Affluent neighbors are remodeling en masse, but ‘frugality can be expensive’

Q: I have noticed that almost every home sale in my neighborhood turns into a job site. Affluent buyers are remodeling extensively or adding a room addition. I’ll look up these addresses on my city’s building permit list. Only one job site in this expensive Silicon Valley neighborhood had building permits in place. I report all the other remodeling jobs that are without permits. Why would they do all this work without permits?

A: They think they are saving time, cost of permits and oversight. Conversely, unpermitted work is a typical safety hazard costing more than time. Permitted remodeling or square foot addition adds value — lots of it. Unpermitted work doesn’t add value. Building codes and inspectors reduce risk and add value; conversely, the opposite is true. You’re a good Samaritan to report them. You might save a life or two, and you’ll undoubtedly save frugal homeowners from themselves. As I always say, “frugality can be expensive.”

Q: We had waited for all of our kids to leave for college before we sold the family home. While preparing our property to go on the market, COVID-19 arrived, delaying plans. We decided to relist our home since people were getting vaccinated en masse. Preparation is underway to get our property ready for the market.

However, to our dismay, we read about hospital nurses and correctional officers at jails who refuse to get vaccinated. The thought of having open houses at our home with people who are not vaccinated is unacceptable. At our age, we are not taking any chances with the virus or its variants. In your column on June 14, 2021, “Guidelines if you are holding or attending an open house,” it mentions a “seller can set their own rules as to who will be admitted to the property.” Does this mean after the so-called reopening that we, as sellers, can insist all visitors wear masks and provide proof of vaccination?

A: Yes. According to the California Association of Realtors (after the June 15 reopening), a seller can:

• Require all visitors to wear a mask

• Require all visitors to be vaccinated or show a negative COVID-19 test

• Implement a vaccine verification to determine whether individuals are required to wear a mask

• Provide information to all visitors regarding vaccination requirements and allow vaccinated individuals to self-attest that they are in compliance prior to entry