Converting a legal 2 family into a single family

You will be de-valuing the property to file and convert to a one family legal use. You will have lost your options of using as a one or two and the cost to go back to two after it has been made a legal one are unlimited, because who knows what the new, new code will be? It is perfectly legal to use a two as a one. The Real Estate tax class is the same for a one & two. But pulling a building permit will definitely trigger a re-assessment based on the “improvement”. Take out the second kitchen and disposing of it, closing up the plumbing, lines and finishing the walls etc. will be approx. $5,000 of course everything else depends on what you choose and how to do to finishes etc. depends on your taste and your contractor.

resident2

in About Brooklyn 11 years and 1 month ago

4

Please log in, in order to post replies!

4 replies

Newest Oldest

prowen | 11 years and 1 month ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5146 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#5093 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "182772"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(6) "prowen"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$B8Lg1oDEALECiuW5nwxGOEMM6VDkUJ1"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(6) "prowen"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(22) "paulr_owen@hotmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 13:48:22"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(6) "prowen"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(182772)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Hello all, I’m curious to know what the process looks like, currently the property is laid out as 2 floor though apartments, what would people recommend as the best resources to learn about the process. Many thanks in advance!

Arkady | 11 years and 1 month ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5145 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#5144 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "14677"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(6) "Arkady"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BSLpIhH1FLNbV2Qdpb/F67tu7brrgw1"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(6) "Arkady"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(20) "rkdillon@verizon.net"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(21) "/forums/users/arkady/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2008-08-04 21:50:38"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(20) "HL9P1Plx6tnm1l8GiJvd"
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(6) "Arkady"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(14677)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

You pay slightly more in taxes for a 2-family CofO but you don’t have to change it if you use it only as a 1 & I’m told that keeping the 2 makes for more desirable resale value. As to what permits you’ll need for the conversion, that’s a different matter.

pigthree | 11 years and 1 month ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5141 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#5147 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "14451"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(8) "pigthree"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BLWPHnp6ACZZrNPDRPJDLuA5YeTYn3."
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(13) "pig-three-2-2"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(18) "go67racing@mac.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(24) "/forums/users/pig-three/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-17 21:34:36"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(9) "pig three"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(14451)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

It’s not a given that you pay more taxes for a 2 family. Especially with all the new codes that will be triggered for change of use. You could be required to sprinkler the whole house. Yes, even one family homes may be required. After reno, the tax assessment may be higher for your one family that previously paid as a two.

curiositykilledthecat | 11 years and 1 month ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5146 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#5148 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(4) "6686"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(21) "curiositykilledthecat"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BpJy36BOM60xHZK8im0n0KWBROkJ8V1"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(21) "curiositykilledthecat"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(25) "catherineharren@yahoo.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(36) "/forums/users/curiositykilledthecat/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:13:46"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(21) "curiositykilledthecat"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(6686)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

I am not clear on your question, so I will answer the two I think you may be asking: 1\. What is the formal, legal process to convert a legal 2-family into a single family? Conventional wisdom holds that there are very few reasons to legally change the status to a 1-family. You can live in it as a one-family without changing it’s designation, preserving the 2-family status for future use/eventual sale. 2\. From a construction, planning, and cost perspective, what does turning a building designed as a 2-family into a single family ential? As far as I know, there is no book or single source for something like this. Your best bet, I guess, would be to retain a general contractor to visit the site and offer an assessment of what would be involved. Good luck