Tell us about the house.
Start with the address, current condition, who lives there, and the closing date you want. Share known repair or title issues; you do not need to finish a renovation before contacting us.
As-is cash home buyers
Need to sell your house fast in San Francisco, CA?
HouseResolve buys houses directly in San Francisco, CA. Receive a cash offer within 24 hours and sell as-is, without repairs or a cleanout. Before most covered San Francisco residential sales, the seller must obtain and deliver the City's Report of Residential Building Record, commonly called a 3R. Tell us the condition, occupancy, and closing date you have in mind.
Sell directly to HouseResolve
Get your San Francisco cash offer in three steps.
No repairs, no showings, and no obligation to accept.
Review your offer within 24 hours.
We review the property and explain our cash offer. Compare the written price, any inspection terms, what stays with the house, and what you will receive at closing.
Choose the closing that fits.
If you accept, we work with you on the closing and possession dates. Existing ownership, payoff, and local transfer requirements still need to be addressed before the sale completes.
Your San Francisco sale decision
Prepare San Francisco 3R, permit, and zoning records
Start with the current Department of Building Inspection 3R application. The form uses the block, lot, building address, other associated addresses, ownership, and unit information.
Selling as-is to HouseResolve
If the property has tenants, an as-is offer can be considered while the home is occupied. Use the block, lot, building or unit, all addresses, and ownership information required by the current application. Use the lease, documented condition, and lawful access arrangements when setting the sale and possession plan.
Preparing for a listing
If the home is rented, compare the possible listing price with the practical work of preparing and showing an occupied property. Identify the issuing division, cited condition, correction route, inspection requirement, and current NOV status. Include tenant coordination, any confirmed municipal work, and continued ownership costs rather than assuming immediate vacant possession.
Useful details to gather
Check the present occupancy and advertised units against the 3R, DBI history, and Planning information. Use SF Planning for zoning and land-use questions. Add current condition photos, ownership details, and your preferred timing to the same property file.
An as-is cash sale can reduce preparation and financing uncertainty. A listing may produce a higher price if you have time to prepare and market the home. Compare your expected proceeds after payoffs, agreed costs, and continued ownership expenses, along with the work and timing each route requires.
Read the local property details and official sourcesCommon questions about selling in San Francisco
Practical answers before you sign an agreement.
Verify address-specific requirements with the office responsible for the property.
What is a San Francisco 3R report?
It is the Report of Residential Building Record required by Housing Code Section 351(a) for covered residential sales or exchanges. The owner obtains it and delivers it to the buyer.
Does a correction permit close a DBI violation?
Not on issuance alone. Check required inspections and the violation record's current status. A permit can authorize correction work without proving the case is complete.
Which agency answers San Francisco zoning questions?
SF Planning's Zoning and Compliance Division handles Planning Code interpretation and enforcement. DBI separately addresses building-code permits, inspections, and violations.
City property guide for San Francisco property owners
Prepare San Francisco 3R, permit, and zoning records
Before most covered San Francisco residential sales, the seller must obtain and deliver the City's Report of Residential Building Record, commonly called a 3R. That report belongs beside the permit, complaint, violation, zoning, and unit-use history. Gather your block and lot, your addresses, known alterations, tenancy information, and notices early. HouseResolve can review the building as it stands and give you written as-is terms. Compare them with the 3R order, verified corrections, listing preparation, buyer access, and the time your sale can absorb. Choose the San Francisco route that fits your budget, protects your tenant and access plans, and leaves you only the record work you can manage yourself.
Start with the current Department of Building Inspection 3R application. It states that an owner may not sell or exchange a residential building covered by Housing Code Section 351(a) without first obtaining and delivering the report to the buyer. The form uses the block, lot, building address, other associated addresses, ownership, and unit information. Condominiums and cooperative units have specific request instructions. Order the report for the correct building or unit and review what it says about the authorized residential record; do not substitute a contractor's room count or an assessor description.
Next, research DBI permits, inspections, complaints, and Notices of Violation for the address. DBI's Building Inspection Division investigates unsafe structures and work without permits and carries out code enforcement. A permit to correct a violation is not the same as a final inspection or a closed case. Pair each material alteration with its scope and inspection result, then confirm the current status of any notice with the assigned unit. If rooms or a separate living area appear to function as another dwelling, compare the current use with the 3R and city permit record before describing it to a buyer.
Use SF Planning for zoning and land-use questions. Its Zoning and Compliance Division interprets and enforces the Planning Code, and the Property Information Map is the department's address-based starting point. Historic or unauthorized-unit issues can require Planning review in addition to DBI action. Because San Francisco is consolidated, city and county property functions share one jurisdiction, but the agencies still answer different questions. Compare verified correction and listing costs with an as-is agreement's price, investigation rights, handling of notices, title conditions, expenses, closing date, and possession terms.
Compare selling optionsJurisdiction check
Keep municipal and county records in their proper lanes.
Postal names and service boundaries can point to different public offices.
Confirm the address is inside San Francisco's local jurisdiction before relying on municipal records.
Required residential building record reports, permit and complaint history, Notices of Violation, zoning, and authorized unit use
San Francisco is both a city and county. Its Department of Building Inspection, Planning Department, and Assessor-Recorder serve the same consolidated jurisdiction.
A practical checklist for selling in San Francisco
Gather the records that can change your timing or net proceeds.
Use the block, lot, building or unit, all addresses, and ownership information required by the current application.
Pair each material alteration with its approved scope, inspection trail, and recorded completion status.
Identify the issuing division, cited condition, correction route, inspection requirement, and current NOV status.
Check the present occupancy and advertised units against the 3R, DBI history, and Planning information.
Before you choose a sale path
Four questions worth answering early.
You can still request an offer while you gather missing records or repair estimates.
- 1
Has the required 3R been requested for the correct San Francisco building or unit?
- 2
Which alteration permits have a final inspection or recorded completion?
- 3
What does the assigned city unit require to close each active notice?
- 4
Do the 3R, zoning, and current layout agree on the number and use of units?
Sources and local records
Verify what applies to the address.
These official resources support the local guidance above. Contact the responsible office when a permit, notice, tax, title, utility, or boundary record affects your sale.
Reviewed by HouseResolve editorial team on .
- San Francisco Department of Building Inspection: 3R ApplicationHousing Code Section 351(a) seller duty, covered residential-building definition, and building or unit request requirements.Accessed 2026-08-09
- City and County of San Francisco: Building Inspection DivisionDBI inspection and enforcement responsibility for unsafe structures and work performed without permits.Accessed 2026-08-09
- San Francisco Planning: Zoning and CompliancePlanning Code interpretation, property zoning research, complaint response, and land-use enforcement.Accessed 2026-08-09
See whether an as-is cash offer fits your situation