lack of permit

[Donald Gamarano]

I am having an updated survey to show our new pool and the fence for CO. We added a low deck platform to extend our current deck(which has a co). We are hoping we will get the pool CO if the survay reflects that the deck is larger now. What do you think?

[zulu400]

Originally Posted by vlorak

hi guys
we made an offer and got accepted on a house in brookhaven. that house has a converted garage into a suite and built a separate (detached) garage. ...no permits. we were supposed to close on that house at the end of august hoping the permits will be granted. no permits yet. we hear through our lawyer that the hearing on permits is scheduled for 3rd week of october. the contract we're on is valid til end of september (i'm told on or about 30 days, which brings us to end of september).
spouse wants to close on the house with an amount in escrow in case something needs to be redone.
at this point i want to pull out of contract and look elsewhere (i'm the wife). i don't want to take on someone else's problems and hope nothing goes wrong.
so scenario 1, spouse wants to close with an escrow.
scenario 2, spouse wants to rent until everything gets done.
i need to mention that this house will cost us 520k, has no A/C and no fireplace (things that we plan on doing after moving in). it also needs paint and new carpet. it has an unfinished basement (which we plan on doing when i hit the jackpot probably).
i am very frustrated with the situation. i am not in LI. Kids and I stayed behind until our house sold (we have an accepted offer on our current home).
so, i guess, i need to hear opinions. i have asked spouse about what our realtor, lawyer etc have advised him to do. he says our realtor has warned him about staying safe with this whole thing. i need people to say what they would do in our situation. we have wasted 5 months during this moving process (or not moving, in the case of me and kids).
should we wait for the contract period to end and look elsewhere? or should be close on the house without permits granted and pray hard no problems occur with them. or is there a third option my anger is not allowing me to see.
thanks for reading

I'm speaking from my personal experience....
Its seems like the hearing in court is for a variance or things like that. Those are nasty ones. Let me give you the some scenarios.
The hearing denies the permits, in which case you should walk.
Permits are given, then the inspector comes to inspect the house.... they may ask for some fixes, which the seller may take time to repair. Inspector will come again to inspect.... if all is ok, you get CO, then you can close.
Plan for some time.... if you need to do it the right way. Rent.

I suggest do not close without permits. You don't even know what all are the things to fix, how can you come up with a magic $$$$ for escrow ?

[zulu400]

Originally Posted by yan777

Hi everyone!!! I also got an accepted offer for a house in long island NY. they asked 628K and i offered 590K n got accepted. I had the inspection this past Sunday, paid $400 and immiedietaly after the inspection, the very same moment my broker comes to me and tells me that the deck in the backyard has no permt. I wanted to close before nov 30th in order to qualify for the $8000 tax break. Will this give me a future problem? Why they owner did not tell me on the day I saw the house ( went twice to see it with my family). I find it sneaky...Now I have the cold feet. What should I do?

Welcome to the homebuyers world. I would advice you to meditate daily. Take deep breaths.

Ok, this is pretty normal. Its called getting skin into the game, similar to when you bait a fish. Once you spend the $400 for inspection, seller knows you are hooked. You are not in a contract, so its good place to be.

Now, the lender might ask for CO's, some may not, so that is subjective. If they ask you for permit.... you can kiss the $8000 goodbye, or ask seller to reimburse that money if you get delayed because of the permit issue.

Lets say lender ignores it. You should be okay now, probably may have to fix it before you sell.

Who knows they might extend the credit beyond Nov and maybe increase to 15k.

[Chrisk327]

What did your inspector say about the deck as far as construction?

I would bet more than half of the decks on LI don't have permits. in my opinion, no big deal, others may disagree. Having a permit doesn't mean it was built right, not having one doesn't mean it was built wrong.

unless your bank screams, I don't think something like this should hold up the sale.

[Crookhaven]

Originally Posted by okaydorothy

If it is a building without a permit, I would walk. You dont know how safe the building is or what problems will lie ahead.

We bought a house with a finished basement but no co for it. Then one of my nosy neighbours complained us for having a tenant ; we didnt ; I was moving my own office furniture into the basement. He filed a complaint, we had an inspection from the town and 6 months later we are still waiting for the co. So far it has cost us $1200 to bring the basement up to code ; minor things like putting a 1 hour fire door in front of the burner, but it was still a hassle.

Good luck ; if you can buy a house that has no headaches, I would go with that.
d

Me too.

I hope its nice for 520k in Brookhaven.


Crooks

[vlorak]

we're in that house now. the neighborhood itself is nice. you make a wrong turn outside neighborhood and it gets shady. the previous owners did end up getting the permit. wish they didn't. i wouldn't be here now