You have a classic Dutch Colonial home located in a fabulous neighborhood that has top-rated schools. It is located in a very walkable neighborhood and you have many interested buyers. Unfortunately, you fear you may never be able to sell the home because of all its many code violations.
Most municipalities have their own code enforcement department, whose job it is to see that you adhere to certain rules regarding the upkeep of your property. If your property is not up to those standards you may receive a citation from the code enforcement department.
There are a few different code violations that a property can have and there are several different options for unloading a home with code violations.
Types of Violations
Code violations generally have to do with the appearance and safety of your property. To make sure your property is up to code, you should check out your cities Code of Ordinances.
General maintenance is included in most Codes of Ordinances. A homeowner must have electricity and hot and cold water. They must repair broken windows in a timely fashion. A home must have proper ventilation and electrical wires must be installed correctly. They may also have rules about making construction additions to your property.
Your community will have an ordinance as to how tall plant life is allowed to grow. Some communities will also have rules regarding the presence of junk cars on properties. You may not be allowed to park a camper or motor home in a place where it is visible to neighbors.
A community will mandate that trash be picked up by a waste management company at certain intervals.
Bringing Your House up to Code
Bringing your house up to code takes time and costs money, but it may be worth the effort. If you are selling your house to an individual buyer, they may not want to by a home that is not up to code.
There are some things that are fairly easy to fix. If you have a junk car on your lawn, you can sell it to a junk dealer or donate it to a charity. Both options will provide free towing of the vehicle and can do so in a fairly expeditious manner.
Depending on how large your property is, it may be rather difficult to store a motor home in a place where others cannot see it. If you are able to store it in your backyard, you would need to purchase fencing and that can be very expensive. Garaging the vehicle is likely to be more costly.
If you have overgrown plants or trash on your property, you can always do yard work and remove the trash yourself. This is probably worth the extra time and expense if you are realistically expecting to sell your home.
When a home has poor electrical wiring or pipes that are not connected properly, it may be very expensive to bring up to code. If you have added onto your home without a permit, you may get a very hefty fine.
Giving Your Buyer a Discount
If you need to sell your home very quickly, you can always offer the buyer a discounted price. Simply figure out what the cost of fixing the violation would be and reduce the cost of the home by that amount. it may take a while to find a buyer who is willing to make such a transaction.
You can also sell your home as-is for cash to FL Home Buyers. They can get you a good price for your property and do so in a hurry.
Selling a home with code violations is challenging. Finding someone to buy the place as-is might be the best option if you need to get things done quickly.
Authoritative Sources:
https://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/advice/expert-advice/remodeling-within-the-law/