I own a 3 family apartment building that has natural gas for heat.

Exact procedures vary by state.

It's just human nature to take the path of least resistance, the easy way to do something, especially if it works to make A deal!

'Good price' is a relative term naturally.

In NJ multi's have 5 yr State inspections so it's natural that we get hit with compliance first.

Naturally, the agent is going to make deals look a little better than they really are because they want you to buy.

They will look at flipping during the previous 12 months, which by the nature of it being a recent foreclosure is an unlikely scenario but one you do want to check by asking your Title Company for a Chain of Title early in the process.

How would this procedure be done?

The price quoted seems OK to me; since I usually end up with natural gas-fired heat rather than the electric systems you seem to be getting you might have to adjust a bit for different energy source.I'm surprised that you are being told "no permits needed" for this.

There is a "procedure" they have to go through and if they don't, someone's head would role, so following the first rule of survival - CYA or in another words, "By the book".