How to Avoid the delay of your Home sale due to un-permitted work.
Not having the proper permits may delay the sale of a home. We’ll help you get ahead of this before it is an issue.
“I bought the home this way”
It wasn’t a problem when you bought the home for a few reasons.
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It never came up in a home inspection – home inspectors may comment on this, but aren’t required to investigate this for a buyer.
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It wasn’t a major concern for the town or city at that time. In some areas of the South Coast Massachusetts, it is quite common for homes to have 2 kitchens. Recently New Bedford began noting permitting issues during the Smoke Detector Inspection.
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Your lender didn’t ask. If you financed your home purchase, some loans required to check permitting. Be sure to ask your Current Lender if they will need this info for your next purchase.
Thinking of Selling?
Call us for help at 508-441-7356.
Common statements we hear
- A Contractor did the work, but he didn’t pull permits.
- If this happens, contact the Contractor and urge them to get this done.
- I did the work, but it should be fine.
- Since a permit was not pulled at the time the work was done, it will need to be brought up to current code. Plumbing and Electrical work must be completed and signed off by a licensed pro.
- What if my Buyer is paying Cash?
- A buyer paying cash will likely have an agent who will advise them to check with the Building Department. Better to take care of the issue up front before you accept an offer and cannot negotiate price.
- What will I do if I have to sell?
- We can help. Give us a call so we can go over your particular scenario. We have done this a million times.
- We found out days before closing – can I still sell the home?
- Ask your buyer for an extension and get a quote for the work. You may ask the buyer to pay a portion of the cost, but they may not want to.
- The other real estate agent didn’t tell me it was an issue.
- Team ROSO is a full-time Team of Agents who work with local contractors. We are experienced in Building Permits and New Construction. Call us first if you are even thinking of selling property.
- Will this affect my Insurance? or my Taxes? What about my Septic System.
- Possibly. Your insurance company may not want to provide coverage for work done without a permit. So if you have a loss, you may not be fully covered.
- The town or city you live in may want to assess you for back taxes if have added rooms.
- Your Septic System was designed for the number of bedrooms the home had. If you added a bedroom, your Septic System will need an upgrade.
How to correct the issue :
First thing you should do is Consult us, Your Real Estate Team, for your unique situation. We are here to support our clients, friends, family and consumers whenever we can. We can get you a prompt answer so you can make an informed decision.
Apply with the town’s Building Department for a “Make Safe” permit if the town offers one. Hire a contractor to help you.