Anyone get an architect to look at your house to...

Gonnacatchapeacock Posted: Jun 19, 2005 12:59 AM

Anyone get an architect to look at your house to...

evaluate structures and assess their overall legality ... ?

we got a letter from our lawyer saying that the CO search was inconclusive and that he advises we should seek an architect to determine if certain outside structures are legal.

Should we just wait for the banks appraiser report?

cjb88 Posted: Jun 19, 2005 11:02 AM

Re: Anyone get an architect to look at your house to...

i would wait... why bother going through the headache if you dont have to...

i hate c/o's and I hate how some companies say you need them for certain things, then others say you dont... it is all so frustrating!!

thiadora Posted: Jun 19, 2005 01:46 PM

Re: Anyone get an architect to look at your house to...

I think that you do want to know if certain structures are legal before you close, even if the bank doesn't pick up on it. You're lawyer is probably trying to protect you. If the structures are not well built and not up to code, you could run into problems in the future.

Also sometimes the CO says 'dwelling' but doesn't indicate which parts of the structure were there when it was issued. (Such as a front porch) If the building plans are on file at the town, the title company's research company can search for the plans and see if it was there originally.

You can also look at the character of the buildings in that neighborhood. If it matches the others on the street or in the development, then it's probably original.

What did you're engineer think of the structures? Did anything on his/her report indicate that they weren't safe?

Gonnacatchapeacock Posted: Jun 20, 2005 10:35 AM

Re: Anyone get an architect to look at your house to...

all structures were built well and in excellent condition. lawyer is just concerned that they are there. they are all sound ..

thiadora Posted: Jun 20, 2005 12:31 PM

Re: Anyone get an architect to look at your house to...

Then, as long as the bank doesn't call the situation into question, it's your call what you want to do. If you are unable to determine if a structure has a CO for it (because there are no plans and the CO doesn't specify it), you can compel the seller to get a CO for it. The risk if you don't want to is- however, great or minor- that if you take the property subject to it, when you sell, you will be in the same position this seller is and someone could compel you to get a CO for it. Also- your lawyer could also use this as a bargaining tool to get an adjustment (to your purchase price) for you at closing.

IrishBride-05 Posted: Jun 20, 2005 01:41 PM

Re: Anyone get an architect to look at your house to...

There was an issue with the porch on our house when we went to closing. The survey did not find a CO for it, even though it is an original structure. Our attorney made the owner take care of it. IMO it is not your responsibility if you are not the homeowner. We were given the option of going to close and our money being held in escrow until the owner cleared up the matter, but they pulled some strings and got the paperwork in time.