Whenever a homeowner plans an addition to a home they should consult with an Architect. The plans should be filed with the building department and building permits should be issued . If the home you are referring to has no permits or C/O. That is a problem. The homeowner can have a very hard time trying to sell it. Even if you did not have to obtain a loan to purchase the house and were planning to buy it all cash problems may very well come up . If you did manage to close on it you would be acquiring a home with a problem. When and if you want to re sell the home again, the burden would then fall back on you to get the addition legalized . Sometimes people do work on their homes that just cannot be legalized do to floor area ratio or lot size restrictions. Always consult with your attorney prior to getting involved with a property that may have illegal additions.

Wed May 21 2008, 20:20

Remodeling is generally not a C of O issue. If there are additions, however, building permits are necessary and square footage will affect property taxes. If bathrooms were added, not only do you need a building permit, but there need to be electrical and plumbing inspections by the town and if it was not built to code, it could be a tear-down.

You might be able to do an escrow closing where the seller's attorney (after closing holds a specified amount of money until all permits/work/etc., is completed to your satisfaction.

Thu May 15 2008, 21:04

Chani ~ as a buyer's agent, i would steer clear of such a property. You would have no legal recourse for dangerous issues like plumbing, wiring & structural support. Only a state-certified General Contractor can assess the work done & repairs needed, and with the inventory in Florida, there's not need to waste time & money on an unsafe home. Please try to find another property & save yourself the liability of a bad purchase, no matter the price point.

Thu May 15 2008, 18:42