Comments on: Close Your Permits? http://www.amybergquist.com/blog/2008/09/23/close-your-permits/ News and views about real estate in Greater Hartford Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:20:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Amy http://www.amybergquist.com/blog/2008/09/23/close-your-permits/#comment-263 Amy Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:54:30 +0000 http://www.amybergquist.com/blog/?p=812#comment-263 When I talk to sellers about listing their home, I always ask them if they've had town permits pulled for work they've had performed on the house. If they haven't, I always recommend that they get them retroactively. A proactive buyer, or their agent, can search town records to see if permits have been pulled on the house and if they've been closed out. I typically don't recommend that it initially go into the contract as a contingency, but you could make it a contingency coming out of home inspection if there were concerns. I do not believe permits are searched during the title search. Regarding assessor's data that is incorrect, it's really up to the buyer and seller to determine if they want to alert town hall to have it changed. It will affect the tax assessment of the property, so sometimes people are hesitant to report it, particularly if it is currently in their favor for lower taxes. When I talk to sellers about listing their home, I always ask them if they’ve had town permits pulled for work they’ve had performed on the house. If they haven’t, I always recommend that they get them retroactively.

A proactive buyer, or their agent, can search town records to see if permits have been pulled on the house and if they’ve been closed out. I typically don’t recommend that it initially go into the contract as a contingency, but you could make it a contingency coming out of home inspection if there were concerns. I do not believe permits are searched during the title search.

Regarding assessor’s data that is incorrect, it’s really up to the buyer and seller to determine if they want to alert town hall to have it changed. It will affect the tax assessment of the property, so sometimes people are hesitant to report it, particularly if it is currently in their favor for lower taxes.

]]> By: Tara http://www.amybergquist.com/blog/2008/09/23/close-your-permits/#comment-262 Tara Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:13:12 +0000 http://www.amybergquist.com/blog/?p=812#comment-262 Would a proactive buyer or seller research this before making an offer or listing the home? Would this come up during the title search? Does a contract need a contingency for this, in your opinion? Also, I've seen houses listed for sale with data that conflicts with the assessor's data. What should the buyer or seller do if the assessor's card is not accurate with respect to the number of bathrooms or the heating system (oil vs. gas)? Would a proactive buyer or seller research this before making an offer or listing the home? Would this come up during the title search? Does a contract need a contingency for this, in your opinion?

Also, I’ve seen houses listed for sale with data that conflicts with the assessor’s data. What should the buyer or seller do if the assessor’s card is not accurate with respect to the number of bathrooms or the heating system (oil vs. gas)?

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