Can you sell a Glassell Park house before foreclosure?

1. Find your dates. Gather every notice from the lender or trustee and confirm any sale date with the servicer, in writing if possible.
2. Call a HUD-approved counselor. A HUD-approved housing counselor offers independent help; HUD says you don't need to pay fees for foreclosure prevention help. Use HUD's counselor search or call (800) 569-4287.
3. Talk with a California real estate attorney about what your notices mean and which options remain.
4. Ask the servicer about alternatives: reinstatement, a repayment plan, a loan modification, forbearance or a short sale.
5. Get a realistic sale range for the house as it stands, so you can compare it with the payoff.
6. If selling fits, list promptly and keep the servicer, attorney and escrow informed at each step.

Don't pay upfront fees to anyone promising to stop a foreclosure or arrange a loan change. The CFPB warns about foreclosure relief scams, and HUD-approved counseling costs nothing.

Sometimes. It depends on the date, the condition of the house and how quickly a buyer can close. A buyer who isn't using a loan may close sooner than one who is, while a financed buyer may pay more; I lay out both with honest timing. In California, a lender can often foreclose without going to court (a nonjudicial foreclosure); your attorney can explain how the timing applies to you.

It can. If the sale price covers the loans, liens and selling costs, the remaining equity goes to you rather than being left to a trustee's sale. If the price falls short, the conversation becomes a short sale in Glassell Park, which needs lender approval.

Keep it to what buyers notice and what the City requires.

• ☐ Clean, declutter and cut back the yard; clear paths on any hillside stairs
• ☐ Fire zone: Fire-hazard designations vary by parcel, so check yours on ZIMAS. In the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, LAFD requires owners to keep brush cleared year-round within 200 feet of structures.
• ☐ City report: LADBS requires City home sellers, with some exceptions, to give the buyer a Residential Property Report ($70.85 per report as of October 28, 2026); a report issued in the last six months can be reused, so check with LADBS before ordering.
• ☐ Parking plan for showings and moving day: On declared Red Flag days, parking is prohibited on posted fire-zone streets and vehicles can be towed. Glassell Park's posted streets include Hines Drive and Brilliant Drive; check lafd.org/redflag before booking a truck
• ☐ Disclose known issues; skip large repairs unless a buyer's lender will require them
• ☐ City line: Glassell Park's Neighborhood Council boundary meets the City of Glendale line, and City of Los Angeles selling rules apply only to addresses inside LA City limits, so confirm the parcel on ZIMAS before relying on them.

As of October 28, 2026, a City of Los Angeles sale carries County transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 and City transfer tax of $2.25 per $500. For qualifying transactions closing after June 30, 2026, Los Angeles Measure ULA imposes an additional 4% tax when the value conveyed exceeds $5,400,000 but is below $10,900,000, or 5.5% when the value conveyed is $10,900,000 or more. The applicable ULA rate is calculated on the full gross value conveyed, not just the amount above the threshold. The City's 0.45% base transfer tax and the County documentary transfer tax are separate charges. Confirm the calculation and any applicable exemptions with your escrow officer. The servicer's payoff statement shows what the loan needs, including any late charges and fees. Commission, escrow and title are paid from the proceeds at closing.

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.

What to bring to your CPA or attorney: every lender and trustee notice, the payoff or reinstatement statement, any offer you're weighing, and the estimated closing statement.

Sidney Manzo, CA DRE #01108914
In real estate since 1990 · RE/MAX Hall of Fame · Member, Pasadena Association of REALTORS® and California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.)
Brokerage: RE/MAX Dream Properties (ASLG Inc), CA DRE #02142193

Related guides: short sales in Glassell Park · selling a Glassell Park house as-is · selling a house in Glassell Park · foreclosure help in Mount Washington, Highland Park and Eagle Rock · judicial and nonjudicial foreclosure explained.