Selling a House With Code Violations in Philadelphia
Selling a house with code violations in Philadelphia can be tricky, but not impossible. In an ideal world, the issues would be fixed before selling to remove any code violations. However, this can be costly, time-consuming, and destructive, particularly if the violation is in regard to an addition or a conversion project (like an attic or garage).
The next best option is to clear the code violations by paying a penalty fine when selling. Such tickets and charges are usually expensive to clear. However, there are ways to prevent paying heavy costs to sell a house with code violations.
Keep reading to learn more about selling a house with code violations in Philadelphia.
What Types of Code Violations Are There in Philadelphia?
As taken from the City of Philadelphia, there are five types of building code violations you can get on a property. The categories include:
- 1. Fire code violations
- 2. Property maintenance code violations
- 3. Zoning code violations
- 4. Licensing law violations
- 5. Vending law violations
What Happens When Selling a House With Code Violations?
Should the city become aware that your property has a code violation (or violations), you will be sent a fine to settle the infringements. Typically, they will also expect you to fix the issue by making exorbitant fixes and changes in accordance with the property building codes.
Should fines not be settled promptly and/or violations fixed, late charges can be imposed. These can be tricky to avoid, especially if the fines are given in relation to fixes not being made on time. This is because the building work required to change such issues can be time-consuming to arrange and complete.
While extensions may be offered in exceptional circumstances, these cannot be guaranteed. When late fees are not paid on time, these will accumulate, leading to even higher fines to pay.
How to Avoid Fixing Code Violations Before Selling
It’s rare that the city won’t request the property be fixed to remove violations before selling. However, there are ways to avoid having to fix issues before selling, provided you sell to a cash buyer or a property investor.
For example, if selling to a property investor (like us at Brotherly Love Real Estate), we buy properties as is with the code violations in place. We then fix the property and deal with the code violations ourselves, so you don’t have to. This comes at no additional expense to you.
Because we buy houses for cash, selling to an investor is a fast, hassle-free way to sell a property with code violations. When working with us, you can sell your property in as little as 21 days, regardless of the looming code violation fines.
How to Sell a Rental Property With Code Violations
When you own a rental property, there are many factors to consider before selling, particularly in Philadelphia. Tough tenant laws and building codes can leave landlords with heavy fines to pay if things aren’t monitored appropriately. Selling to a cash investor negates the need to fix the violations and/or pay the associated fines.
When selling a rental property to an investor, the sale can be done with tenants in place. It’s quick, preventing late fines from coming through, with no need to go through the Philadelphia eviction process.
Selling a rental property with code violations is also a good idea if the investment has become cumbersome and unlucrative. For example, if there are tenant issues, major renovation work required, rising letting agent fees, or vacancy expenses.
At Brotherly Love Real Estate, our offer to buy your rental property in Philly will be all cash with these benefits:
- Cover all closings costs
- Purchase the property as-is, any condition
- Close on the date based on your personal preference
Summary: Need to Sell a House With Code Violations?
To conclude, lots of time and (unfortunately) money is needed to fix code violations on a Philadelphia property. If you can handle that yourself, fantastic! But if you don’t want to worry about dealing with code violation fixes and fines when selling, we can help.
Give us a call today at (215) 326-9208 or contact us to receive your cash offer. Brotherly Love Real Estate will help you deal with any issues at hand. You can walk away with money in your pocket, and not have to look back! We buy houses as-is, in any condition.