Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2017 · 7 posts · 0 votes
If I'm looking at an old home or distressed property that has a built on addition. How can I tell that it was added legally? Is there a way I can look it up online?
If it wasn't done legally when apprised how could that affect the property value? Would I have to take it down?
Realtor · Portland, ME · Member since 2015 · 655 posts · 552 votes
7y
You need to go to the Building Department and pull the property jacket and look for a permit. If it is in LA, they may have an online system where you can look up the active permits and history of the permits. In terms of the legal ramifications of it, each state is a little different. In the state of Mass, there is a 10 year statute of limitations (Mass General Law Chapter 40A Section 7) where if it has been there for that long and no one has noticed it or complained, then it can remain. I would talk to an attorney to see if there are any such regulations in Cali.