Modesto · Buying & selling
Buying or selling a home in Modesto
Modesto has no transfer tax rule of its own; its code makes owners keep fronting sidewalks in repair and sets a utility users tax. Seller disclosures and property tax limits come from state law.
Key points
- Transfer tax: Modesto has no city transfer tax rule; state law lets the county tax sales over $100 at $0.55 per $500 of value.
- Sidewalk repairs: City rule: owners of property fronting a street with a sidewalk must keep the sidewalk in repair and in a safe condition.
- Utility tax: City rule: 6% on electricity and gas and 5.8% on telecommunication charges, at most $1,500 per service per calendar year.
- Disclosure statement: State law: single-family sellers must give a Transfer Disclosure Statement; a buyer getting it after the offer may cancel within 3 or 5 days.
- Property tax: State law: the general property tax is at most 1% of full cash value plus voter-approved debt; base value rises at most 2% yearly.
- Homeowner exemption: State law: $7,000 of assessed value is exempt when the home is the owner's principal residence.
Each rule below is marked Modesto code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Transfer tax
CA state law Modesto has no rule of its own on this, so California law 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 →
Sidewalk repairs
| Who must repair it |
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Utility users tax
| Tax on electricity |
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| Tax on gas |
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| Tax on water, phone or cable |
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Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
What is the transfer tax when you sell a home in Modesto?
Modesto has no city transfer tax rule; state law lets the county tax sales over $100 at $0.55 per $500 of value.
What are the sidewalk repair rules for homeowners in Modesto?
City rule: owners of property fronting a street with a sidewalk must keep the sidewalk in repair and in a safe condition.
Does Modesto charge a utility users tax?
City rule: 6% on electricity and gas and 5.8% on telecommunication charges, at most $1,500 per service per calendar year.
General information, not legal advice.
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