All Forum Posts by: Brian Larson

Appraisers continually mess up these appraisals.  I would exercise caution when dealing with any of them.  My personal and professional experience has been that they do not provide actual replacement costs in their evaluations.  I advise telling them it took a lot more money than it actually took to construct.

@Thomas Blocker - Sounds like a cool project.  What part of Sacramento are you planning this work in?

I miss the app as well.

@Max Feinberg can probably give you some suggested companies?  What size of outfit are you looking for?

@Jovelyn Punzal - @Dan H. is 100% correct. I built an ADU in San Jose, CA. It was a poor investment in my cash and I would never do it again. HOWEVER, if you can buy a property with an ADU already onsite. That is a huge win. As a realtor, I give this advice to clients all the time because it is easier and cheaper to fix up an existing ADU that building something new.

@Erik Estrada makes some good points.  If you are just looking for another city to review, try Pittsburgh, PA.  I have had good luck there.

Perhaps I should clear up my issue here.

I have no issues with my property manager. They made a mistake and they offered to correct it.

Where I have an issue this with the procedural ability to fine me twice because my wife and I both own the property.  How is that legal?

Also, this fine is $200 each in an area where rents are only $600-$800. It seems incredible that a local government could get away with charging $400 for “slightly” over grown grass.

Has anyone experienced a double fine like this?  These fines were literally the same day. One to me and one to my wife.  Thanks

@Nathan Gesner - thanks for the comments. I agree with them and the property manager has made good on paying the fine and clearing up the issues with the grass.

What I can’t seem to understand is how it is even legal for a municipality to cite and fine 2 owners for the same code infraction.  Have you ever experienced this in any jurisdiction?

Hello.  I need some advice.  We have a property in Westmoreland County with an adjacent vacant lot.  We maintain the property with the help of a local property manager.  The Property Management pay a local landscaper to cut the grass of the adjacent lot so we do not get cited.  We have had issues with this not being cut sometimes and we recently received a citation from the local municipality.  Our property management company claimed that they would address the issue.  They did not and now we have been fined.  Then, our property management offered to pay the fine but now we are having issues with the local municipality because they have fine us TWICE (once for me and once for my wife).

My question to the forum is -- How is this legal?  Code enforcement can't fine each owner a separate fine for the same issue, can they?  This is crazy for slightly overgrown grass.  Has anyone else dealt with this before?  If so, any advice?  This entire thing just seems like a scheme to make more money for the small township.

 Jon - Easier said than done sometimes.  Do you invest in California?