Elizabeth Weintraub, a broker in the Sacramento area, says in her about.com column that “some local governments require that the seller provide the buyer with a detailed home inspection while giving the buyer the option to obtain her own inspection”:
If so, please email me (russelraypc@aol.com) a copy of such requirements, or a link. Having a vested interest in the home inspection industry, I’d like to use them in my monthly pleadings to various city, county, state, and federal legislative representatives for making home inspections mandatory.
St Louis County is divided into about 94 municipalities.
Most of them require, upon the change of occupants (sale or rent), an occupancy permit.
The procedure is that the seller pays for and obtains an inspection from the city to ensure that the residence (or commercial facility) meets the city’s codes.
The new occupant (buyer or renter) then pays for an occupancy permit, which will be denied if the building does not meet code.
This means that you can buy a house, but be barred by the city from moving into it, until it has been reinspected and meet’s their standards.
I did a property assessment for Freddie Mac last week on a 200 unit rental property. The local building dept.inspects units for local code compliance prior to re-occupancy.($100) The property mgmt. calls it good PR.
I am contracted to do these inspections for one of the cities in St. Louis County.
It amazes me how few title companies, real estate salesmen, and citizens fail to call the city in the process of buying a home.
I did a code inspection on a house and wrote up about $10,000 worth of repairs that would be required for an occupancy permit. The seller sold “as is” without disclosing anything to the buyer who, when he came to the city to get his occupancy permit, was shocked and dismayed to discover that he would have to spend another ten grand out of pocket to be able to move in to the house he just bought.
It’s more than PR.
I include a link on my website to various Missouri municipalities to help people find out if their city requires inspections and, prior to my own inspection, will contact the Public Works dept of the city I am inspecting in to see if there are any outstanding issues being carried over from the seller to my client. It’s public record and they are all anxious to share it with you.