Multi-Family Homes? (Syracuse, Victor, Portland: houses, neighborhoods, to buy)

[The Magicians Eye]

Do you know of anyone that has taken one of these homes and turned them into a single family home? Do you know if you run into any county headaches while trying to do this? Any info regarding doing this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

[phaelon56]

It's done on rare occasions and in terms of permits it's a no-brainer. Any neighborhood that is already zoned for multi-family homes is already zoned for single family as well. Also - there are tenant safety issues that sometimes come into play in multi-family homes that are not applicable to single family homes.

These will vary by township etc. but in some cases a multi-family home will be required to have hardwired smoke and fire detectors either in the units and in the hallways and common areas (or all of the preceding), will require a separate means of egress for all second and third floor rooms, etc.

The biggest challenge is the cost and practicality of conversion. If the multi-family was purpose built and designed for that type of occupancy it will most likely have a floor plan, mechanicals etc. that duplicates many things in multiple units and makes conversion complex. It's when you try to convert a single family home into a multi-family that you'll encounter issues or obstacles that may be legally insurmountable.

That said.... I've always thought that if I ever got married it would be nice to buy a two family home so my wife could live on one side and I'd live on the other. We could visit back and forth and sleep over at each other's places but each maintain the idioscyncrasies of our given living habits and our privacy when we want or need it. Then again... crazy ideas like this may have something to do with why I'm still single....

[The Magicians Eye]

Ok cool you verified what I was thinking. I use to live in a multi-family home in down town PortlandOregon for about a year. I didn't like living there but it worked at the time. What I thought was cool was the idea of turning it back into a single family home. It was a very large beautiful Victorian home that just needed to be restored. I also know Portland required fire escapes and sprinkler systems in the building witch helped to cover up the true beauty of the home. After seeing that they have these types of homes in NY too I thought hmmm maybe I can try and find something like that to buy after I get there and get settled in. I love old homes and I think it's way worth the money to restore them.

[Cleveland Park]

Absolutely. Some of the houses on East Genesee Street or West Onondaga Street are gorgeous 4,000-square foot 19th-century mansions; they're currently in dicey neighborhoods, but that can be turned around. I'm looking to do the exact same thing.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Park

Absolutely. Some of the houses on East Genesee Street or West Onondaga Street are gorgeous 4,000-square foot 19th-century mansions; they're currently in dicey neighborhoods, but that can be turned around. I'm looking to do the exact same thing.

Especially off of East Genesee St. being close to SU and all. West Onondaga might work too, if the Near West Side initiative gets some more steam: Near West Side Story :: Near West Side Initiative, Inc. :: Syracuse, NY

Here's another project going on in that area of town too: http://www.saltdistrict.com/