Remodeled 4 Plex , but cannot be occupied due city restriction

[Paul Bloomfield]

The issue is, the property can't be rented as the county took away occupational rights due to the back of the property up against a Rock. It seems like it needs a retaining wall, but i'm not sure as the seller just want to off load , he doesn't have much information. I will be going to the county office to as them what 

1) what need to be done to address the retaining wall 

2) was it an issue in the past, why is it an issue now

3) what type of document would i need in order to get clearance/

4) what document would they need to get clearance

5) what's the turnaround time for these documents

I would love some advice on what i can do. I have been searching a long time for a good deal and I feel this could be the one . i just need to solve this issue , if , it can be solve.  This would be my first property and would give me an edge on getting it.

Has anyone gone thru this before? 

is there anything else i could/ should do ?

Do i need to take anything with me to the county office?

[Jonathan Taylor Smith]

As a Real Estate Investor, you get paid for solving problems - and complex problems should be worth even more if you can solve them. I've handled two properties in the last year that had been unoccupied (no permit / no CO) for 10 years and 14 years respectively. I don't know what to say to your specific property, but in handling these two for myself, I had to make many trips to the permitting and inspections offices. So document who you speak with and what was said. Get their phone number and email address, and follow-up each conversation with a summary email asking for reply confirmation of your understanding and needed action(s) to remedy the situation.

You can also negotiate the purchase with the seller to have some amount of funds held in escrow at closing as needed to address this issue - for which you'd want to obtain quotes during your due dilligence period.