Question 1

How do I secure a real-estate contract in San Mateo?

Accepted Answer

Record a memorandum of contract in the San Mateo real-property records. It puts the public on notice of your equitable interest so the seller can’t cleanly sell to someone else. Notarized online, recorded with the county, and returned to you.

Question 2

Does San Mateo allow electronic recording of a memorandum?

Accepted Answer

San Mateo supports electronic recording (via Simplifile), so a compliant memorandum can be on record quickly.

Question 3

What does it cost to record a memorandum in San Mateo?

Accepted Answer

One flat price that includes the county fee ($14.00 base first page first / $3.00 per additional page add'l (+Real Estate Fraud fee $6.00 per title; SB2 fee $75.00 per parcel/title (up to $225 cap); Survey Monument Preservation fee $10.00 where applicable; undersized print $1.00/page; nonstandard document size $3.00/page)), your online notary session, and tracking to a recording number.

Memorandum filing isn't available in California yet