CO's! What You Need to Know When Selling Your Home!

If it is not stressful enough getting ready to sell your home, you must make sure your paperwork is in order. Most people do not look for their surveys or deeds until it is time to use them. Unless of course you recently had a wonderful extension added or a built in pool. When you are looking in that little black box of important papers, you will come across your deed. Attached to the deed is most always the old survey of your home. The original deed is needed to give to your lawyer so when the exchange of the contract of sale occurs you are all ready a head of the game. Now, a CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY or CO is needed if there are any alterations to the house outside the original survey.

For example: Mrs. Beasley did not know that her wonderful Florida room extension, the town requires a CO (Certificate of Occupancy). Why. because the salesman who sold it to her is not responsible for the legal paper that the town requires. So when it comes time for Mrs. Beasley to sell, the buyer and the buyers attorney are looking for this legal document.

How do you go about getting these important C0's?

The best answer to this "HOW TO" question is simple. Find yourself a town expeditor. Either your realtor or attorney will be able to help you find the right person. The expeditor will have the experience in obtaining CO's for homeowners and he is a professional and does this on a day to day basis. They tend to know the people at the town building code and zoning offices and they have built a rapport with them over the years. This can make things go smoother and will help you get your CO's in on time. Each town has different procedures and requirements.

For example: Nassau County sometimes requires homeowners to even get a certificate for skylights. Imagine that, or even a fireplace that was put in after the home was built. Another one that I can't understand is a bow window that extends beyond the soffit. Sometimes this is passed and overlooked, but if the inspector has to come for another matter, such as a deck (which tends to be the biggest item homeowners do not realize they need a CO for) the inspector then will pick out the other items needed for Certificates.

Another item homeowners feel they can "get away with" or hide is a garage conversion to living space. They keep the garage doors on for the purpose of not paying higher taxes (God knows our taxes are high enough) and then when it comes to sell the homeowner waits to see if the buyer will overlook this. The truth of the matter is: in the fifteen years I am in this business only once, yes once did the homeowner not get have to get a CO for a garage conversion.

WHY? Well, the buyer purchased the home all cash and there was not a mortgage needed. In this case the lawyer will always suggest to get a CO but the buyer stated he would rather leave it be. Now the odds these days of an all cash buyer in today's market are slim (it does still happen)but the home I am speaking of was 125,000 and you don't really find homes that low anymore. If you do on Long Island, then email me I would be interested!

Don't forget to email if you have any further questions, we would love to help you. Do you have a question about Long Island Real Estate or how to buy or sell your home? Well here is your chance to Ask Toni and get the real scoop from a professional!

Just email directly to AskTL@lirealestate.org