Your house needed a new fence or some electrical work, so you thought, “Why not do it myself and save some cash?” Maybe you didn’t know that you needed a permit, or perhaps you decided to skip the permit process because it seemed like too much of a hassle.
Now you’d like to sell the home, but selling a house with unpermitted work can be a serious challenge. Below, learn how to sell your home with tips from The Red Door Guys. We buy houses in Richmond, VA, in any condition.
How Unpermitted Work on Your House Can Come Back To Bite You
It might surprise you to know that quite a few home projects require a permit for building code compliance. That includes any project that makes structural changes to the house, like demolishing walls, major plumbing and electrical work, building a deck, installing a fireplace, and even adding a shed to your yard.
Maybe you didn’t ask the city for permission because you didn’t want to pay permit costs, or maybe you simply didn’t know when to obtain a permit for a house renovation. Whatever the case, you could run into trouble when you try to sell.
Insurance and mortgage companies strongly frown on unpermitted work. If someone gets hurt due to the safety risks of your unpermitted project, they could come after you personally instead of your insurance company. Additionally, some cities might force you to get retroactive permits or even rip out the unpermitted addition. Not many buyers are interested in exposing themselves to such legal liabilities.
How To Sell a House With Unpermitted Work
If you’re interested in selling a house with unpermitted work, you have two options. The first is to apply for a retroactive permit. If the addition was minor, this can be a quick and inexpensive process. Your local building authority will send someone out to perform home inspections on each addition, and then give you your permits if everything looks good.
However, applying for a retroactive permit carries some risk. If the inspector finds that your addition isn’t up to code, you might have to fix the problem before you can get a permit.
If you’d rather not apply for a permit, you could opt for an as-is property sale. Per state disclosure requirements, you’ll need to tell the buyer about all unapproved work on the house.
The best and easiest option is to sell to a cash buyer such as The Red Door Guys. You won’t have to worry about getting a permit or making repairs, and you’ll have cash in hand within seven days of closing.
Is Unpermitted Work Holding You Back From Finding a Buyer? Sell to The Red Door Guys!
Don’t want to deal with liability after selling a house with unpermitted work? Sell your property to The Red Door Guys! We accept houses in any condition, and that includes homes with unpermitted additions. To get a quote for your property, call The Red Door Guys at (804) 395-7355.