In adition to the answers below, don't confuse "zoning certificate" with the actual "zoning" of the lot. Many people assume that the zoing cert refers to RS3 when in reality they're totally separate. A parcel's zoning tells you what can be built and the zoning cert tells you how many legal units a building has.

Goood Luck, Ken.

aS THE PREVIOUS ANSWER INDICATED, ASK FOR A ZONING CERT. i AM A REHABBER AND AM BUYING A 3 FLAT RIGHT NOW. I made the contract subject to presnting to me within 10 days of sellers acceptance a zoning cert from the city of chicago showing that it is a 3 flat building. If it isnt and it is just grandfathered- that is a legal isue and the zoning cert wont address that.

I have done 100 rehabs in chicago. If interested, look at my 3 flat and see if you would be interested in what I have.

Another way to go is to buy single family residences with at leats 4 or 5 bedrooms. The prices on these are much lower than a year ago and this translates into a greater cash flow.

I have investment houses for sale also.

if interested, call me at 630-212-8311 Dann

For an existing building the seller should provide a zoning certification that will show how many units the city allows. This is indepedent of the zoning for the neighborhood which would allow only 1 unit for a new construction building in RS-3.

I think some of the answers to my questions could help you in this case.

http://www.trulia.com/voices/Home_Buying/Legal_two_flat_with…

http://www.trulia.com/voices/Home_Buying/Changing_zoning-27644--

http://www.trulia.com/voices/Home_Buying/Legality_of_divided…

This isn't bad either,

http://www.trulia.com/voices/General_Area/What_is_a_good_sou…

the city building department will have on record what the building total number of units are. If they are rehabbing it, they should have a building permit which also states the number of units.