Selling A House With Code Violations In Washington DC
If your home falls short of a municipal or county building code, then it has a code violation. Code violations can be anything from breaching minimum construction standards to broken doors, windows and smoke alarms. If you have a home in Washington DC that has code violations, you should know your options if you want to sell it.
Preventable Code Violations
In most cases, serious code violations occur when homeowners make modifications or expand on their current residence without permission. Here are some examples of serious code violations:
- Fire Safety Hazards
- Violation of Zoning Ordinances
- Violations of Mechanical, Electrical and Energy Codes
- Electrical Code Violations
Dealing With A Code Violation And The Fines Associated With It
Officials in Washington DC have been known to issue large fines to homeowners who have code violations. Those who don’t pay often end up in a position where these fines become overwhelming. In many cases, homeowners who want to keep their houses can work out a deal with the city in order to reduce these fines and the interest incurred, often over a period of several years since the city wants homeowners to repair their faulty code violations. But if you would rather sell your home, then the most important thing to do is to disclose the violations to potential buyers.
Disclosure Requirements for Buyers Who Plan to Live in Your Property
In 1998, DC passed a law that requires property sellers to disclose certain things about the property to potential buyers who intend to live in your home. The buyer must express this intent in writing, however. What this means is that if you want to sell your home to a buyer like this, you have to comply with this rule. Fortunately, DC makes it easier by only requiring one form for all disclosures.
There are other requirements, as well. For example, if your home was built before 1978, you need to comply with a federal law called the “Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act”. This is to disclose if there are any reports of lead evaluations done for your home. This is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), so it’s best to comply with the regulations for a smooth transaction.
Selling A Home With Code Violations
In some cases, you may want to fix the code violations before putting your house up for sale. If you have the funds and the time to do this, then you can contact the city to negotiate to sanction down the violations to a reasonable amount. In this case, you can then hire a contractor who specializes in this type of work to get your house up to code. The overall process may be lengthy and costly, but it is a viable option.
Selling A House With Code Violations To Investors
If the work that needs to be done is beyond your budget (which is most likely the case), then finding a real estate investor who will buy the property as it as and deal with the violations after the fact is your best option. This choice is typically easier since you don’t have to go through the process of disclosing the code violations. In many cases, real estate investors who purchase real estate with code violations are willing to pay cash in order to complete the transaction quickly so that you can sell your house ‘as is’ and not worry about it anymore. Since code violations can become a nightmare, selling this type of real estate to a real estate investor and forgetting about it is often the wisest choice.
If you choose us, we will take your property as it is, code violations and all. We buy houses with almost every kind of damage imaginable, from houses with completely buckled back basement walls to homes with no roofs. You’ll be able to sell your house quickly and hassle-free – and of course, you’ll be paid in cash so that you can walk away with a clean slate. By working with us, you won’t have to worry about financing. In fact, we even pay for all of the closing costs.
If your home has code violations that you just don’t want to deal with, reach out to us today with your contact details and we’ll get back to you with an offer in as little as 10 minutes! It really is that easy. So what are you waiting for?
