is it the appraiser's job to pull permits

[The Warrior Monk]

Is the permit necessary to provide a credible value conclusion? If so, then the appraiser must do their due diligence to check this information.

 

[Vermonter]

You crazy city folk and your building permits.

I thought "pulling" permits referred to applying and receiving them, not verifying them?

 

[Pilgrum]

Whats the fee. For $200, they are lucky you even inspected the home. Bang it out and move on.

Are you serious. Is that how you operate your practice?

 

[AnonApprsr]

Pilgrum let it go, it's the way it is unfortunately.

Anyway, permits are easy to look at in general in my local area. You walk into the building department and ask to see "the file on 999 Main Street" and that file will usually contain everything they have on the property. If they have it, it's there.

 

[kakarotto]

i called the city and they only have permits back to 1999. i guess i have to go in. there's a 400 square foot discrepancy. i have a gut feeling that this is going to be an illegal addition. i wouldn't be bothered by it but the borrower was such an a-hole about it. if it's illegal, can/should i report it?

 

[Elliott]

If its illegal and you don't report it, would that be wrong?

 

[AnonApprsr]

You have to make a note of it. You'll also have to research what the town does about additions that were unpermitted. Also, I'd be very hesitant to call something "illegal" as you're not a lawyer, you're not the building inspector, and you're not the code police. It's an unpermitted addition, full stop.

 

[Scott R Marshall]

You have to make a note of it. You'll also have to research what the town does about additions that were unpermitted. Also, I'd be very hesitant to call something "illegal" as you're not a lawyer, you're not the building inspector, and you're not the code police. It's an unpermitted addition, full stop.

Have to agree with Anon. It is either unpermitted or unverifiable if records only go back so far and you cannot view a data card.

 

[KenAZ]

You have to make a note of it. You'll also have to research what the town does about additions that were unpermitted. Also, I'd be very hesitant to call something "illegal" as you're not a lawyer, you're not the building inspector, and you're not the code police. It's an unpermitted addition, full stop.

Exactly.

A 400sf addition is no big deal. Think about it this way . . . if it is difficult to pull a permit for the subject, how would the typical buyer do it for your home or the comps?

Our job is to determine the market difference between a comparable and the subject. If you are going to say that an unpermitted addition has inferior value, or no value, how are you going to prove that? Did you pull the permits on all of the comps in your paired sales? Can you prove your adjustments?

Typically, a buyer could care less. They look at the 3000sf home. They see that it is functionally sound, and the addition is of good quality, and they buy it.

If they see that it is a converted enclosed patio with no heat, they will pay less for it, whether or not it has a permit.

Read the HUD statements on this. They even state that they are not the permit police.

 

[Jim Hill]

Robert Joseph

Your comment:

You crazy city folk and your building permits.

I thought "pulling" permits referred to applying and receiving them, not verifying them?

I have a friend who just finished building a New home in Vermont and he told me an interesting story.

When he pulled the permit for his New home on 12 acres he asked the building inspector at what stages of construction he should contact him for each inspection and the reply he received was to call when the home was complete and the building inspector what stop to take a look.

So the question of does having a building permit mean your home is a better built home then for a home that did not get a permit interesting and the real answer is it depends on who built the home and their knowledge of construction.

Years ago it was very common for the building inspector to say to me that he was kind of busy and to just keep on building and he would stop by when he got some free time.

Remember every building inspector knows the contractors he has to keep and eye on and the ones that do a good job.

I have seen many additions that were built without a permit and the quality of workmanship looked the same. It's true that none of us can see what is inside a wall but that is also true for a building inspector.

Jim Hill