If you wish to purchase a property with a known building code violation

Despite the negative headlines in the real estate pages of your newspaper there are many people looking to purchase real estate at any given time. They are of course looking for a good deal. Sometimes to get a good deal they need to purchase a property as is or with a known code violation. Is that a good idea? It depends. You may have purchased a problem relatively easy to fix. Or you may have bought a nightmare. How do you know?

You might purchase a property inspection report before you buy.  Generally a very good idea and I would recommend that, but they do not do research on code violations, they just comment on what is actually there. For example, they might say the rear bedroom has a leak and some mold on the window. They can't tell you if the bedroom is illegally built and may need to be torn off or remodeled substantially. And what if they are able tell you it is a code violation; they will not be able to tell you what it is going to take to fix it. Not in dollars anyway, which is what you really need to know.

Inexperienced  people who purchase properties as is, or thinking a code violation can't be that hard to fix put their financial well being very much at risk. To purchase a property as is means you have no recourse if the problems become bigger than anticipated. If the problems were no big deal, why weren't they fixed before the place was sold to you?  The realtor should be doing some of this work but they miss a lot and they can't tell you accurately what it may take to fix it. I find most realtors to be generally honest, but they have a tendency to down play problems. But you knew that.

Before you buy, give me a call. I'll look at the property for free. I may get some work out of you taking care of the problem or helping in some other way. And I may save you from a financial beating and you will remember me when you do find the home or business that suits your needs.