free.

California has a law called the Homeowner Bill of Rights. It covers a home of 1 to 4 units that the owner lives in. It sets rules on how your loan servicer contacts you. That is the company that collects your loan payments. It also limits moving ahead with a sale while the servicer reviews a complete application for help. Ask a HUD-approved housing counselor or a lawyer of your own how these rules apply to you.

Step 2 · Know your market

Equity first: what an Orange County owner should check

Many Orange County owners have more value in the property than they owe. When that is true, a sale before the auction may leave you money after the loan and costs are paid. We show you a written estimate of that money first. This is called a net sheet. The price is not guaranteed.

A short sale only applies when the property is worth less than what you owe. Then the lender must approve the sale in writing. Ask a lawyer of your own whether you could still owe money after a short sale.

Condo and HOA properties add one more step. The HOA's own notices and balances must be cleared at closing, so we ask for them early.

Common Questions

Orange County questions owners ask us.

Where is a Notice of Default recorded in Orange County?

With the Orange County Clerk-Recorder in Santa Ana. The recording date on the notice starts the three-month waiting period under Civil Code §2924.

Should I sell before the auction or ask for a short sale?

It depends on value. If the property is worth more than you owe, a sale before the auction may leave you money. If it is worth less, a short sale needs your lender's written approval. We give you a written estimate so you can compare.

Can an Orange County trustee sale date change?

An offer or an open escrow does not stop or pause the auction by itself. Only your lender, the trustee, or a court can change a sale date.

We are real estate licensees, not a law firm, and we don't give legal or tax advice. If you need legal advice, we can refer you to an independent attorney.

Talk With Us · Free First Call

Talk with Gay-Lynn Chavez or Francisco Williams, CCIM.

Plain answers, no pressure. Once you hire us as your agent, we represent you — not your lender.

We are real estate licensees, not a law firm, and we don't give legal or tax advice. If you need legal advice, we can refer you to an independent attorney.

Request a free call Call Gay-Lynn: (562) 858-7065Call Francisco: (213) 880-8107