I do not favor the continuation of the Truth-in-Sale-of-Housing REQUIRED REPAIRS program. The Truth-in-Sale-of-Housing program is not what is in question. The required repairs component of Truth-in-Housing was instituted to get at chronic health and safety issues. Ones that were passed on from owner to owner and often to poor owners. Requiring items to be repaired at the point of sale was the mechanism to protect future homeowners from these items getting passed along, unresolved. An inspection is required by a private inspector and if there are required repairs noted, the repairs HAVE to be done, by either the seller before closing or the buyer within 90 days of closing. But, unfortunately, it has ended up to be a bureaucratic nightmare and actually become financially overwhelming to poor home owners. Yes, I am a Realtor, living in West Calhoun and probably sell more higher priced houses than lower priced ones. I also was a Project for Pride in Living Associate Director in the 70�s. And truly, my passion is for this city - all of it. I do sell lower priced houses (yes, there are lower priced houses in the city.). My last closing was in Central, selling for $74,900. The buyer will have payments of less than $500.
Too often it is the poor who are without professional counsel, someone to look out for their best interest, who end up spending more for repairs for this program, who have little time and skills to manage these items logistically and, let alone, the anxiety of the process that spends their energy resources. The system doesn�t work well enough to warrant the programs continuation. The more affluent areas, yes, are put off by the program, because it�s just a hassle. These sellers usually contract a Realtor, who has learned how to make the process as manageable as possible: have a pre-inspection, get the required repairs done without involving the Inspections Department and, then, have the house �re-inspected� by the Truth-in-Housing private inspector and a clean bill of health is given. Thus, the housing stock is continually upgraded and the time consuming, costly route is avoided. This route also has little revenue that is being produced for the City. The costs are being borne by the poor, the individuals going though the process without an advocate. The system hurts, not helps. We need to continue the Truth-in-Housing Reporting but with no required repairs. As mentioned previously in posts: yes, most buyers are hiring private inspectors to do an independent report. I believe in this so much, that I offer to my buyers, if they can�t afford it, I�ll pay for it($250-$350), because one can�t afford not to have it. But that�s because I�m their advocate. I use the very watered down Truth-in-Housing Report as a tool to educate my buyers about how a house operates, but I go far beyond what the report says. It�s just a guide, a consumer report. As I tell my clients, it�s like a car: it�s a pretty color, the interior is comfy, etc, but under the hood is what you�re really paying for, know what�s under there, know enough to know it needs repair. The required repairs program had noble ideals, but it got weighted down by it own magnitude. What system works better: I have ideas, but the present one needs a burial. As a Realtor, out there everyday, working the �beat," I believe something better could be put together. The City would do well to tap us Realtors for guidance. Meg Forney West Calhoun _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
