Our first purchase was a duplex in Santa Ana in 1995. The owner needed to sell quickly—divorce situation, neither spouse wanted the property. We closed in 18 days. That transaction taught us that people don’t just sell houses; they solve problems.
Thirty years and 693 properties later, we’re still solving problems throughout Southern California. But the lessons we’ve learned—what works, what doesn’t, what homeowners actually need from cash buyers—those took decades to accumulate.
What You Learn After 693 Transactions
You learn that condition doesn’t matter as much as people think.
Property #127 was a Pasadena house where the roof had partially collapsed. The owner was elderly, living with family, couldn’t afford repairs. We bought it, gutted it, rebuilt it. Property #492 was a pristine Irvine condo, barely lived in, that needed zero work. We bought both.
After hundreds of purchases, you stop seeing “good properties” and “bad properties.” You see opportunities. Every house in Southern California has value—you just need to know how to unlock it. Whether it’s fire damage, water and mold issues, or code violations, we’ve handled it all.
You learn that speed matters more than price.
In 2008, we purchased a Long Beach apartment building from an owner facing foreclosure. His auction date was 12 days away. We closed in 9 days. He didn’t care that our offer was lower than what he’d hoped to get six months earlier. He cared that we could execute immediately and save him from foreclosure.
After 30 years, we’ve streamlined our process to close houses in 14 days and apartments in 21 days throughout LA, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and San Diego counties. That capability solves more problems than offering slightly higher prices.
You learn that trust is everything.
Property #218 was listed by an agent who’d been burned by wholesalers three times. Each time, the “buyer” put the property under contract, shopped it around for weeks, then cancelled when they couldn’t find an end buyer. The agent was skeptical of all cash buyers.
We showed him our proof of funds, our closed transaction history, and our contractor team that handles renovations in-house. No wholesaling, no assignment clauses, no games. We closed in 16 days. He’s referred us 34 deals since then. Learn more about why we’re always the principal buyer.
Real estate runs on trust. After 693 closings, our reputation does most of our marketing.
The Evolution of Urban Street Ventures
1995-2005: Learning the Business
We started small—single-family houses in Orange County and LA County that needed work. We’d buy them, renovate them, sell them. Classic fix-and-flip model. During this decade, we completed about 180 transactions and learned construction, permitting, contractor management, and what buyers wanted in Southern California properties.
Key lesson from this period: Speed kills deals. The faster we could evaluate, close, and renovate, the better our returns. We built our contractor team in-house to eliminate scheduling dependencies on outside trades.
2005-2015: Expanding into Income Properties
The recession hit. Distressed properties flooded the market. We started purchasing apartment buildings—duplexes, fourplexes, small 8-10 unit buildings. Property #201 was an 8-unit building in Santa Ana with tenant issues, deferred maintenance, and an owner who’d given up. We bought it, renovated it, and still own it today as a rental.
This decade taught us property management, rent control regulations in Los Angeles cities, tenant law, and the economics of income properties. We completed about 250 transactions during this period and became as comfortable buying apartment buildings as houses.
2015-2025: Specializing in Problem Properties
The market heated up. Competition intensified for clean properties. We shifted focus to situations other buyers avoided: properties with code violations, fire damage, water damage, hoarder situations, tenant problems, foreclosures, probate sales.
Property #467 was a Riverside house that had been red-tagged by code enforcement. Unpermitted additions, electrical violations, structural issues. Most buyers ran. We purchased it, worked with the city on compliance, spent six months bringing it to code. That’s our competitive advantage—we solve problems others can’t or won’t handle.
We’ve completed about 260 transactions in this most recent decade, with increasing focus on complicated situations throughout Southern California.
What Experience Means for Sellers
We know Southern California real estate inside and out.
Every city in LA, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and San Diego counties has different codes, permit requirements, market dynamics. We’ve worked in all of them. When you call about your property, we already know your local market conditions, comparable sales, and what buyers will pay.
We’ve seen every problem before.
Your house has foundation cracks? We’ve purchased 50+ properties with foundation issues. Mold damage? We’ve remediated mold in hundreds of properties. Difficult tenants? We’ve handled every tenant situation imaginable. Code violations? We work with city code enforcement regularly.
Whatever problem you’re facing with your Southern California property, we’ve solved it before. Repeatedly. Whether you’re behind on mortgage payments, dealing with a short sale, or just need to sell quickly, we have the experience to help.
We have systems that work.
After 693 closings, we know exactly how to:
- Evaluate properties in 20-30 minutes
- Generate accurate cash offers within 24 hours
- Open escrow and close in 2-3 weeks
- Coordinate with title companies, lenders, city officials
- Handle unexpected issues without delaying closing
New cash buyers figure this out as they go. We’ve refined our process over three decades.
We’re not experimenting with your property.
Some cash buyers are new to the business—they’re learning as they go, making mistakes on your transaction. We’re 30 years in. We know our numbers, our contractors, our capabilities. When we make an offer, we’ve already calculated repair costs, holding costs, and resale value. No surprises, no renegotiations, no backing out. Learn more about identifying legitimate cash buyers.
The Numbers Tell the Story
693 completed transactions
Not offers made, not contracts signed—closings completed. We close the deals we commit to.
$352 million in purchases
From $200,000 houses to $5 million apartment buildings, we have the financial capacity for any property size.
95%+ closing rate
Once we make an offer and open escrow, we close. Traditional buyers close about 70-80% of their deals. Learn more about how we eliminate contingencies.
14-21 day average closing
Fast enough to stop foreclosures, quick enough for urgent situations, but not so rushed that details get missed.
Zero wholesaling
We’re always the actual buyer. No assignment clauses, no shopping your property to other buyers, no cancelled deals because we couldn’t find an end buyer.
What Agents Say About Working With Us
“I’ve brought Urban Street 12 listings over 8 years. They’ve closed every single one. Some were houses in terrible condition my sellers couldn’t afford to fix. Some were estates with complicated probate situations. Urban Street handles everything professionally and always performs.” – Jennifer M., Coldwell Banker, Irvine
“The difference between Urban Street and other cash buyers? Urban Street closes. I’ve watched other ‘investors’ put properties under contract, then cancel after wasting everyone’s time. Urban Street provides proof of funds immediately, closes on schedule, and never renegotiates. That’s why I keep referring them.” – Mark T., Keller Williams, Los Angeles
“My seller needed $400,000 quickly to pay off business debts. His house had fire damage and needed $80,000 in work. Traditional buyers wouldn’t touch it. Urban Street closed in 14 days and gave him the cash he needed. Thirty years of experience shows in how smoothly they handled a complicated situation.” – Sarah P., Compass, Pasadena
The Kinds of Properties We’ve Purchased
Houses, condos, townhomes – From starter homes in Riverside to luxury properties in Newport Beach
Apartment buildings – Duplexes to 30-unit buildings throughout Southern California
Commercial properties – Retail buildings, mixed-use properties, office buildings
Fire-damaged properties – Kitchen fires to total losses requiring complete reconstruction
Water and mold-damaged properties – Burst pipes, roof leaks, flood damage, extensive mold
Properties with code violations – Unpermitted additions, illegal conversions, habitability violations
Hoarder houses – Complete cleanouts and renovations required
Tenant-occupied rentals – Problem tenants, rent control complications, below-market rents
Foreclosure properties – Pre-foreclosure purchases stopping auctions
Probate sales – Estate properties requiring court approval
Divorce situations – Quick sales to divide assets
Location matters. Condition doesn’t. We buy properties in any condition throughout Southern California regardless of property challenges. Learn more about what we buy.
Why Experience Counts When Choosing a Cash Buyer
New cash buyers:
- Learning as they go
- Limited transaction history
- May lack sufficient funds for complex deals
- Might back out when unexpected issues arise
- Often wholesalers trying to flip contracts
Experienced cash buyers like Urban Street Ventures:
- Refined processes from hundreds of transactions
- Proven track record over decades
- Financial capacity for any deal size
- Solve problems rather than backing out
- Direct purchasers, never wholesaling
When you’re selling your Southern California property, especially with complicated circumstances, you want a buyer who’s seen it before and knows how to close. Understanding the difference between cash and traditional sales is important when choosing your path forward.
Our Southern California Coverage
Los Angeles County – LA, Long Beach, Pasadena, Torrance, Glendale, Pomona, Santa Monica, Compton, and all 88 cities
Orange County – Santa Ana, Anaheim, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Mission Viejo, and all 34 cities
Riverside County – Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley, Temecula, Murrieta, and all Inland Empire communities
San Bernardino County – San Bernardino, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Victorville, and High Desert areas
Ventura County – Ventura, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo, and coastal cities
San Diego County – San Diego, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad, and all South Bay areas
Get an Offer From Buyers Who Know What They’re Doing
Thirty years buying Southern California real estate. 693 completed transactions. $352 million in purchases. Zero wholesaling. In-house construction teams. Proven track record with agents and homeowners throughout six counties.
When you need to sell your house or apartment in Southern California—regardless of condition or situation—contact Urban Street Ventures for a no-obligation cash offer within 24 hours.
Fair offers based on actual market knowledge and real experience. Closings in 14-21 days. No games, no gimmics, no surprises. Whether you’re downsizing in retirement, facing foreclosure, or dealing with property issues, we have the experience to help.
Call 1-800-500-2601 or request your cash offer.