How to make sure if it's 2 fam or 3 fam???
Here is my situation. I bought a limestone townhouse lately. It’s 3 family townhouse that I still believe. One day before closing, our attoney told me ” it’s not sure if your townhouse is 3fam, maybe 2 fam. it’s not black and white because of pre-war townhouse.” Then our attorney said he can’t give the…
Here is my situation.
I bought a limestone townhouse lately. It’s 3 family townhouse that I still believe. One day before closing, our attoney told me ” it’s not sure if your townhouse is 3fam, maybe 2 fam. it’s not black and white because of pre-war townhouse.” Then our attorney said he can’t give the further information and he told us not to investigate, not to call city or BOD and not to bring up the topic now and just wait until I recieve multi house registration (not sure, something like that). He said that it’ll be okay if I recieve it, but if I don’t recieve, it’s a problem. It’s 3 story and 3 apartments.
Property shark says it’s 3 fam and all houses in same block are 3 fam. Our tax is for 3 fam. Electric meters are 3 and gas meters are 2. There are no official mailbox and just 2 non locked boxes used as mailbox. It’s clearly stated that 3 fam in the bank appraisal. All documents during the closing were not stated as 3 fam, but multi family or 2-3 fam category. Anyhow I love my townhouse so much no matter what, but I need to know! I hope this won’t cause me any problem. Anybody who have or had same experience? Please give more info and share your similar experience with me. Tnank you….
If your house was built as a 3 before something like 1920, then it is very possible that it has no actual c of o and is grandfathered, as there were no c of o’s before a certain year. That wouldn’t mean it’s not a legal 3. Anything over 2 is a multiple dwelling and must have either a fire escape or a sprinkler system, don’t know the rules as to what determines which, or if there are any. Go down to the buildings dept and look up the folder for your house as well as all the houses in your cluster and see what you can learn from whatever isn’t missing from the folders.
The biggest problem is with the DOB. You need to hire an architect or an expeditor to look into this situation at the DOB and advise. Its eally a non issue until you try to do renovtions or try and sell and the buyer has a real attorney.
as i understand it, if you’ve got a grandfathered 3 fam (i think this rule changed in the early 80’s) then you need to have a fire escape. if you convert to a 3 family today then you need to install sprinklers. so the rule on fire escape/sprinkler changed only recently.
I always thought that you were required to have either a Fire Escape or Sprinkler if you had 3+ apartments. Up to 3 you are fine. 3+ is defined as commercial which triggers the other requirements. Can somebody advise? I am looking at a 3-family in Crown Heights with no C of O, that is classified as a 3-family.
what does the title report say?
To 1:51pm
Why do you think property shark is the gospel for real estate accuracy?
If you are dealing with legal stuff or money, You have to double-check all your information to make sure it is accurate.
Trusting somebody is one subject.
Knowledge is another.
I prefer knowledge and make my own decisions.
plain and simple.
12:24 is probably that incompotent attorney. Here is the thing. If you don’t have a C of O (I dont’ have a C of O), you don’t have a problem per se! However, if you are using your building as a 3 family, YOU NEED A FIRE ESCAPE. If your family is registered as a 3 family, you can us it as a 1, 2, or 3 family. However, if your house is registered as a 2 family, and you use it as a 3 family, you could be up shit’s creek if you try and get a tenant thrown out of your building. You’ll have to prove in a court that your building is indeed a 3 family, or risk losing all the forfeited rent rolls. etc.
If you’re just curious, don’t sweat it. But if you NEED to know, you need to figure it out. Chances are, if property shark has you down as a 3 fam. you’ve probably got a 3 fam.
C of O status and DOB regulations about fire safety features for a 3+ family dwelling are two separate issues. Your mortgage company and insurance company might not care about the C of O as long as the way the loan/policy is issued complies with your use of the building. However, they damn well WILL care if you have a fire and don’t have sprinklers and fire escapes for your tenants. You’re also opening yourself up to huge liability if there is a fire and one of your tenants is injured or killed. Your building will be in violation of fire codes, your insurance will deny payment, and you will be on the hook for any lawsuits filed by your tenants or their survivors.
I agree with Ysabelle that your attorney is an idiot. Get a better one – not a general practice attorney, one who handles real estate in NYC – and get his/her advice.
Wow, 3rd post on Forum in the last couple weeks about grossly incompetent RE attorneys.