Sell a House with Code Violations in The Reno Area

Are you selling a house with a code violations in the Reno area?

Having code violations can make selling a property in the Reno area feel even more stressful that it already is.

The good news is with a proactive approach you can sell your house not only quickly, but for a fair price even with a code violation as well.

If you are looking to sell with an open code enforcement case, you’re probably asking yourself these questions . . .

• Can I sell a home in the Reno area with building code violations?
• What do I need to know about the violation(s)?
• Can I get more info from code enforcement?
• Should I sell “as-is” or remediate the violation on my own?
• Do I need to disclose the violation to buyers?

We’ve simplified the process of selling property with code violations in the Reno area into 5-steps: research the property, learn about the violation, sell “as-is” or remediate, find a buyer, and close. It’s that simple.

Read on to learn how to make your sale successful – even with an open code enforcement case!

Step 1: Research The Reno Area Property

Start the process of selling a house in the Reno area with code violations by researching the legal specifications with city or county websites. Or you can call the code violation office.

When evaluating offers, you want to understand how buyers are thinking. Buyers definitely look-up the house on the County assessor’s website and sites like Zillow or contact a real estate agent when calculating your offer. The specifics also let you make an “apples to apples” comparison to active and sold comps.

You might be surprised to discover a feature was added without permits (bedroom/bathroom, extension, pool, patio, etc.) and it’s not reflected in the public record. This is particularly concerning if code enforcement is already inspecting the house due to an existing violation.

Here are some steps to take a look at the specifications on any property in Washoe County (each county is different, and there will be links to those websites down below)

How To Look Up Your Property in Washoe County:

1. Visit the online property search on the Washoe County Assessor’s Website.
2. Enter the Owner Name, Address, Subdivision, or Parcel Number to find the property.
3. Review the Property Information for the key features that drive the value of the property.

What house specifications should you focus on?

At Envy Property Solutions, LLC, we recommend paying extra attention to Beds / Baths, Living Units, Living Area, Lot Size, Year Built, Municipal Zone, and Extra Features.

Step 2: Learn About The Code Violations

Did you gather all the details on the code violations impacting your house in the Reno area?

Get informed to make the best decision possible. Know the violation number and name, type of violation, date it was issued, the inspector that found the violation, on-going penalties for non-compliance, and the steps required to remediate the code violations.

You should have received a notice of violation (either in the mail or posted on your door). The notice of violation contains some of the information you need.

The notice is helpful – but rarely address how to remediate the violation. We recommend contacting Washoe County code enforcement department directly:

E-mail: Code-Enforcement@washoecounty.us
Website: Code Compliance
Address: 1001 E. Ninth Street, Bldg. A, 2nd Floor, Reno NV  89512
Telephone: (775) 328-6106

Not in Washoe County? Here are the other counties code enforcement website’s: Carson City, Lyon County, Douglas County, Storey County, and Churchill County.

Here are list of questions to ask once you connect with Code Enforcement:

• What will be the penalty if the code violation isn’t corrected?
• What must be done to remediate the violation(s)?
• If the violation is corrected, what is the process for re-inspecting and closing the code enforcement case?
• Is there any other information you can tell me about the violation?

Envy Property Solutions, LLC: Common Code Violations

Our company has purchased houses with code violations since 2016. Check out this list of violations that we’ve encountered that you should consider when you’re selling a property.

Step 3: Sell “As-Is” or Remediate The Code Violations On Your Own?

Does this sound like you . . .

“I would like to sell my house in the Reno area with a violation. Should I sell the house “as-is”, or try to remediate the violation on my own first?” or “who buys houses ‘as-is’ because of code violations in the Reno area?”

Anyone selling a house with a violation asks the above questions.

There are benefits to getting rid of the house as it stands, as well as to spending the time and money on the repairs for Washoe County (or other counties) code enforcement to close the case.

Advantages of Selling As-Is.

Sell Fast. Correcting code violations in the Reno area doesn’t usually happen quickly. The process involving getting notice, learning about the violation, hiring workers to fix the problem, scheduling a re-inspection by the county or city inspector, and hopefully they close the violation without requiring further action. If your goal is to sell quickly (perhaps due to relocation, tax or foreclosure auction, or just want cash fast), remediating may not be possible.

Repair Cost. Renovations are not cheap. Violations for debris and high grass may cost just a few hundred bucks, but bigger problems like defective plumbing, electrical, or windows cost thousands of dollars. If your property has structural damage or is being used illegally (for example – with too many living units or illegal bedrooms/bathrooms), costs could be tens of thousands of dollars or not correctable at all.

On-Going Fines or Impending Auction. Monthly fines are a consequence of open code violations, and if fines go on long enough, the property will be auctioned off by the county. Selling the house “as-is” cuts your losses on the fines and prevents you from losing the house altogether at the courthouse steps.

Advantages of Remediating The Code Violations.

Higher Sale Price. Owners can increase sale proceeds by rectifying the violation before selling. Buyers naturally offer more if they save the time and money required to get code enforcement close the violations.

Mortgage Offers From Possible Homeowners. Want more buyer options? Open violations usually demand a cash buyer. Banks are hesitant to lend on houses that need work. If your house is up to code, you can get offers from regular owner occupant buyers using a mortgage.

Stopping The Fines. If you want to sell but aren’t quite ready to pull the trigger, investing in removing the violation is smart. You lose money every month on fines – cut down the losses by repairing the defect and closing the violation as soon as you can.

Our company, Envy Property Solutions, LLC, buys houses “as-is” in Reno and the surrounding area. Give us a call at (775) 391-5236 visit our Get My Cash Offer Now! page to get an no-obligation cash offer today.

Wondering what you need to disclose to the buyer if you decide to sell a Reno area property with open code violations?

In the standard Nevada residential purchase agreement that Realtors use, sellers are expected to disclose “all known facts materially affecting the value of the Real Property” that are “aware to the seller”. See the “Seller Disclosure” provision below:

Take a look the seller’s real property disclosure form.

Step 4: Select A Buyer

When selecting the buyer for your house in the Reno area, vet the buyer’s qualifications and review the terms of the offer (not just price!).

A “high offer” is virtually meaningless if the buyer can’t follow through on closing at the promised price (and makes it worse when they come back a week or two later begging for a huge reduction), or the offer has hidden contingencies to let the buyer back out at the last minute.

Envy Property Solutions, LLC considers contract terms and buyer qualifications even more important than offer price when we sell our own properties. There are a lot of people in the Reno area that will throw around big numbers to entice sellers to sign a contract – with little intention to actually complete the sale. We see this kind of thing happen very often.

Pay special attention to these contract terms when evaluating offers:

• Escrow Deposit. Escrow deposits are a sum of money paid by the buyer to demonstrate a sincere interest in completing the transaction. This “good faith deposit” is held by a neutral attorney or title company, and is a “remedy” paid to you if the buyer breaches the contract.
• Inspection Period. Real estate contracts typically have a period of time for buyers to inspect the premises and cancel the contract due to what might be found at the property. The default inspection period in Nevada’s standard real estate contract is 15 days.
• Closing Date. If you have on-going fines or the property is subject to an upcoming auction, make sure the closing is scheduled in the near future.
• Financing Contingency. Financing contingencies allow a buyer to “back out” at the last minute if they were unable to raise the money to complete the sale. This contingency usually applies to buyers that need a mortgage. Most cash buyers do not need a financing contingency.

Here are some key considerations (and an opportunity for us to show off a bit 😄)

• Experience Rehabbing Property. Has the buyer purchased a “fixer-upper” before? Good chance an overwhelmed buyer will back out if they have no history with ugly houses.
• Testimonials & Reviews. Check out if the buyer has online testimonials and social media reviews (HINT: click here to see our testimonials). Past is the best predictor of the future. If others had a good sale experience, there is a good chance you will too.
• Better Business Bureau Accredited. Better Business Bureau is the “gold standard” for a company willing to put their reputation on the line. The BBB reviews the company’s online and corporate history before approving. Envy Property Solutions, LLC is A+ Rated!

The “For Sale By Owner” Approach To Selling.

Considering selling directly to the buyer? This is the FSBO or for sale by owner approach. Owners choose to sell by owner to avoid the traditional process of listing the house on the MLS (multiple listing service) with a realtor. The benefits of a FSBO sale are saving on realtor commissions, controlling the sales process, and a faster sale. The downsides are less public exposure and not as many buyers see the inside.

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Step 5: Close on the Property

Closing is the end of the line of selling your house in The Reno area!

You get cash and ownership transfers to the buyer of the property. Closing documents get signed and “keys” are formally handed over.

Here’s some things to know about real estate closing:

Closing Walkthrough. Prior to most closings, the buyer is entitled to one last inspection to ensure the house is in the same condition as when the buyer entered the contract to purchase it. The buyer is protected from last minute problem like pipe-burst, roof leak, or break-in.

Clean-Out. Unless negotiated otherwise, sellers are expected to remove all “personal property” from the premises prior to closing. Although small items aren’t a big deal, items such as inoperable cars, boats, or big furniture might be costly to remove. Get on the same page with the buyer as to what will stay at the property.

We Buy Houses With Code Violations In The Reno Area.

Give us a try! At Envy Property Solutions, LLC we believe in a 100% no-hassle and no-obligation process.

Selling your Reno area house with code violations shouldn’t be tough or stressful.

If you are not able to remedy the code violation or don’t have time to and need to sell your house in order to get code enforcement to stop hounding you, you don’t have anything to lose by seeing what we’ll offer on your house.

Fill out the short form through the link below or give us a call anytime at (775) 391-5236. We’ll get some basic information about your house and within 24 hours will send you a formal written offer. If the offer works for you, we’ll work with a neutral 3rd party title company to put the sale paperwork together and set a closing date that fits your schedule.

Get the process started below or call (775) 391-5236! 

Start Here: Get My Fair Cash Offer! >>