Putting bid on home...2 questions (sale, house, homebuyer)

[gwenrn]

we are 1st time homebuyers looking to place a bid on a home this week. 2 quick questions. 1. the basement has a 1/2bath. i have been told by most people i ask that this is common on li and they are usually not 'legal'. what does that mean to us as homebuyers? do we have to hide it from someone? it is a 1/2 bath with washer/dryer in the same room in a basement.

also, home has a deck/screened in patio. we are being told the sellers are using an expeditor to obtain a CO. if we put in our contract that we will not close until CO is obtained, does that protect us? we just don't want to be caught up in any issues and are flex on closing date so for us, we can easily wait until they obtain the CO. we are just wondering why they never got one in the 1st place and if it'll be difficult for them to get one now.

thank u

[thebobs]

Originally Posted by gwenrn

we are 1st time homebuyers looking to place a bid on a home this week. 2 quick questions. 1. the basement has a 1/2bath. i have been told by most people i ask that this is common on li and they are usually not 'legal'. what does that mean to us as homebuyers? do we have to hide it from someone? it is a 1/2 bath with washer/dryer in the same room in a basement.

also, home has a deck/screened in patio. we are being told the sellers are using an expeditor to obtain a CO. if we put in our contract that we will not close until CO is obtained, does that protect us? we just don't want to be caught up in any issues and are flex on closing date so for us, we can easily wait until they obtain the CO. we are just wondering why they never got one in the 1st place and if it'll be difficult for them to get one now.

thank u

For your first question, as a homebuyer you do not have to "hide" the 1/2 bath in the basement. What they mean by not being legal is most people fix up their basements and don't bother to get a CO for it. Every room in a home (even in a fixed up basement) has to have a CO. Normally your main floor has them. A CO is expensive and that is why people don't bother to get them.

And you have every right to put into your contract that the house is subject to sale after the owner gets all CO's that are currently missing. However, the seller does not have to agree to that and then you both are at an impasse.

My suggestion is get the seller to get the CO's that are required.

For your second question, yes it will protect you and again, obtaining CO's are expensive which is why people don't get these things to begin with.

As for what is involved in getting a CO, other posters here could tell you. I'm not sure myself but I know enough to make sure the seller has them all before you close.