Journal · selling # What Do I Need to Sell a Los Angeles House If I Live Outside California? You can sell from another state, and under FTB Publication 1016 real estate withholding applies at closing unless an exemption applies or the total sales price is $100,000 or less, figured as 3 1/3% of the total sales price or, if you elect, on your estimated gain. You may need to file a California return to claim that withholding, so ask a CPA or tax advisor about the tax side. Published October 20, 2026 · Reviewed October 22, 2026 · 6 min By Sidney Manzo, CA DRE #01108914 · RE/MAX Dream Properties (ASLG Inc), CA DRE #02142193 [Journal](https://realestateworks.com/journal) · selling out-of-state seller · California real estate withholding · Form 593 · nonresident home sale · selling from another state Sidney Manzo, CA DRE #01108914, can review this property. A request does not create a listing agreement. ## Do I need California withholding if I live in another state? Yes, in most cases. The California Franchise Tax Board states that all California residents, nonresident individuals, and non-California business entities are subject to real estate withholding requirements unless an exception is met, and that withholding is required whenever a transfer of title on California real property occurs unless an exemption applies. Publication 1016 also states that real estate withholding is a prepayment of income tax due from sellers on the gain, not an additional tax, and that withholding is not required if the total sales price is $100,000 or less. The same Franchise Tax Board publication allows withholding to be calculated with the Total Sales Price Method of 3 1/3 percent of the total sales price, or the Alternative Withholding Calculation Method of estimated gain multiplied by the maximum tax rate. Under the 2026 Instructions for Form 593 and FTB Publication 1016 (revised February 2026), a seller may certify an exemption on Form 593, Part III, including for a principal residence you generally owned and lived in as your main home for at least two years during the five-year period ending on the sale date, or a property last used as your principal residence, without regard to the two-year period. Publication 1016 lists nonresident individuals among the sellers subject to withholding unless an exception is met, so living in another state does not by itself create an exemption. ## Do I have to file a California tax return after the sale? If you meet California filing requirements, yes. The California Franchise Tax Board states that sellers who meet those requirements must file a California income tax return to report the sale and claim any withholding, that overpayments are refunded after processing, and that no early refunds are provided. California does not have a lower rate for capital gains; the Franchise Tax Board states that all capital gains are taxed as ordinary income. For the federal side of a home sale, see IRS Tax Topic 701 and ask a CPA or tax advisor. Under the 2026 Instructions for Form 593, the form must be sent to the Franchise Tax Board by the 20th day of the calendar month following the month in which escrow closes. Withholding is credited when you report the sale on the California return the Board requires if you meet filing requirements. ## Can I sell my Los Angeles house without traveling there? Yes. The California Department of Real Estate's Summer 2026 Real Estate Bulletin notes that documents may be signed electronically and that buyers, sellers, brokers, escrow holders, and lenders may never meet face-to-face. Ask your escrow officer which signing options it accepts for your file. An agent is not mandatory, and a request does not create a listing agreement. A local showing plan and inspection scheduling are practical steps, not a requirement that you travel. ## How do I start a Los Angeles sale from another state? Begin with a property-specific review of the address, then decide on pricing, repairs, and whether you want representation under a written agreement. Sidney Manzo, in real estate since 1990, can prepare your home value review, price the home and guide the sale, and coordinate listing steps and escrow while you remain out of state. Start with a property-specific home value review or a seller consultation. If you are moving away, see [Selling when you relocate](https://realestateworks.com/services/relocation) and [What steps do I need to take to sell my home remotely?](https://realestateworks.com/journal/what-steps-do-i-need-to-take-to-sell-my-home-remotely). General information, not legal or tax advice. Talk with a California attorney or CPA about your situation. Rules as of October 20, 2026; they change, so check the official sources listed below. ## Related California Seller Resources - [Selling When You Relocate](https://realestateworks.com/services/relocation) - [What Steps Do I Need to Take to Sell My Home Remotely?](https://realestateworks.com/journal/what-steps-do-i-need-to-take-to-sell-my-home-remotely) - [Can I Sell My Los Angeles Home If I Live Outside the U.S.?](https://realestateworks.com/journal/i-live-outside-the-united-states-and-want-to-sell-my-home-in-los-angeles-can-you) ## Questions homeowners ask next **Is California withholding an extra tax when I live in another state?** No. The California Franchise Tax Board states that real estate withholding is a prepayment of California income tax due from sellers on the gain from the sale of California real property and is not an additional tax. Under FTB Publication 1016, nonresident individuals are subject to withholding unless an exemption applies, and withholding is not required if the total sales price is $100,000 or less. Sellers who meet California filing requirements must file a California income tax return to report the sale and claim any withholding; the Board refunds overpayments after processing and does not provide early refunds. **Is withholding required if my Los Angeles sale price is $100,000 or less?** The California Franchise Tax Board states that real estate withholding is not required if the total sales price is $100,000 or less. FTB Publication 1016 still requires withholding on other transfers of California real property unless an exemption applies. The $100,000 figure is a withholding threshold only. It does not set your sale price and does not replace sale documents when the law requires them. Ask escrow to confirm the total sales price it reports on Form 593. **Can I claim a principal residence exemption if I already moved out of California?** Under the 2026 Instructions for Form 593, a seller may certify an exemption on Form 593, Part III, for a principal residence the seller generally owned and lived in as a main home for at least two years during the five-year period ending on the sale date. A separate exemption covers a property last used as the seller's principal residence, without regard to the two-year period; a property last used as a vacation home, second home or rental does not qualify (FTB Publication 1016 and the Form 593 instructions). Your escrow officer applies the form to the property's history, and a CPA can confirm which box fits. **Do I need a California real estate agent to sell from another state?** No. An agent is not mandatory. The DRE's Summer 2026 Real Estate Bulletin notes that documents may be signed electronically and that the parties may never meet face-to-face; your escrow officer confirms which signing options it accepts. Local help with pricing, showings, and inspection access is optional. Submitting a value or consultation request does not create a listing agreement. If you later want listing help, ask for the listing agreement in writing so you can review its terms first. **When must Form 593 be sent, and can I get withheld tax back early?** Under the 2026 Instructions for Form 593, the form must be sent to the FTB by the 20th day of the calendar month following the month in which escrow closes. Publication 1016 also states that sellers who meet California filing requirements must file a California income tax return to report the sale and claim any withholding. Overpayments are refunded after processing, and the Board does not provide early refunds. Confirm with escrow who will complete and transmit Form 593 for your Los Angeles closing. Thinking about selling? Sidney will prepare a free home value review. [Get my free home review](https://realestateworks.com/valuation#valuation-form) ## Sources - [ftb.ca.gov/forms/misc/1016.html](https://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/misc/1016.html) - [ftb.ca.gov/forms/2026/2026-593-instructions.html](https://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2026/2026-593-instructions.html) - [ftb.ca.gov/file/personal/income-types/capital-gains-and-losses.html](https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/personal/income-types/capital-gains-and-losses.html) - [dre.ca.gov/files/pdf/reb/rebsum\_26.pdf](https://www.dre.ca.gov/files/pdf/reb/rebsum_26.pdf) - [irs.gov/taxtopics/tc701](https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc701) ## Who can help with this? Sidney Manzo is a local agent in the San Gabriel Valley who helps homeowners with out-of-state seller and can review your situation and the next step. Sidney Manzo, CA DRE #01108914, licensed in California; 155+ closed sales; RE/MAX Hall of Fame; member of the Pasadena Association of REALTORS® and C.A.R. [About Sidney Manzo](https://realestateworks.com/about) · [Get my free home review](https://realestateworks.com/valuation#valuation-form). RE/MAX Dream Properties (ASLG Inc), CA DRE #02142193 Published October 20, 2026 · Last reviewed October 22, 2026 This note is not an appraisal and not legal, tax, or foreclosure advice. Nothing on this page creates a listing agreement. Equal Housing Opportunity. ## Also in the catalog - [Can I Sell My Los Angeles Home If I Live Outside the U.S.?](https://realestateworks.com/journal/i-live-outside-the-united-states-and-want-to-sell-my-home-in-los-angeles-can-you) Yes, you can sell a Los Angeles home from abroad: documents can be signed electronically, and you can check any agent's license on the DRE lookup. At closing the buyer generally withholds 15% for FIRPTA, and California withholding applies unless an exemption fits, so ask a CPA or tax advisor which rules fit your sale. - [How do we sell the house during a divorce in California?](https://realestateworks.com/journal/how-do-we-sell-the-house-during-a-divorce-in-california) Once a divorce petition is filed and the petition and summons are served in California (or service is waived), the restraining orders in the summons under Family Code section 2040 bar both spouses from transferring or disposing of property without the other spouse's written consent or a court order, except in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life. The California Courts say that until you have a court order, property or debt from your marriage "still belongs to both of you". - [Can I sell my house with tenants in it in California?](https://realestateworks.com/journal/can-i-sell-my-house-with-tenants-in-it-california) Yes, you can list a rented home, and the state's just-cause list for ending a tenancy in Civil Code section 1946.2 doesn't include a sale. You can sell with the tenant in place or end the tenancy only for a listed reason with any relocation owed, and Pasadena and unincorporated LA County add their own rules. --- Sidney Manzo, CA DRE #01108914 · RE/MAX Dream Properties (ASLG Inc), CA DRE #02142193 · (626) 296-2900 Source page: https://realestateworks.com/journal/i-live-out-of-california-what-do-i-need-to-sell-a-house-in-los-angeles-ca