Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

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

Accepted Answer

Santa Cruz 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 Cruz?

Accepted Answer

One flat price that includes the county fee ($14.00 first page (8.5x11 standard) first / $3.00 per additional page add'l (+SB2/AB1466 and Real Estate Fraud fees may apply per document type (not itemized in source found))), your online notary session, and tracking to a recording number.

Memorandum filing isn't available in California yet