East Palo Alto · Buying & selling
Buying or selling a home in East Palo Alto
East Palo Alto has its own documentary transfer tax on property transfers. Seller disclosures and property tax follow state law.
Key points
- Who pays: East Palo Alto's transfer tax is owed by anyone who makes, signs or issues the taxed document, or for whose benefit it is made.
- Seller disclosures: State law: sellers of single-family homes must give buyers a Transfer Disclosure Statement, with exemptions such as foreclosure and court-ordered sales.
- Property tax: State law: general property tax is at most 1% of full cash value plus voter-approved debt; the base value rises at most 2% a year.
Each rule below is marked East Palo Alto code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Transfer tax
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CA state law Underneath, California law still applies. County documentary transfer tax: A county may tax a sale over $100 at $0.55 for each $500 of value ($1.10 per $1,000), not counting liens that remain on the property (Rev. & Tax. Code § 11911(a)). City share of the tax: A city may impose half the county rate ($0.55 per $1,000); the county then credits the city tax against its own, so the combined standard rate stays $1.10 per $1,000 (Rev. & Tax. Code § 11931). California rules for buying and selling — the full state rule →
Seller disclosures
CA state law California law sets this statewide. Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) — who must give it: Sellers of single-family residential property must give the buyer a Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement (sale, exchange, installment contract, lease-option or ground lease with improvements) (Civ. Code §§ 1102(a), 1102.2). Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement (NHD): Sellers must disclose if the property is in a special flood hazard area, dam inundation area, very high fire hazard severity zone, earthquake fault zone, seismic hazard zone, or wildland fire area (Civ. Code § 1103(c)). California seller disclosure rules — the full state rule →
Property tax after you buy
CA state law California law sets this statewide. 1% property tax limit (Prop 13): The general property tax on real property may not exceed 1% of its full cash value; voter-approved bond debt is levied on top (Cal. Const. art. XIII A, § 1(a), (b)). 2% annual cap on assessed value: The base year value rises each year by the California CPI change, but never more than 2% (Rev. & Tax. Code § 51(a)(1)(D)). California property tax rules — the full state rule →
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
What is the transfer tax when you sell a home in East Palo Alto?
East Palo Alto's transfer tax is owed by anyone who makes, signs or issues the taxed document, or for whose benefit it is made.
General information, not legal advice.
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