Sonoma County Condos for Sale

By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.

Sonoma County’s condos and townhomes are concentrated in its cities, especially along the US 101 and SMART rail corridor from Petaluma to Windsor, with more in Healdsburg, Sonoma, Sebastopol and a few coastal association communities. Before you buy, read the association documents California requires the seller to hand over, confirm the project works for your loan, and check the city or county vacation rental rules if you plan to rent the unit out, because in most of the county short stays are limited or barred.

At a glance

Where to look in Sonoma County

Condo and townhome projects depend on city water and sewer, so most of them sit within city limits. In the unincorporated county, Permit Sonoma describes R2 and R3 as its higher-density residential districts; those are the zones where attached housing is more likely outside a city.

• Santa Rosa. The county’s largest city has the widest choice of attached housing. Start with our Santa Rosa condos page and the Santa Rosa real estate guide; SMART stops at Santa Rosa North, Santa Rosa Downtown and Sonoma County Airport (SMART stations).
• Petaluma. Petaluma Downtown and Petaluma North SMART stations, and a city transfer tax (see below). See Petaluma real estate.
• Rohnert Park and Cotati. A SMART station in each city. See Rohnert Park homes for sale and Cotati real estate.
• Windsor. The northern end of the current SMART line. Associations aren’t limited to condos; our Windsor association and assessment costs page explains how to read them. See Windsor real estate.
• Healdsburg, Sonoma and Sebastopol. In-town options; check each town page. See Healdsburg real estate, Sonoma real estate, Sebastopol real estate and our piece on Sebastopol’s Canopy townhomes. SMART lists Healdsburg and Cloverdale stations as planned, not open.
• The coast. The Sea Ranch real estate is an association community with its own architectural history, including Condominium One. Coastal Zone rules apply there and in Bodega Bay real estate.

For the bigger city-versus-county picture, see where to live in Sonoma County.

What to check before you buy

The HOA disclosure package

California sellers of a unit in a common interest development must give you a defined set of documents "as soon as practicable" before transfer of title or signing a sales contract (Civil Code 4525). The list includes:

1. The governing documents (CC&Rs, bylaws, rules).
2. The most recent annual budget report and related disclosures distributed under Civil Code 5300.
3. A statement of current regular and special assessments, plus anything unpaid on the unit.
4. Any unresolved violation notice sent to the owner.
5. Any board-approved assessment changes not yet due.
6. A statement describing any rental or leasing prohibition in the governing documents.
7. The report from the most recent balcony and stairway inspection under Civil Code 5551.
8. On your request, the last 12 months of approved board minutes, excluding executive session.

Ask for the minutes. They are where you see what the board is debating: roof replacements, insurance renewals, siding or deck repairs. Our HOA documents guide walks through each item and how to read the reserve disclosures.

Lender approval of the project

For most condo loans the lender reviews the project as well as you. FHA insures loans on units in FHA-approved projects, or in projects that qualify for Single-Unit Approval: the project must not already be approved, must be complete with at least five units, and must meet a subset of HUD’s standards, including owner-occupancy and financial condition (HUD). You can check status on HUD’s FHA-approved condominium search. For VA loans, see our VA home loans guide.

Conventional loans have their own screen. Fannie Mae treats a project as ineligible if, among other things, the HOA is a party to pending litigation (with some exceptions), more than 35% of the project is commercial space, critical repairs are unfunded, or the project operates like a hotel, including through daily or short-term rentals (Fannie Mae Selling Guide B4-2.1-03). In a wine-country market, that last point matters: a complex marketed for nightly stays can be hard to finance. Raise any of these issues with your lender before you remove your loan contingency.

Balconies, decks and stairways (SB 326)

Condo associations in buildings with three or more attached units must have a licensed structural or civil engineer or architect inspect a statistically significant random sample of wood-supported balconies, decks, stairways, walkways and railings more than six feet above ground. The first inspection was due by January 1, 2025, and the cycle repeats every nine years alongside the reserve study. Buildings with a permit application on or after January 1, 2020 must be inspected within six years after the certificate of occupancy (Civil Code 5551). If the inspector finds an immediate threat to safety, the report goes to local code enforcement within 15 days and the association must restrict access until repairs are approved. Apartment buildings fall under a different law; see SB 721 balcony inspections.

Master policy and your own policy

The association’s master policy covers what the CC&Rs make the association responsible for; your unit policy covers the rest. The budget report summarizes the association’s insurance, so compare it with the CC&Rs before you bind coverage. Our guide to homeowners insurance during escrow covers timing.

Renting out a Sonoma County condo

Two layers of rules apply: the association’s and the local government’s.

The association. Under Civil Code 4741, an HOA can’t prohibit or unreasonably restrict rentals, and can’t cap rentals at less than 25% of the separate interests. It may, however, prohibit rentals of 30 days or less. Owner-occupied units don’t count as rented.

The city or county.

For long-term rentals, see our California short-term rental rules overview.

Costs at closing that are specific to the county

The county documentary transfer tax is $0.55 per $500 of value. Santa Rosa and Petaluma each add $2.00 per $1,000, with no exemption for assumed loans; the recorder lists no separate city tax for Cloverdale, Cotati, Healdsburg, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol, Sonoma or Windsor (Sonoma County Recorder). Who pays is negotiable; see California transfer tax. Also plan for a supplemental property tax bill after you close.

Questions people ask

Where are most condos in Sonoma County?

Inside the cities, mainly Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Cotati and Windsor along US 101 and SMART, with smaller supply in Healdsburg, Sonoma and Sebastopol and association communities on the coast.

What HOA documents does a Sonoma County condo seller have to provide?

The Civil Code 4525 package: governing documents, the budget report, an assessment statement, violation notices, pending assessment changes, any rental restriction statement, the latest balcony inspection report and, if you ask, 12 months of board minutes.

Can I use an FHA loan on a Sonoma County condo?

Yes, if the project is FHA-approved or the unit qualifies for Single-Unit Approval. Check the project on HUD’s FHA-approved condo search and ask your lender early.

Can I rent my condo on Airbnb in Sonoma County?

Often not. The association may ban rentals of 30 days or less, unincorporated R1–R3 districts bar vacation rentals, the City of Sonoma has barred new ones since 2018, and Healdsburg says most properties won’t qualify. Check the CC&Rs and the city’s rules before you buy.

Can my HOA stop me from renting the unit long term?

Generally no. Civil Code 4741 bars associations from prohibiting rentals or capping them below 25% of units, though they can set reasonable rules and ban stays of 30 days or less.

What is the SB 326 balcony inspection?

It’s the Civil Code 5551 inspection of wood-supported balconies, decks and stairs in condo buildings with three or more attached units, done at least every nine years. The latest report comes with the seller’s HOA package.

Is there a city transfer tax on Sonoma County condos?

In Santa Rosa and Petaluma, yes: $2.00 per $1,000 on top of the county’s $0.55 per $500. The county recorder lists no separate city tax for the other cities.

Sources & notes

1. California Civil Code 4525, 4741 and 5551
2. HUD, Condominium Mortgage Insurance and FHA-approved condominium search
3. Fannie Mae Selling Guide B4-2.1-03, Ineligible Projects
4. Permit Sonoma, Vacation Rentals
5. City of Sonoma, vacation rentals; City of Healdsburg, Vacation Rentals; City of Santa Rosa, Short-Term Vacation Rentals
6. Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder, Documentary Transfer Tax
7. SMART, Stations

Statute text was read on a public mirror of the official code; links go to leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Santa Rosa’s short-term rental page describes a draft ordinance from 2021, so we haven’t stated current Santa Rosa permit terms; confirm with the city’s Planning and Economic Development department. Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Windsor and Sebastopol short-stay rules weren’t reviewed for this page. VA project approval runs through VA’s condo report; ask your VA lender. General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Updated November 2026. Primary sources are linked in this guide.

Related: Sonoma County real estate · Where to live in Sonoma County · Buying a condo in California · HOA documents in California · Sonoma County new construction