All Forum Posts by: Lindsay Wilcox

Haha. I do know some convincing artists!

The thing is, I'm not planning to "finish" it like most people would consider something "finished." I live alone and can very easily get by with a mini fridge, Crockpot, and microwave, so I don't expect the basement will have a "kitchen," per se. I think it will have a wet bar, which is a pretty common thing to put in basement "bonus spaces." And then I'll set a microwave and/or Crockpot on the counter sometimes.

Similarly with the "den." It's just a room with some bookshelves...into which I will place a bed and an armoire.

I think any inspector would really just see a den and bar in my basement (there's already a bathroom). The fact that I intend to sleep there and store food in the fridge at the bar--is that really anyone else's business?

Just asked my insurance agent and he said since it already couldn't be rebuilt as it stands the event if a total loss (due to the nonconforming zoning), it wouldn't be an issue them. The premium might go up a little because of the increase in sqft, but that's all.

Codes don't only exist for safety. A lot of times, codes exist to cover people's...assets. Obviously if I were concerned about the safety, I wouldn't live in it, but just because the windows aren't large enough for the code doesn't mean there aren't safe exits.

I don't think a building inspector would care because I'm not talking about "adding another dwelling to the building." I'm talking about building a "den and bathroom with a kitchenette," which would be a completely legal option with minimal complication. I don't think the space itself would have any legal issues, and in fact plan to finish it out as exactly that whether I live it or not. I'm just asking about whether it's legal for me to live there too.

Utilities have a single meter anyway that I pay, so that's not an issue either.

How does it work to get a red tag code violation? Done code enforcer just walks around my neighborhood and decides my house seems fishy?

I'm not trying to be unnecessarily argumentative, and I appreciate your feedback. I'm just trying to figure out whether a little out-of-the-box thinking can make this workable or not.

This might be a pretty unique question, but since I know there are several people who started their RE journeys buying a MF house and living in one of the units, I'm hoping there might be someone who can shed some light on my question.

Background: I own a triplex with legal non-conforming zoning (zoned for duplexes) that I bought with FHA financing in September 2013. I am currently living in one of the three units and have since I purchased the home. The house was originally a 4-plex with a basement unit until Indianapolis passed egress window laws. The basement does not have conforming egress windows, and was decomissioned as a 4th unit and then mostly un-finished.

My question(s): If I were to re-finish the basement, could I live in it? I understand I can't rent it out to other people because it doesn't have conforming egress windows, but if I lived in it, that would free up the totally legal unit I'm living in right now for a third tenant! Would it cause any kinds of problems, say, when I went to sell it? Would any of those problems go away if, instead of a full kitchen, for example, I just put in a mini-fridge and a microwave? Could that make it a "bonus space" rather than a 4th unit if I sell it in the future? It needs some work, but not enough to deter me if I could potentially make $500-$600 more per month off my current unit!

Does anyone know where I would start to research these questions on my own? I'd like to learn how to figure things out on my own instead of always having to hire an attorney.

Hmm. Now I'm confused. @Kyle Hipp is saying the square footage doesn't matter at @Steven Hamilton II is saying it's the only thing that does!

Do you know how this would work if the units are not of equal sizes? Is it based on percentage of square footage or percentage of total number of units?

Also, did your units have separate utility bills? What if you only have one electric or water bill or something?

I just bought a triplex and am planning to live in one of the units. I'm trying to make sure, for tax purposes, that I document everything and keep the expenses for the rental units as separate from my personal expenses as I can.

I will also be consulting a CPA about this. Please do NOT respond and just tell me to consult a CPA or lawyer!

I am asking for feedback from those of you who have lived in a MF home and rented out other parts of it. How did you keep track of the expenses? How did you break down which expenses were for the rentals and which were for your unit? What if your unit and another unit share an improvement, like new steps to the front porch or, someday, a new roof? Does it matter if there is only one electric bill and one water bill? Did you try to find some way to split it? Did you just divide it by the number of units, the percentage of square feet, or something else? What about when you went to purchase supplies? How did you break down which were for your own unit, like paint for a personalized paint job, and which were for the other units, like toilet seats and smoke alarms? What about things that were both, like tools?

Also, @Bill Gulley it wasn't you. Don't worry.

I appreciate bluntness and directness--when it addresses the question. It's a standing assumption of the site that nothing offered here is legal advice. It doesn't need to be repeated every time someone posts a complicated question!

What is condescending is the underlying assumption that I don't know I should contact an attorney for legal advice when I need legal advice. If I'm asking for stories of people's experience, it's because I want stories of people's experience. If I want legal advice, I'll ask for legal advice (and I'll ask someone qualified to give it, not ask it here!). It shuts down all discussion to give "Ask a lawyer" as an answer. It's completely unnecessary and unhelpful AND it keeps me from getting the answers I'm actually asking for in the forum where I'm asking for them.

Same thing with the question about buying a block. What is condescending is the underlying assumption that I don't know I should do my research on the area before deciding whether to invest in a neighborhood. If I'm asking for feedback on buying a block, it's because I want feedback about buying a block. If I want advice about the particular neighborhood, I'll ask for advice about the particular neighborhood (and I'll ask someone qualified to give it, not ask it here without even saying where it is!). It shuts down all discussion to give "Reconsider investing in that neighborhood in the first place" as an answer. It's completely unnecessary and unhelpful AND it keeps me from getting the answers I'm actually asking in the forum where I'm asking for them. (In that case, I feel like it was salvaged when I restated the real question and people have been giving actual feedback, but it shouldn't have been necessary.)

It bothers me when people state or imply that I shouldn't be asking the question I'm asking because other questions are more important. If there are other questions that are more important, assume I have half a brain, have figured that out, and am addressing them too. When I post a specific question in a specific contest, like a forum post on Bigger Pockets, it's because I'm looking for an answer to that question from the people who have the opportunity to answer it, not because I want someone to critique my whole process, about which I've said nothing.

It doesn't bother me a lot. It just bothered me enough to ask whether I could click a button and prevent it from happening again, that's all. When the solution to a minor annoyance is very simple and easy, like clicking a button, why not weed out the annoyance?

It's not abusive. It's just talking down to me, treating me like I haven't even thought through the basic considerations before posting my question, and then not addressing my question at all.

The first time I asked whether anyone had any experience with legal non-conforming zoning and FHA loans and was told rather abruptly I should just consult a lawyer if I wanted authoritative advice. Of course I would. IF I wanted authoritative advice. But if that's what I was looking for, I wouldn't post the question on an internet discussion forum! I was requesting feedback from people who may have been there.

The second time I asked about buying more than one house on the same block. Even though I didn't mention the neighborhood or location, this same poster decided to tell me I should really rethink my choice to buy the property I'm closing on Monday in the first place and insinuated that I was being blinded by dollar signs. I've lived in the area for five years and have been researching property investment there for 2.5 of them. There's no reason to talk to me like an ignorant child.

Since he either can't or won't actually address the question I've asked instead of talking down to me and trying to dismiss my question by assuming I haven't considered something very fundamental, I'd rather block him from commenting on my posts in the future if it's possible, but it's not something I'd consider abusive. Condescending, ignorant, and obnoxious, maybe, but not abusive.

I guess I can send him a direct message and just ASK him not to respond to my posts. It's not as simple as clicking a button and preventing it, but I will if it happens again.