New to Real Estate · Greater Seattle Area · Member since 2021 · 50 posts · 16 votes
I am house hacking a SFH and converting it into a duplex. It already had a full kitchen downstairs when I purchased it. Im rehabbing both upstairs and downstairs and planning on house hacking (living upstairs and renting the downstairs)
How many of you apply for permits from the city to have it permitted as a Duplex and not a single family?
Lender · Denver, CO · Member since 2021 · 243 posts · 253 votes
5y
Hey @Trevor Murphy! I have never personally applied for a permit from the city but know that many people in my area, Denver, do not do so. There are ways to get around permitting when you go to rent out your home and from what I know, zoning/permits are a complaint-based system. Meaning, don't upset the neighbors and you should be just fine :)
Realtor · Denver, CO · Member since 2020 · 338 posts · 331 votes
5y
Hi @Trevor Murphy! Kayla nailed it with her info above. One of the biggest issues if you start trying to get your SFH permitted and rezoned as a duplex you get into building and zoning laws. This will be determined by the city if your lot would even be allowed to be zoned as a duplex or not. It will also require much more work than just making two livable spaces. Mainly fire barriers, and extra insulation in between the floors. you could go with permits for the work that is being done if you want to avoid any concerns, but as far as the city will be concerned your home is just a single family that has a Mother-in-Law suite, and you are renting the spaces separately.
This route just doesn't allow you to split the utilities, and you have to conform to occupancy limits for the whole house, instead of the units individually. But typically I have at least found that it's not worth it to try and get rezoned as multifamily.