Question 1

How do I secure a real-estate contract in Santa Barbara?

Accepted Answer

Record a memorandum of contract in the Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara allow electronic recording of a memorandum?

Accepted Answer

Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara?

Accepted Answer

One flat price that includes the county fee ($14.00 base first page first / $3.00 per additional page add'l (+Nonconforming fee $3.00 per page not 8.5x11 (up to 8.5x14); $49.00 NSF fee for returned checks)), your online notary session, and tracking to a recording number.

Memorandum filing isn't available in California yet