Monterey, CA · Member since 2019 · 15 posts · 6 votes
Wondering how to negotiate this problem. I am going to bring it up to the owner to see if he got permits for the addition he got. How hard is it to get permits after the construction was already done? Worst case scenario? Best case scenario? Any negotiation tips?
@Benjamin Branson - this is a common issue in South Florida. And by "common", I mean at least every other home differs from county records - and yes, mostly from illegal additions. First thing is to ask the seller if the work was permitted because there's always a chance the county has not updated their records. If not permitted, it's up to the buyer if s/he wants to proceed. Some buyers don't care, some do.
How easy it is to get permits afterwards is by city. You'd need someone familiar with Sneads Ferry to answer that. An example from personal experience: we had to pull several permits, they inspected and approved. At the same time, I've heard of people having to tear down entire home sections. Unless that city is easy to work with, my suggestion is that the seller handle it. Good luck!