the sims 4 - cannot save and manage worlds

What mode are you in currently ? Try to go to live mode and manage world from there.

I am getting the same thing, how do i even CHECK what mode im in?  in addition to this issue, I am unable to get past the neighborhood screen.  I click on a family and it shows the big green diamond, like its going to go to their household. then bam.  im back on the neighborhood screen.  I have done these steps.

1: repaired via origin

2: cleared cache, (many times)

3: removed my mods

5: tried creating a sim first, and putting it in a household 

6: resetting to defaults

and still nothing.  I do have the newest expansion pack but I don't know how to delete that part.  

What do you mean by resetting to defaults ? Do you mean you renamed your user folder ?

With mode I mean live mode/build mode/CAS/manage worlds, ..