Seller financing with escrow for repairs

Seller financing with escrow for repairs

Wilmington, NC · Member since 2018 · 4 posts · 2 votes

I have my first property under contract currently and am working to make the deal happen. Any insight into my situation with seller financing and possible repairs escrow, or experience with a similar property would be much appreciated! 

I have a triplex under contract for 277,000. It currently rents for 3100. The property has a SFH home up front that rents for 1350 and is permitted for 3bd 2bth, but contains an non-permitted additional 1bd 1bth (garage into bed and bath). Behind is a 2 level garage with 2bd 1bth suite on the second floor renting for 950, and an non-permitted studio apt beneath renting for 800. Because of the lack of permits for the addition and studio apt, the house appraised for below the offer price. Owners are extremely motivated to sell, husband is 89 and wife is 79 and they both know the value but recognize the work needed to be done to bring it to code. They own the property free and clear, and are willing to seller finance. Est renovation and permitting cost = 50k and I do not have the 50k in cash for reno cost. I am hoping they will give me the 50k, or at least partial, in an escrow account. I am confident in my abilities to raise the remainder through private or hard money lending if needed.

My offer to the sellers, $270,000 including 50k in escrow. 6% interest rate, 1 year option to refinance, 5 year balloon. Based on comps and location, I believe the property will appraise for at least $300,000 and gross rents could be 3300 when all renovations and permits are completed.

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  • Real Estate Investor · Burlington, VT · Member since 2010 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y

    @Brian Piccirilli  If you're paying $270k and it needs $50k in repairs, and will be worth $300k after repairs, then there's no deal.  

    Do the sellers even have $50k in cash?  Just because it's owned free and clear doesn't mean they have cash laying around.

    Note if you're going to use hard money in this equation, they will require 1st position, which means the seller's will have to take 2nd position.  Most won't, and certainly not at 6%.  So be sure to factor that into your calculations.

    - Tom

  • Wilmington, NC · Member since 2018 · 4 posts · 2 votes
    8y

    @Tom S. Allow me to clarify, the $270k includes the $ for repairs escrow. My incentive for them to bring $ for repairs is offering an additional 5k to the deal for each 10k they bring for escrow. 

    ex. $0 reno and would pay $200,000; $20k reno and pay $230,000; $50k reno and pay $275,000

    I will keep in mind the 1st/2nd position detail and using the interest rate as a negotiating point. Thanks for the insight!

    -Brian

  • Real Estate Investor · Burlington, VT · Member since 2010 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y

    @Brian Piccirilli  Thanks for clarifying.  I believe it comes down to them having the $50k in cash, and putting it into the offer to see if they'll accept.

    Good luck and let us know it goes!

    - Tom

  • Wilmington, NC · Member since 2018 · 4 posts · 2 votes
    8y

    Update: Sellers do not own the property free and clear, they have 161k left on their mortgage, despite what we were told from the start. 

    Spoke with my lender regarding a 203k loan for the needed renovations. 

    Spoke with city zoning and learned that having three dwellings on a property with two structures was not legal. Dwellings are defined as something with a kitchen/cooking unit so the kitchen in the studio will need to be ripped. May try and airbnb the studio apt and only provide a small fridge and coffee maker.

    I am having a contractor come to the house tomorrow to evaluate the work done without permits to see what needs to be done to ensure permitting process is easy, along with any other work possibly needed.

    These revelations will drop the value and gross rent of the property, but will still allow for cash flow. Still proceeding! 

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