I know I was going to talk about listing, but a few things have happened this week that deserve a mention.

I run into people who wonder why they should hire a Realtor to buy a home (cost you nothing in this area, seller usually pays).  Or why they should sell with a Realtor.  And by the way, not any Realtor, but a full time experienced Realtor, not your cousin who waits tables and does this on the side.

There are more reasons than I care to take up your time with.  But for right now, let’s just talk about two things that I came across this week that someone else had already missed.

First, zoning.  That is the County or City regulations governing how you can use your property.  I was working with a buyer and we found the perfect place for them!  It was a lovely home that was all redone and set up for horses.  A must for this buyer.  Just prior to writing the offer, I called the local zoning board to check on the current zoning.  It had changed from something that would allow horses to something that absolutely would not!  Had I not checked, it would have been a disaster!  This can apply to many other uses, including just living there and being able to resell the property as a home when you move.  So you need to know what is going on.  Don’t ASSUME!!!!

The second issue was a newer home with a brand new shop.  The home is currently listed with an agent.  Again, just to check, I called the local planning and zoning office to make sure the building permit for the shop had been completed.  Come to find out, none had ever been applied for.  Now that can mean one of 3 things.  1.  Maybe the County office was incorrect.  In this case, I did not question further, did not want to cause someone to go out and check.  That needs to be up to the homeowner or their agent.  If I were writing an offer on this house, it would be based on the owner producing the proper completed paper work.  #2.  Maybe the owner hired this done and the contractor did not do what he was supposed to do or even the owner did it themselves and did not apply for the permit.  In either case, they would need to take care of it.  #3.  Depending on the situation, at some point, the County could require the building be removed.  If it does not meet code or was built too close to the property line or any number of things.

The point is, do you want to deal with either of these issues as a new owner, or do you want a Realtor with some experience to do this checking for you and do everything possible to keep you safe?

And the really sad thing is, this all just happened this week, and it was not even a busy week!

Have a question?  Email me or leave a comment.