Redford MI vacant home registration

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Redford MI vacant home registration

Debra R.
Redford, MI · Member since 2015 · 97 posts · 23 votes

We would really like to talk to someone familiar with Redford, Michigan and it's vacant home registration.  We're buying a house in Redford and the sellers received a vacant home notice.  It's not the vacant home fee we're concerned about but any inspection that's required.  Our questions are:

1. what is the definition of a vacant home according to Redford? If someone was living there through the day of closing and then moved in there the day after closing would they still consider it in need of a vacant home permit?

2. what is the purpose of the vacant home permit? to generate revenue? to safeguard potential buyers? to eliminate liability for the city? to keep the neighborhoods from having any run down houses?

3. Is an interior inspection required? If so, how does the process work after they find something which needs correction (bc they will find something).

I'd very much appreciate info if someone has experience dealing with this.  I'll be away from the computer today, but will answer questions/return messages tomorrow.

Debra

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Joshua Woolls
Investor · Grosse Pointe Park, MI · Member since 2015 · 164 posts · 64 votes
10y

Furnace inspection only cares about safety. They do not care if it is old.

As for the driveway? This is probably one of the most expensive fixes and for simple cracks I see it as one of the more unnecessary. I have had to do a couple of roofs that I think I could have squeezed a couple of years out of. That does not bother me as much, as I would prefer to be proactive on leaks. 

Vacuum breakers are cheap and easy. Electrical is relatively cheap and easy.

I can vouch for George. He is a good guy and I would recommend working with him.  

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  • Joe VilleneuvePro Member
    Plymouth, MI · Member since 2013 · 13k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    10y

    I have a number of rentals in Redford.  Here are some answers to your  questions:

    1 - Simply selling a house doesn't make it a vacant home.  Foreclosures are a common type of "vacant" home.  Previous owner is gone, and they are not replaced.

    2 - Yes, Yes, Yes, and Yes.  It also forces the new owner to get the home inspected.

    3 - Yes.  The new owner gets a list of items that needs fixing, and must correct them within 30 days.  The home must be re-inspected, and passed, in order to get your C of O.

    Also, there is a C of O for a "homeowner" living there...and then you must get an added inspection to  qualify as a "rental" property.

    Hope this helps.

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  • Joe VilleneuvePro Member
    Plymouth, MI · Member since 2013 · 13k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    10y

    One more thing.  Usually this is all handled by your Property Manager...at least ours does.

    1Reply
  • Debra R.
    OP
    Redford, MI · Member since 2015 · 97 posts · 23 votes
    10y

    Hi @Joe Villeneuve, 

    Thanks for the info!  We don't have a property manager and plan to live in this home a couple of years while we pick up some rental properties in the area. 

    I understand that there will be an inspection by Redford when/if we want to rent it out.  In your experience, what sorts of things do they look for during this inspection?  I'm asking bc we plan to do some renovations and would want to be sure we didn't miss something that would be a problem later during the rental inspection.  

    Back to the question of the vacant home inspection-Is there any scenario in which there is a home sale and no vacant home inspection?  Or is it that it will always happen with a sale and is just a question of whether it happens before or after the sale?  We already had our own paid pre-sale inspection and there are some definite safety issues- mis-wired electrical, GFI's not present near sinks, non tempered glass windows near the floor and more.  These are all things that we plan to correct but not within a 30 days.  

    Any info or advice is much appreciated.  

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  • Joe VilleneuvePro Member
    Plymouth, MI · Member since 2013 · 13k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    10y

    Most of what Redford looks for are health and safety issues.  The biggest issue with Redford is they want you to pull permits for everything...and they charge accordingly.

    I have a number of rentals now, and have done a number of rehabs already, including a South Redford flip we are finishing up right now 2 blocks from the Golf Course (Private Country Club).

    Redford's BD is a pain in the ..., but the cash flow is amazing.

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  • Debra R.
    OP
    Redford, MI · Member since 2015 · 97 posts · 23 votes
    10y

    @Joe Villeneuve

    north of 96 and south of the golf course? If so that's where our potential new home is!

    1Reply
  • Joe VilleneuvePro Member
    Plymouth, MI · Member since 2013 · 13k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Debra R.:

    @Joe Villeneuve

    north of 96 and south of the golf course? If so that's where our potential new home is!

     You got it.  It's on Lyndon

    0Reply
  • Joshua Woolls
    Investor · Grosse Pointe Park, MI · Member since 2015 · 164 posts · 64 votes
    10y

    I also have several properties in Redford. They can be a pain in the ***. Usually in order to be a vacant home, it has to sit unoccupied for at least 30 days. 

    Redford always wants a furnace inspection. They are really big on proper exterior step heights. They require vacuum breakers on all outside spigots and on the laundry sink. Make sure electrical does not create any safety concerns. No pealing paint on garages and trim. And chimney and brickwork is properly tuckpointed. Also, they are really strict about cracked concrete on driveways and sidewalks.

    I am almost tempted to not buy in Redford because they are such a pain... But the returns are great. And the area South of the Golf Course and North of the Highway is one of the best areas to be in.

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  • Debra R.
    OP
    Redford, MI · Member since 2015 · 97 posts · 23 votes
    10y

    @Joshua Woolls

    Very good info!  The furnace is on it's last leg, there's quite a few electrical safety issues, I don't imagine there are any vacuum breakers, and the driveway is definitely cracked.  My concern is that if the inspection doesn't happen pre-sale then we'll end up holding the bag.  It's not that we don't want to make all those corrections, it's just that doing it in 30 (or 90?) days will make us divert cash to projects that we don't want to do first thing and/or make electrical corrections in the kitchen and bathroom now and then end up changing those when we remodel the kitchen and bathrooms in the next year.  

    Any suggestions for dealing with the city?

    0Reply
  • George P.
    Property Manager · Livonia, MI · Member since 2011 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    10y

    Debra, I do updates for investors, let me know if you need any help getting the work done. 

    0Reply
  • Debra R.
    OP
    Redford, MI · Member since 2015 · 97 posts · 23 votes
    10y

    Thanks @George P.!  Congratulations on #30! Very impressive and gives us a goal to match- sometime in the future.  :)

    0Reply
  • Joshua Woolls
    Investor · Grosse Pointe Park, MI · Member since 2015 · 164 posts · 64 votes
    10y

    Furnace inspection only cares about safety. They do not care if it is old.

    As for the driveway? This is probably one of the most expensive fixes and for simple cracks I see it as one of the more unnecessary. I have had to do a couple of roofs that I think I could have squeezed a couple of years out of. That does not bother me as much, as I would prefer to be proactive on leaks. 

    Vacuum breakers are cheap and easy. Electrical is relatively cheap and easy.

    I can vouch for George. He is a good guy and I would recommend working with him.  

    1Reply
  • George P.
    Property Manager · Livonia, MI · Member since 2011 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Joshua Woolls:

    Furnace inspection only cares about safety. They do not care if it is old.

    As for the driveway? This is probably one of the most expensive fixes and for simple cracks I see it as one of the more unnecessary. I have had to do a couple of roofs that I think I could have squeezed a couple of years out of. That does not bother me as much, as I would prefer to be proactive on leaks. 

    Vacuum breakers are cheap and easy. Electrical is relatively cheap and easy.

    I can vouch for George. He is a good guy and I would recommend working with him.  

    0Reply
  • Renata M.
    Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2019 · 8 posts · 3 votes
    7y

    Hi everyone,
    This thread is 3 years old, but I hope you guys could help me with the questions I have. I recently purchased a property in Redford from the bank, it is vacant now. The bank paid for the inspection, but, as I was told, it's never happened. I hired a third party company to do the inspection before I purchased, so I know what has to be fixed - HVAC, electrical, roof insulation, garage exterior and interior and home interior fixes. My question to the city was - can I do the renovation and do city inspection after? Their answer was unclear to me, but as I understood no. So I would like to hear your experienced opinion.

    I am planning on hiring HVAC professional company, plumber and electrician, but the rest will be done by my husband and my father in law.

    I appreciate any help!

    0Reply
  • George P.
    Property Manager · Livonia, MI · Member since 2011 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    contact me and i'll tell you how the redford building department works. i am there a few times per week pulling permits and scheduling inspections

    0Reply
  • Renata M.
    Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2019 · 8 posts · 3 votes
    7y

    Thank you for your reply George! Sent you a message!

    0Reply
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