Escrow Services in Riverside, California

Riverside has an unusually wide range of housing for escrow to handle: historic homes near downtown and the Wood Streets, postwar tracts, hillside homes in the south, condos near the universities, and small multi-unit rentals. Historic-district properties can require city review for exterior changes, and older homes may have long title histories that need clearing.

Because Riverside County recordings are handled by the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, Riverside files follow a different county's recording and tax rules than our San Bernardino County escrows. We confirm county requirements for each transaction, and the settlement statement shows the documentary transfer tax and any city tax that applies, along with who pays it under your contract.

Student and faculty housing near UC Riverside draws investors. Buying a rental with tenants in place means collecting leases, rent rolls and security deposits, and crediting deposits correctly at closing. Investors selling one rental to buy another can use a 1031 exchange with a qualified intermediary.

March Air Reserve Base lies southeast of the city and Riverside Municipal Airport is on the west side, so some properties carry an airport influence disclosure. Along with fire and flood zone items, those come through the Natural Hazard Disclosure report, which we make sure is delivered on time.

Riverside has a long list of locally designated historic districts and landmarks, and the Mission Inn downtown is a National Historic Landmark. Buyers of an older home in or near those districts should ask the city early what review applies to exterior work, and sellers should gather any records of past permits or repairs. Riverside also operates its own electric and water utility, Riverside Public Utilities, so buyers set up service with the city rather than a regional utility. We are about a half-hour drive from much of Riverside, and signings can happen at our Redlands office or with a mobile notary closer to you.