Starting Permitting Process While Under Contract

[Bryan Hancock]

Have you ever started the permitting process while having property under contract to decrease the amount of time your equity is tied up in a project? I realize the permitting fee equity is at risk using this method. Are there any other pitfalls that you can think of?

[Brian Levredge]

Permits are issued to one of three different parties: Owner, agent for the owner, or contractor. When pulling them as the owner or agent for the owner, I've always been asked to show proof of ownership. That may be hard to do since you won't appear on title yet and technically don't own the property. Depending on what's being done, your contractor could most likely pull them.