A pending sale that doesn't close, followed by a price change upward, is the classic sign of a short-sale lender rejecting a price and naming its own.

What this means for you

• If this is still a short sale, the seller can sign your offer, but it isn't binding until the lender approves it in writing. That can take 30 to 90+ days.
• Short sales are normally sold as-is; the seller usually has no money for repairs or credits.
• The owner bought at $462,500 in 2022, so a sale at today's prices likely leaves a loan shortfall the lender must accept.

Documents to request before removing contingencies

California Civil Code §4525 requires the seller to provide these before closing. Ask for them early and read them before removing contingencies.

• Assessment and Reserve Funding Disclosure (§5570). Under 30% funded is weak, 30–70% is fair, over 70% is strong.
• Most recent reserve study (§5550). Check when roofs, exterior paint and paving are scheduled and whether money is set aside.
• Current budget and financial statements, including any approved dues increase or special assessment.
• Master insurance policy summary (§5300), including the deductible that could be passed to owners.
• Litigation and construction-defect notices (§6100, §6150).
• Delinquency rate and any unpaid dues on this unit. Unpaid dues are common in short sales and must be cleared at closing.

Assigned schools come from the U.S. Department of Education's 2015–16 attendance-boundary data; nearby ones from its 2024–25 school data. Distances are straight-line from the property. Confirm current assignments with the district's online school locator on its Boundary Information page (egusd.net/StudentsFamilies/FormsQuick-Links/Boundary-Information/). Performance shows California School Dashboard indicators where found.

Assigned schools come from attendance-boundary data that can be out of date. Districts redraw boundaries and may send new students elsewhere when a school is full, so confirm which schools serve this address with Elk Grove Unified School District before relying on it. EGUSD's Boundary Information page says the district periodically changes boundaries and may redirect some middle and high school students to other schools to prevent overcrowding (the redirection map posted there covers other schools). Check the locator for this address.

The Census Bureau places this address inside Sacramento city limits, so Sacramento Police Department serves it. Offenses reported to the FBI by Sacramento Police Department, per 100,000 residents, for Nov 2025 – Oct 2026. Indented rows are part of the total above them.

Five-year trend · offenses per 100,000 residents, by calendar year

Assumptions: 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.24% (Freddie Mac PMMS average, Oct 29, 2026). Property tax at 1.13%, the effective rate on this unit's 2024 bill ($5,328 on a $471,750 assessed value); your bill resets to the purchase price. Insurance is an estimate; get a quote. Direct levies on the tax bill were not verified.

What still needs checking

• Preliminary title report. Ask escrow to order it as soon as you're in contract; it is the definitive check for liens, unpaid taxes and notices of default.
• ePropTax lookup. Enter the parcel's APN at the Sacramento County tax site to see whether the 2025–26 installments are paid and which direct levies apply.
• Short-sale approval letter. Make sure it covers all lienholders and states who pays any unpaid HOA dues and back taxes.

The evidence on what the seller and its lender will accept points well above $325,000.

• The listing is pending with another buyer as of Nov 2, 2026. An offer now would most likely be a backup that only comes into play if that contract falls apart.
• During the last short-sale attempt, the price moved from $370,000 to $418,000 while a sale was pending. That suggests the lender expects a price near $400K or more. An offer roughly 19% below the current $399,900 list price is very unlikely to be approved.
• Recent same-plan sales ($425,000 in Oct 2026, $430,000 in Oct 2025) give the lender's valuation (often a broker price opinion) little reason to come in near $325,000.
• Your realistic leverage comes from documented problems: inspection findings, an underfunded reserve or upcoming special assessment in the HOA package, or unpaid dues and taxes. These support asking for a lower price, but a short-sale lender often accepts less only with written evidence.
• Short-sale lenders value certainty. A strong loan pre-approval, flexible closing date and patience with the approval timeline can matter as much as price.

• Sale type and lender. Ask the listing agent whether the current listing is still a short sale, which lender(s) hold the loans, and whether the earlier $418,000 figure was the lender's approved price.
• City limits. The Census Geocoder places the address inside the City of Sacramento, not the City of Elk Grove. Confirm with escrow whether a Sacramento city transfer tax applies (the MLS shows 0%), and which city provides services.
• Occupancy. The unit was offered for rent in 2023. Confirm whether a tenant lives there now and that it will be delivered vacant.
• Inspection. Short sales are usually as-is. Order a full inspection, including roof, HVAC and water heater (all 2008-era unless replaced), before your contingency deadline.
• Financing and insurance. Have your lender confirm the complex qualifies for your loan type, check the FEMA flood map for the parcel, and get an HO-6 quote that fits the HOA master policy deductible.