Nevada City · Foreclosure & auctions

Foreclosure and auctions in Nevada City

Nevada City requires the owner of any vacant building, not only foreclosures, to register it within 30 days after it becomes vacant, or within 10 days of the city's notice, whichever is earlier. Foreclosure timelines and auction rules come from state law.

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Key points

Registration: The owner of any vacant building registers within 30 days after vacancy or 10 days after the enforcement official's notice, whichever is earlier.
Fees: City Council sets a registration processing fee and a monitoring fee, the latter due at registration and quarterly while the building stays vacant.
Weekly inspections: A vacant building must be inspected at least weekly for compliance with maintenance standards.
Relief: An owner may be relieved of registration by showing an active repair or rehabilitation permit with work proceeding.
State timeline: State law: notice of sale comes at least 3 months after notice of default is recorded and at least 20 days before the sale.
State sale window: Under state law, a 1–4 unit trustee's sale is not final for 15 days; eligible bidders who give notice may bid within 45 days.

Each rule below is marked Nevada City code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Registering vacant and foreclosed homes

Nevada City code What Nevada City's code adds
Local contact	The registration must include the local property management company or agent responsible for security, maintenance and monitoring. Applies: Applies to a corporation or out-of-area beneficiary, trustee or owner. § 8.05.050 · code text In the case of a corporation or out of area beneficiary or trustee or owner, the local property management company or agent responsible for the security, maintenance, and monitoring of the property shall be included.
Upkeep duties	Keep landscaping alive, growing and healthy. Keep the building exterior's finishes, doors, roofing, windows and paint intact, free of cracks, peeling, rust or worn areas. Remove trash, debris, personal property and graffiti. Follow applicable codes; prevent criminal activity. Applies: Applies to vacant buildings. § 8.05.070 · code text The owner of a vacant building shall maintain it and the property where it is located in accordance with the following standards, without limitation: Inspect the vacant building at least weekly for compliance with maintenance standards. Applies: Applies to vacant buildings. § 8.05.060 · code text The owner of a vacant building shall cause it to be inspected at least weekly for compliance with the maintenance standards of this chapter.
Deadline to register	Within 30 days after the building becomes vacant. Applies: Owner of any vacant building; the earlier of this or the 10-day notice deadline applies. § 8.05.050 · code text Within 30 days after it has become vacant; or Within 10 days after notice to register from the enforcement official. Applies: Owner of any vacant building; the earlier of this or the 30-day deadline applies. § 8.05.050 · code text Within 10 days after notice to do so from the enforcement official; whichever occurs first.
Registration fee	An amount set by City Council resolution. Applies: The vacant building registration processing fee, due when submitting an application for vacant building registration or removal from registration. § 8.05.080 · code text Vacant building registration processing fee: at the time of submitting an application for vacant building registration or removal from registration. An amount set by City Council resolution. Applies: The vacant building monitoring fee, due at registration and quarterly after that while the building remains vacant. § 8.05.080 · code text Vacant building monitoring fee: at the time of submitting a registration for vacant building registration, and quarterly thereafter while the building remains vacant.
Registration	Registration is required. Applies: Applies to the owner of any vacant building, not only foreclosures. § 8.05.050 · code text The property owner of a vacant building shall register it in accordance with this section: The owner may be relieved of registration. Applies: The owner shows with evidence that the building has an active repair or rehabilitation permit and the work is proceeding without significant delay. § 8.05.050 · code text The building is the subject of an active, valid building permit for repair or rehabilitation and the owner provides evidence, such as receipts, invoices or executed contracts, that the repair or rehabilitation is proceeding without significant delay.

Foreclosure steps and deadlines

CA state law California law sets this statewide. Time between notice of default and sale: At least three months after the notice of default is recorded before notice of sale; the sale itself no earlier than three months and 20 days after the notice of default (Civ. Code § 2924(a)(2), (a)(4)). Notice of trustee's sale: Posted, published and recorded at least 20 days before the sale (Civ. Code § 2924f(b)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

Homeowner protections

CA state law California law sets this statewide. No foreclosure while a loan modification is pending: If a complete first-lien modification application is submitted at least five business days before a sale, the servicer may not record a notice of default or sale, or hold the sale, while it is pending (Civ. Code § 2923.6(c)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

The trustee's sale (auction)

CA state law California law sets this statewide. When and where sales are held: At public auction in the county where the property is, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on a business day (Civ. Code § 2924g(a)(1)). Tenant and owner-occupant priority after a sale (SB 1079): On 1–4 unit property, a trustee's sale is not final for 15 days; eligible tenant buyers and eligible bidders who give notice of intent may bid within 45 days (Civ. Code § 2924m(c)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

Tenants in a foreclosed home

CA state law California law sets this statewide. Tenants in a foreclosed property: A month-to-month tenant must get at least 90 days' written notice to quit; a tenant with a fixed-term lease signed before the sale may stay to the end of the lease (Code Civ. Proc. § 1161b(a), (b)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

Debt after the sale

CA state law California law sets this statewide. No deficiency after a trustee's sale: After a nonjudicial trustee's sale, the lender cannot collect any shortfall from the borrower (Code Civ. Proc. § 580d(a)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

Who this affects

Homeowners behind on a loanBuyers of bank-owned homesLenders and servicers

Frequently asked questions

Must a lender or owner register a vacant or foreclosed home in Nevada City?

The owner of any vacant building registers within 30 days after vacancy or 10 days after the enforcement official's notice, whichever is earlier. City Council sets a registration processing fee and a monitoring fee, the latter due at registration and quarterly while the building stays vacant. A vacant building must be inspected at least weekly for compliance with maintenance standards. An owner may be relieved of registration by showing an active repair or rehabilitation permit with work proceeding.

General information, not legal advice.

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