Buying properties with enclosed garages

[Anoop Pillai]

Hi all,

I was looking at a few properties in north dallas area and I am seeing a trend where more and more people are converting their garage to livable spaces - either additional living room or a bedroom. They then list the property in MLS with the garage sqft included in the livable space sqft.

Tax accessor website shows the garage space as "EG - Enc Gar-main Area" (enclosed garage) and the livable sqft as per tax accessor doesn't match the mls listing because they still consider the garage space as a garage.

All my enquiries regarding whether the changes were done after pulling permits are replied with a solid "yes". 

What sort of mess am I getting into if I buy such properties? Are these case where changes were done without knowledge of the tax accessor? Will I be responsible for paying back taxes if they finds out? Is there a way to get the tax accessor update the sqft so that i can boost the resale value of such property?

[Neil Aggarwal]

My biggest problem with enclosed garages is people want the same $/sqft value for the converted space.  I do not agree with that methodology so they are always overpriced to me.

You made a good point about permits.  I doubt most of them were built with property permits.