do I have to bring building up to code? (property, legal, offer)

[mikev80]

I'm thinking about buying a house in Los Angeles. A lot of the homes I looked at had some work done to it that clearly does not look up to code and probably does not have a permit for. I want to buy the house, do I have to bring it up to code when I buy the property? What if when I sell the property? Thanks!

[DMenscha]

You can make compliance with code a part of your offer.

You should be able to check with the local building department about what has been permitted and what has been signed off. We routinely check with the building department on any structure before we list it or on any structure immediately after we get an offer on it.

[bigtrees]

Does the home have a certificate of occupancy? If so, you don't need to do anything to live in it legally. The county or city can tell you if it has a COO.

[brook2ga]

Some states only require a COO when first built, not when selling/buying (re-sale).