Do You Need A Permit For That Home Improvement?

Whether one is expanding a deck, putting on a new deck, adding a she-shed, remodeling a kitchen, adding a bathroom or something else it pays to check with the local zoning and building department to make sure whether a permit is needed.  Every location will vary in what does and what does not require a permit.  Certainly the work can be done without a permit and there are contractors out there who will do the work permit or no permit.  The risks though from having no permit for a home improvement job include fines, being forced to undo the work, buyers walking away from a purchase contract, insurance denying a claim and more.  Be sure to understand local permit rules in order to stay above board with your home with the tips in this article.

Is a Permit Needed?

Different cities and states have different requirements, so it is always helpful to call first and make sure whether a permit is needed or not.  Just because a permit was not needed in the last place a homeowner resided in does not mean a different city won’t require a permit for the same work.  While there probably will be an expense associated with getting a permit, failing to get a permit will cost much more, especially if the homeowner is required to undo the work or the contractor decides to take shortcuts that result in unsafe work.  Local building/zoning departments have staff to guide homeowners on the process of applying for a permit if one is needed.  

Benefits of Doing Permitted Work

During the permit process the work is usually inspected to make sure it is up to code.  Things like HVAC, electrical and plumbing are...

Common Seller Mistakes That Will Result In An Unsold Home

With the higher mortgage rates have come the initial steps of a shift in the real estate market .  Whereas sellers found selling homes to be a rather easy process with multiple buyer offers in the recent past, that has changed.  Buyers are being pickier with homes and some buyers have decided to wait until home prices or mortgage rates come down.  Sellers need to be on top of their game when selling a home to make sure they sell quickly.  Some of the mistakes noted below are things that can be avoided when listing a home for sale.

Over Pricing

Pricing a home is both a factor of recent home sales and the current mortgage rates.  Home sellers need to understand that higher rates mean buyers need to shop in lower price ranges than prior.  When rates were low a buyer could afford a more expensive home since the monthly payments were also lower.  As mortgage rates have moved up so have the monthly mortgage payment.  A $400,000 dollar house purchased at a 3% mortgage rates results in a $1517.77 a month mortgage payment (assuming 10% down payment and not including taxes or insurance).  At 6.5% that same mortgage payment for the $400,000 house is $2275.44.  That represents an increase of $757.67 to the monthly mortgage payment!

A buyer who could afford the $400,000 at 3% mortgage interest rate now can find themselves priced out of the same house at a 6.5% mortgage rate.  If there are no buyers of a home at the 6.5% interest rate then that means the home is overpriced and in order to get it sold the seller will need to cut the price.  ...

Days on market has been coming down but the median selling price is also down.  Sales have increased in what should be a typically more active spring home selling season.