How can I handle "unpermitted" work before selling my house?

[Juan Mendoza]

I had a question for you regarding our first deal and hopefully you can help us. We are from San Antonio, TX, we bought a home 1.5 years ago and we are currently living in it. We extended our kitchen into the garage and we added about 250 sq ft to the property. The problem is that we didn't get a construction permit because we didn't know it was that necessary. My step-father is an experienced contractor and he helped us on the construction, so it is not like we did a DIY project. We are getting ready to sell the house but how do we manage the "unpermitted" work we did? Can we list the property with extra 250 sq ft?

[Rick Pozos]

To be 100% up front, you will need to go to the Business Development office on Alamo St. and Flores and let them know that work was done on the house without a permit. They will have to inspect the work done to the house. This may or may not involve taking out sheetrock or digging up in place. 

What has to be realized is that you went around the codes of the city. They can make you tear everything down. If the contractor was in fact good, chances are that they will assess the project, ask a bunch of questions and maybe fine you the permit fee that the city should have gotten to begin with. Then everything will be legal.