I picked up a voice mail message on my phone today from the Fairfax County Real Estate Office. The message said that they were going over my property records, and noted that a Building Permit was issued in 2003 to finish our basement. The message said that they wanted a few specific details so that they could "close out the permit".

Given that the permit dates back to 2003, I would think that they could assume that the project was complete, and could "close out the permit". This sounds instead to me like the County is rifling through Building Permits for home improvement projects in order to be able to jack up the assessments on people's houses to the tune of whatever was spent on the improvements. Anyone else get a call like this recently?

I wouldn't doubt that they're fishing for info that could be used to increase your tax payment - desperate times call for desperate measures. Fuck 'em. Don't call them back.

__________________________________
That's not a ladybug, that's a cannapiller.

RayGay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Try the Fairfax county ASSFUCKING office!
>
> www.GloryholeLocator@GLORYHOLE.com


Isn't that the same as the Real Estate (Tax) Office?

And, Warhawk, my inclination is to ignore the call as well, unless I independently find out (here or elsewhere) that there is some reason that the Building Permit must be "closed out" (I am not putting my house on the market anytime soon).

If they did a final inspection and it passed, then is should be "closed out". I've never heard of such a thing coming up 6 years later. I could understand 6 months or maybe 1 year, but not 6 years.

__________________________________
That's not a ladybug, that's a cannapiller.

Old memory coming back to me -- there was an unfinished major home improvement project in the Springfield area that went on for YEARS despite neighbor complaints, etc. Fairfax Co. took homeowner to court and LOST. The Judge said You can drive one nail a year in an home improvement project- your building permit is open ended until the job is finished & declared closed.

Will post the link if I can find it, but it was over 10 year ago I believe.

They don't have to fish to jack up your home assessment - they can put whatever price on it they feel like they can possibly justify, then you have to protest.

Since you said you don't plan to sell your house anytime soon this won't matter for a while. However, if you never close out the permit, then it can be a problem when you go to sell your house. People often run into this problem- like we did- when they put in swimming pools. The contractor never gets a final inspection because they don't expect to do any more work for you so it doesn't matter to them. The problem is the property owner's, not theirs.

When we sold a house a few years back the title company for the purchaser would not issue title insurance with an open building permit. Unfortunately if it has been longer than a certain amount of time you have to comply with the updated code. We had to have some work done to get the swimming pool up to the current code before we could sell the house. That is the reason you may want to get the permit closed out now.

Of course, I love home improvement projects because I'm wired that way, and if they are green home improvement projects, all the better. We recently bought a plasma TV even though the LCD TVs were less expensive, primarily because the plasma TV uses less energy.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2009 12:57AM by siLent_sTeZel.

Been there Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When we sold a house a few years back the title company for the purchaser would not issue title insurance with an open building permit.<

The lender, not the title company, was worried an open permit meant there was a risk of mechanics liens that might be filed after they funded the loan. Mechanics liens have priority over mtgs. even if the mechanic's liens are filed after the mortgage. This was big problem for new home buyers in early '90s.

> Unfortunately if it has been longer than a certain amount of time you have to comply with the updated code.<

NO TRUE - Do not fall for the County staff crap. See Va. Code Section 15.2-2307, if you have a building permit you are constitutionally protected against subsequent changes in the law.

> That is the reason you may want to get the permit closed out now.

Closing out is still a good idea, for the reduced hassle factor.

No surprise, they tried to hustle my parents over a back deck they had and said it didn't meet regulations.

However the deck was built in 87 and met all regulations back then when the permit was issued so since it was grandfathered and they dropped the issue.

Still pretty interesting the inspector would come all the way in the backyard to find that (can't be viewed from the street at all).



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2009 12:58PM by Mofo.

siLent_sTeZel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Of course, I love home improvement projects
> because I'm wired that way, and if they are green
> home improvement projects, all the better. We
> recently bought a plasma TV even though the LCD
> TVs were less expensive, primarily because the
> plasma TV uses less energy.

That is completely backwards. Plasma TVs use considerably more power than LCDs of the same size.

We got the exact same phone call message a few months back. Same thing---building permit. We are probably not far off of that 10 year job someone mentioned on here---well, actually we're on the 5 year plan---doing the basement ourselves. I believe you are right about the county digging around for extra money.

-,,SBS..- Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> siLent_sTeZel Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Of course, I love home improvement projects
> > because I'm wired that way, and if they are
> green
> > home improvement projects, all the better. We
> > recently bought a plasma TV even though the LCD
> > TVs were less expensive, primarily because the
> > plasma TV uses less energy.
>
> That is completely backwards. Plasma TVs use
> considerably more power than LCDs of the same
> size.

More, but not "considerably". LCD manufacturers exagerate the difference to support sales; in reality plasma TVs consume comparable amount of electricity, but since historically plasma screens were bigger in size than LCD, the legend was born.