It’s a rude awakening for home sellers red-tagged by building department
Q: Our nosy neighbor called the city building department to report the construction on our home. A city building inspector showed up unannounced and placed a stop order on all the work. According to the notice, we have to schedule a walkthrough with a city building inspector before applying for construction permits. Our workers are on tight timelines as they all had other clients awaiting remodeling jobs. We have open houses scheduled in two weeks.
To make matters worse, we purchased a property contingent upon the sale of our current
home that has been “red-tagged.” We have heard nothing but negative statements about the protracted permit process. How can we untangle this mess without losing our dream home?
A: Visit the building department and let them teach you faceto-face the “A-to-Z” permit process for your situation. Make sure you bring your spouse and then educate them on your interconnected home sales and all its moving parts. If I were you, I’d apply for the permit as the ownerbuilder of the property. That way your licensed contractor can invest time in physically working on your home and not on paperwork. You might have other vendors performing different functions. Make sure workers are licensed, bonded and insured. Be sure to utilize the state’s Contractors State License Board website at http://www.cslb.ca.gov. There you can quickly check on a contractor’s license, and learn about the responsibility of an owner-builder. You must speak to your insurance broker about licensed and unlicensed workers on your property. He or she has valuable knowledge and guidance at the ready. Because you can’t afford any more delays or mistakes, find a replacement for any contractor who is unable or unwilling to return to your job site. If any parts are still on back order, buy alternatives. Finally, negotiate from a position of strength, not weakness. Make it known to the parties of the home you are purchasing that building permits are being applied for at your current residence. That loudly announces that value-added permitted upgrades will help your home sell, while quietly indicating to expect delays that are worth the wait.
Know someone who is thinking of moving? Realtor Pat Kapowich provides turnkey services including relocation, staging, market analysis and strategic planning. 408245-7700 or Pat@ SiliconValleyBroker. com. Broker License 00979413