Code violations can significantly impact the process of selling a home, often complicating transactions and deterring potential buyers. These violations may arise from various issues, such as unpermitted renovations, safety hazards, or failure to comply with local building codes. In Marysville, understanding these regulations is crucial for homeowners looking to sell, as unresolved code violations can lead to fines, delays, and potentially even legal complications and a decreased property value.
What are local real estate regulations in Marysville? Local real estate regulations in Marysville are intended to provide necessary safety. For homes that are not up to safety standards (i.e., they have outstanding code violations), this may mean that the home cannot pass inspection, which traditionally takes place upon or after the sale, but comes before loan approval in order to receive their funds to finalize the purchase. Some buyers seek to opt for cash-only home purchases for Marysville homes with known code violations. Cash buyers may later affect the necessary repairs themselves.
Selling a House With Code Violations
Selling a house with code violations is certainly doable—it’s just not as easy as one might hope. In general, homeowners have two options:
- Address the Violations: This may seem obvious, but perhaps the most straightforward way of avoiding this whole mess is to fix what is wrong. Doing so can increase the home’s perceived value and make it easier to sell. However, money, time, and good ol’ fashioned hard work make this unattractive for many sellers.
- Sell the House As-Is: This method spares you from having to do some work. However, you’re likely to get less for your house than you might expect, as any potential buyer is going to consider the costs of bringing the place up to code.
Understanding Code Violations
“Code violations” are exactly what they sound like — violations of the local building codes and ordinances that have been established to ensure minimum safety, health, and welfare standards for residential dwellings. You could be in violation of local building codes for a myriad of reasons; it could be due to unpermitted work that has been performed, general non-compliance or non-standard work, or because incorrect construction methodologies have been used. Whatever the reason, homeowners may be held responsible for these violations (through no fault of their own) based on any non-compliant work that had been done in the past by any number of people, even work that’s in violation of codes that weren’t previously in place at the time of construction.
Building code violations aren’t a
Here are some examples of areas where homeowners might see common types of code violations arise as a result of innocent remodeling activities:
- Electric: Incorrect wiring, missing GFCI outlets in bathrooms and kitchens, using extension cords for permanent power supply to some fixtures, or replacing existing 15A-rated component circuit breakers with 20A or higher-rated circuit breakers where the wiring is only 14AWG and not 12AWG or thicker (12AWG = 20A, 10AWG = 30A, 8AWG = 40, 6AWG = 55A, 4AWG = 70A, 3AWG = 85A, 2AWG = 95A or 100A, for example).
- Plumbing: Not installing the correct amount of cleanouts, vent terminations that are not up to code, traps/drain piping/fittings/fixtures/fixtures that are “non-standard” and don’t meet basic plumbing requirements, improper burial or protection of mechanical piping, etc.
- Structure: Adding new windows, moving doors, “fixing” what you think might be non-load-bearing walls (hope you consulted with a structural engineer or an experienced general contractor first), incorrect stairway construction or incorrect guardrail/handrail/baluster spacing, tread depth or width/riser height or maximum variances between risers/treads, shed construction, etc.
The Process of Selling a House With Code Violations
The sale of a home saddled with code violations is understandably unnerving. But with the right know-how, you can successfully manage it. Consult a real estate agent who is skilled in the area of “problem properties.” He or she will be able to clue you in on how your local market might respond to your home’s “violations.” This will help you determine a fair asking price, as well as how to “explain” your property to a potential buyer.
Honesty definitely is the best policy. Fully disclose anything wrong with a home to potential buyers. This will shield you legally down the road. Plus, being transparent about problems just might bring you buyers—some challenges aren’t really “challenges” per se and maybe some of these potential buyers are looking for a deal on a fixer-upper.
You encountered a few violations on your property. So, unless you get the company, “We Pay for Ugly Houses,” to, indeed, pay for your “ugly house,” selling as-is will be tough. Find someone who wouldn’t mind doing a gut rehab (or some other kind of home makeover) to come in, or incentivize your home some other way so that you come out of a traditional sale successfully.
Benefits of Selling to We Buy Houses As Is
The primary advantage is, you can sell your house without performing expensive repairs or renovations. So, you won’t have to trouble yourself with the stress of fixing costly and time-consuming projects—you’re able to move forward with your life, for a fair cash offer for your house as it stands today.
We Buy Houses As Is buys houses in Marysville with code violations. Our knowledge of local real estate regulations will help ensure that the entire sale goes off without a hitch. Put your trust in the people who live next door—people with the knowledge necessary to navigate code compliance and help you come out the other side with a fat stack of cash.
Can I really sell my house with code violations? Many homeowners in Marysville have asked this question, and many have answered by selling to We Buy Houses As Is. You’ve heard their testimonials, and you know it to be true … you’re able to sell your house, with code violations.
Many homeowners in Marysville, Washington, will feel overwhelmed at the thought of trying to sell a house with code violations. The idea of the expense of fixing those code violations, or the length of time having to sell a home, sounds like a lot.
It’s good to know that there are many options available to you that will make this a simple process. You are not alone in this situation, and we have plenty of advice to give around how you can navigate this home-selling journey.
You don’t have to get everything working perfectly before you sell your home – often people who are willing to buy homes “as-is” won’t mind that there are a few things that they’ll have to fix up. That might mean you get slightly less for your home, but it can often save you the time, energy, and money of having to fix up all of those issues.
Often you can reach out to an investor or an investing company who will have experience in the area, and will know some people, or a team of people, from other houses that they have flipped that they know will be able to fix those problems. Often they are prepared to purchase a house with gross code violations because they will be able to fix them up easily after you have left the property.
Final Words
The goal here is to provide a perfect home for your buyer. When your buyer is excited about your home, they will be less likely to negotiate down to the smallest detail and instead will focus on more macro-level issues.
How easy will it be for you to sell your house while it has code violations? In all probability, selling your house fast won’t be as difficult as you think. In fact, you will be putting yourself through the same selling process even if you did not have any home code violations to worry about.
Often you can sell these houses that have a large bunch of code violations through a real estate wholesaler, or wholesale real estate company, who will do an “as-is” cash sale of your house. This means that you can get rid of your code violations quickly and get on with the rest of your life. You can often find out more about this by reaching out in a quick, no-obligation phone call to the company to learn more.
Take the first step and make the call. Hopefully, you will feel better about the decision to sell your home “as-is,” and a weight will be lifted from your shoulders.