[Home](https://realestateworks.com/) → [Cities](https://realestateworks.com/cities) → Covina # How do I sell my house in Covina? Before a Covina listing goes live, compare it against recent area sales, note any mature trees on the lot, and collect required disclosures. Sidney Manzo, in real estate since 1990, helps with that groundwork so sellers and estates can decide calmly. Talk with Sidney. [En español](https://ayudaparavendercasa.vercel.app/cities/covina)[Call (626) 296-2900](tel:+16262962900) ## What are the steps to sell a house in Covina? 1. ### Price Ask for a value opinion on your Covina address based on lot, condition and recent comparable closings, not a citywide median. 2. ### Paperwork Collect permits, past reports and disclosure forms; note any large, mature trees on the lot early. 3. ### Agreement Read the written contract for scope, duration and fee before anything is marketed. 4. ### Marketing Go live with photography, an accurate description and a showing schedule you control. 5. ### Negotiation Weigh each written offer on net proceeds, loan strength, contingency periods and close date. 6. ### Escrow Inspections, appraisal and title clear during escrow, then the deed records with the County. ## What does listing service cost in Covina? - 2.5% Essential - 3% Full Service - 3.5% Signature Each tier is listing-side pay set in the written agreement. The amount or rate of real estate commissions is not fixed by law. They are set by each broker individually and may be negotiable between the seller and broker. A larger fee does not mean a larger price. ## Which Covina rules can affect a sale? Plain-language notes, not advice. Each item links to its official source, checked October 13, 2026. ### Transfer tax Covina adds no city transfer tax. The LA County Registrar-Recorder charges $1.10 per $1,000 of value (55 cents per $500), and only Culver City, Los Angeles, Pomona, Redondo Beach and Santa Monica add their own city rate. [Source](https://www.lavote.gov/home/recorder/property-document-recording/documentary-transfer-taxes/general-info) ### Vacant homes in foreclosure Covina requires lenders to inspect a home before recording a notice of default and to register it within 10 days if it is vacant (Municipal Code ch. 8.42). [Source](https://ecode360.com/46914432) ### Mature trees The City of Covina's Planning Division requires the preservation of mature trees and issues Tree Preservation Permits (minor for one tree, regular for more than one) before protected trees are removed. In real estate since 1990, Sidney Manzo builds these checks into every Covina listing plan. [Source](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/planning/) ## What is selling in Covina like? Covina is a mid-sized city. The Census Bureau counted 51,268 residents in 2020 on 7.04 square miles, in about 16,292 households, and about 58.8% of homes are owner-occupied. Covina-Valley Unified has served Covina, West Covina, Glendora, San Dimas and Irwindale for more than a century, so school assignment is set by address. The City's Planning Division protects mature trees through Tree Preservation Permits. Covina adds no city transfer tax beyond the County's $1.10 per $1,000. The City also requires lenders to inspect a home before recording a notice of default and to register it within 10 days if it is vacant. - Source: [U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Covina city (2020 population, land area, households, owner-occupied rate)](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/covinacitycalifornia/PST045224) - Source: [Covina-Valley Unified School District: About (serves Covina, West Covina, Glendora, San Dimas and Irwindale)](https://www.c-vusd.org/about) - Source: [City of Covina Planning Division: Tree Preservation Permits](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/planning/) - Source: [LA County Registrar-Recorder: Documentary Transfer Tax (city rates)](https://www.lavote.gov/home/recorder/property-document-recording/documentary-transfer-taxes/general-info) - Source: [Covina Municipal Code chapter 8.42: inspection and registration of vacant homes in foreclosure](https://ecode360.com/46914432) ## How should I prepare a Covina home for sale? Walk the yard before any cleanup. Covina requires a Tree Preservation Permit before protected mature trees are removed, so ask the Planning Division before cutting a large tree to brighten photos. Collect permits for additions, patio covers and garage conversions, and order a pre-listing inspection on an older home to find sewer, roof or electrical items early. If foreclosure is a concern, act soon: the City requires lenders to inspect a home before recording a notice of default and register it if vacant. Then complete disclosures, paint and tidy up before photos. Organize receipts for recent work so buyers see the history. - Source: [City of Covina Planning Division: Tree Preservation Permits](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/planning/) - Source: [Covina Municipal Code chapter 8.42: inspection and registration of vacant homes in foreclosure](https://ecode360.com/46914432) ## How long does a Covina sale take? After an offer is accepted, escrow length is set by the contract's loan, appraisal and contingency periods. Inspection findings on older homes can lead to repair requests that add a few days. Allow a few weeks for prep. Time on market varies, and no one can promise it. ## How are Covina's General Plan and zoning changing? Covina's Planning Division maintains the General Plan, the Zoning Ordinance and the City's specific plans. Two projects matter to owners right now. The Rezoning and General Plan Alignment Project moves the RD multifamily zoning districts into line with the Medium Density and High Density Residential designations of the 2000 General Plan, as state law requires; the City says the rezoning does not affect an owner's current use of the property. Separately, the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update and Modernization is rewriting Title 17 of the Covina Municipal Code, and a draft went to a City Council hearing set for September 15, 2026, so check the City's page for the version in effect. To see your parcel's zone today, type the address into the City's public GIS viewer. A buyer planning an addition or a second unit will ask what the zone allows, so pull it before you list. - Source: [City of Covina: Planning Division](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/planning/) - Source: [City of Covina: Rezoning and General Plan Alignment Project](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/rezoning-general-plan-alignment-project/) - Source: [City of Covina: Comprehensive Zoning Code Update and Modernization](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/comprehensive-zoning-code-update-modernization/) - Source: [City of Covina: Planning FAQ (zoning lookup)](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/planning-faq/) ## Is my Covina address in the City or a County pocket? Check before you pull records. The City of Covina says there are 11 unincorporated County pockets inside Covina's borders. For a parcel in a pocket, Los Angeles County, not the City, handles planning, building, code enforcement and public works, even though the mailing address says Covina, and some of those homes are still served by Covina Water. The City's guide: in its public GIS viewer, a parcel in the gray area is a County address, while a parcel with a Covina zone is in the City. Covina addresses typically do not run higher than 2999, and a home south of the 10 Freeway and east of Grand Avenue is another County indicator. The answer decides where the permit history, zoning and code records come from, and which agency a buyer will call about future work. - Source: [City of Covina: Check Address Jurisdiction](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/building-safety/check-address-jurisdiction/) ## How do ADUs and state housing laws apply in Covina? An ADU in Covina starts with Planning, not Building. The City screens each proposal against the state's ADU rules and issues an ADU approval verification; only then can the owner apply for building permits. A submittal needs a completed ADU Plan Review Application and one electronic plan set with a site plan, floor plan and elevations, on sheets from 11 by 17 to 24 by 36 inches. The City's State Housing Laws page explains that housing projects meeting California's affordable housing statutes are not subject to discretionary City review, though they must still meet the building and fire codes, and it tracks newer laws such as SB 1123, which updated the Starter Home Revitalization Act of 2021. For a seller, a permitted ADU is part of the home's value; an unpermitted one is a disclosure item. - Source: [City of Covina: Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/planning/adu/) - Source: [City of Covina: State Housing Laws](https://covinaca.gov/our-community/state-housing-laws/) ## Which Covina permits do buyers ask about? Covina's Building and Safety Division, at City Hall, 125 E. College Street, provides plan review and inspections Monday through Thursday and can be reached at (626) 384-5460. Its express permits cover re-roofs, minor mechanical, electrical and plumbing work, and like-for-like window and door change-outs. Planning approval comes first for other common projects: a new patio or porch, a roof that changes color or material, a change in window or door size or location, and any shed. Every fence or wall needs a Planning wall and fence approval; in residential zones the limit is generally 5 feet in the front yard and 8 feet at the sides and rear, per Municipal Code chapter 17.71. A legal non-conforming house, such as a garage built closer to the line than today's code allows, can stay, but a major remodel must meet current setbacks. Records for each of these help a buyer's lender and appraiser. - Source: [City of Covina: Building and Safety](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/building-safety/) - Source: [City of Covina: Building and Safety FAQ (express permits)](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/building-safety/frequently-asked-questions/) - Source: [City of Covina: Planning FAQ (fences and non-conforming properties)](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/planning-faq/) ## What is Covina's history and Downtown like? Covina was founded in 1882 and covers about seven square miles, roughly 22 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, between the 10, 210 and 605 freeways and State Route 57. The Downtown Specific Plan guides pedestrian and transit-oriented development while keeping the historic downtown character, anchored by the renovated $10 million Covina Center for the Performing Arts. The 1911 firehouse and jail, the City's first civic building, is now the Covina Firehouse/Jail Museum next to City Hall, and the Historic Heritage House sits on the west side of Covina Park at 300 N. Valencia Place; volunteers of the Covina Valley Historical Society staff both. City Hall also shows Vintage Years, 130 photographs of Covina from 1846 to 1950. Metrolink serves the Covina station, and Covina-Valley Unified runs Covina High School. For buyers, a short walk to Downtown or the station is a location fact worth stating plainly. - Source: [City of Covina: History](https://covinaca.gov/our-city/about/history/) - Source: [Metrolink: Covina Station](https://metrolinktrains.com/rider-info/general-info/stations/covina/) - Source: [California Department of Education: Covina High (Covina-Valley Unified)](https://www.cde.ca.gov/schooldirectory/details?cdscode=19644361932086) ## What if my Covina sale involves a special situation? - [Selling a Covina house you inherited Selling a Covina home you inherited, once it is clear who may convey title.](https://realestateworks.com/cities/covina/inherited-property) - [Selling a Covina house through probate Listing a Covina home that is part of a probate estate.](https://realestateworks.com/cities/covina/probate) - [Selling a Covina house as-is, without major repairs Selling a Covina home without making repairs, with disclosures still provided when the law requires them.](https://realestateworks.com/cities/covina/sell-as-is) - [Selling a Covina house while facing foreclosure Listing a Covina home while a foreclosure is pending; a listing does not stop or postpone it.](https://realestateworks.com/cities/covina/foreclosure-help) - [Selling a Covina house as a short sale, with lender approval Listing a Covina home for less than the loan balance, subject to lender approval, which is required and not assured.](https://realestateworks.com/cities/covina/short-sale-help) ## Who reviews Covina homes here? - In real estate since 1990. - 155+ closed sales. - English & Spanish: fluent. Sidney Manzo, Agent, CA DRE #01108914. - In real estate since 1990 - 155+ closed sales - RE/MAX Hall of Fame - Member, Pasadena Association of REALTORS® and C.A.R. [About Sidney](https://realestateworks.com/about) RE/MAX Dream Properties (ASLG Inc), CA DRE #02142193 Last reviewed October 15, 2026 by Sidney Manzo. ## What do Covina sellers ask most? **What is my Covina home worth?** A Covina estimate compares your home with recent sales of similar age, size and lot nearby, then adjusts for condition and updates. Post-war houses with original systems price differently from remodeled ones, and condos follow their own comparables. Sidney Manzo, in real estate since 1990, reviews the sales that fit your address and gives an opinion of likely price. It is not an appraisal. **Is it a good time to sell in Covina?** Think first about your goals and timing. That citywide figure is not an appraisal and not the value of a particular home, and it reflects closed sales without forecasting where prices head. A comparison with recent Covina sales close to you tells you more. **What do Covina buyers look for?** Buyers ask about mature trees, because the City's Planning Division requires a Tree Preservation Permit, minor for one tree and regular for more than one, before protected trees are removed. A buyer planning an addition or a second unit also asks what the parcel's zone allows, which the City's public GIS viewer shows by address while the RD rezoning and the Title 17 code update move forward. Records for fences, patios and past permits help. Source: [City of Covina Planning Division: Tree Preservation Permits](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/planning/) Source: [City of Covina: Planning FAQ (zoning lookup)](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/planning-faq/) Source: [City of Covina: Rezoning and General Plan Alignment Project](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/rezoning-general-plan-alignment-project/) **Can I remove a big tree before selling my Covina house?** Check first. The City of Covina's Planning Division requires the preservation of mature trees and issues Tree Preservation Permits, minor for one tree and regular for more than one, before protected trees come down. Ask Planning before cutting anything to tidy the yard for photos, since removal without a permit can cause problems. Source: [City of Covina Planning Division: Tree Preservation Permits](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/planning/) **Do I need a real estate agent to sell my home in Covina?** No. Owners may sell on their own in California. Representation starts only with a signed written listing agreement that sets the services, term and fee. Requesting a review of your Covina address from Sidney, or a call, creates no listing agreement, so you can compare options freely. Many start there. ## Where can I read more about selling in Covina? - [How do I sell my house? A step-by-step Pasadena example (Journal)](https://realestateworks.com/journal/how-do-i-sell-my-house-in-pasadena) - [Estate home sales in Covina](https://realestateworks.com/cities/covina/probate) - [Inherited a Covina home](https://realestateworks.com/cities/covina/inherited-property) - [Get my free home review](https://realestateworks.com/valuation?city=covina) ### Sources - [LA County Registrar-Recorder: Documentary Transfer Tax](https://www.lavote.gov/home/recorder/property-document-recording/documentary-transfer-taxes/general-info) (accessed October 15, 2026) - [Covina Municipal Code ch. 8.42 (eCode360)](https://ecode360.com/46914432) (accessed October 15, 2026) - [City of Covina: Planning Division, Tree Preservation (Oak Tree)](https://covinaca.gov/city-departments/community-development/planning/) (accessed October 15, 2026) ## Request a Covina home-value review A property-specific review of your Covina address. Not an appraisal and not a promised price. A request does not create a listing agreement. Equal Housing Opportunity. We serve every client in compliance with federal and California fair housing laws. --- Sidney Manzo, CA DRE #01108914 · RE/MAX Dream Properties (ASLG Inc), CA DRE #02142193 · (626) 296-2900 Source page: https://realestateworks.com/cities/covina