Lost a loved one?
Probate Law Group
Verified Florida partner for probate and estate matters.
(813) 600-9717
- 1.2M Residents
- $78B County GDP
- $67,015 GDP per Capita
Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County sits in the East Bay across the Carquinez Strait, with roughly 1.16 million residents and a diversified economy spanning refining/energy along the I-680/I-80 corridor, biotech, and white-collar commuter employment. The county seat is Martinez, with the largest cities being Concord, Antioch, and Richmond. Housing markets range from premium West County (Lafayette, Orinda, Walnut Creek) to more affordable East County (Antioch, Pittsburg, Brentwood).
Property in Contra Costa
What every owner, heir, and investor should know.
Owning a home in Contra Costa.
Homeowners enjoy proximity to Bay Area job centers with relatively more inventory than San Francisco or Alameda. The Assessor administers Prop 13 base-year values, supplemental assessments after sale, and Prop 19 base-value transfers for qualifying homeowners 55+ or disaster victims. Annual tax bills are mailed in October with first installments due November 1 and second installments due February 1.
Investing in Contra Costa.
Contra Costa offers a wide spread of cap rates, from low yields in West County premium markets to better cash flow in Antioch, Pittsburg, and Bay Point. Single-family rentals in East County have historically tracked Bay Area employment growth. Investors should evaluate just-cause and rent-cap exposure under California AB 1482 and any city-specific rent control ordinances (Richmond, Antioch).
After a Contra Costa foreclosure or tax deed sale.
Non-judicial trustee sales for Contra Costa County typically take place at the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez or at the location specified in the Notice of Trustee Sale. The Treasurer-Tax Collector's annual tax-defaulted property auction is conducted online via Bid4Assets, typically in spring. Tax-defaulted sales pass title via tax deed but may carry surviving federal liens and assessments.
Courts and records in Contra Costa.
The Contra Costa Superior Court has its main civil and criminal divisions at the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez, with branches in Pittsburg, Richmond, and Walnut Creek for limited jurisdiction matters. Recorded land documents are searchable through the Clerk-Recorder's RecorderWorks portal, while court case lookups use the Superior Court's odyssey portal.