city chaning the c of o for no apparent reason?

we are closing on a 2 family in bushwick and the attorneys told us that the seller received a notice from the city that the building classification will be changing to a commercial property in july. the seller said that this will actually save us $ on taxes but it sounds strange and neither attorney has encountered this before and they are unable to answer our questions as to how what, why etc….? has anyone ever come across this before?

spicygreencurry

in Building Code 11 years and 4 months ago

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arch007 | 11 years and 4 months ago

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you can’t even get a CO for an exist bldg if you wanted one, they are changing it on their own..doubt it!!

spicygreencurry | 11 years and 4 months ago

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thanks for the feedback. the tax class was changed from tax class 1 to tax class 2a. i spoke with dept of finance and they said it could be a clerical error but we only had until march 3 to contest it. has anyone ever had this kind of clerical error on their tax bill?

resident2 | 11 years and 4 months ago

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The City does not change the C of O without the owner filing plans, getting them approved, the construction being inspected and signed off etc. Either you or your Attorney is confused. The seller is probably referring to Real Estate tax classification, but even in that case, the seller must have requested it. Real Estate tax classes can be changed according to how the building is actually being used as apposed to its actual legal use. A typical example is a legal SRO (rooming house) that is actually being lived in as a 2 or 3 family can (and often are) be taxed at the lower rate as a 1-3 family house instead of the higher SRO rate. Attorneys just like doctors specialize; even Real Estate attorneys; a commercial office lease attorney is not who you want to help you buy a co-op, a co-op attorney is not who you want to help you buy a house!

ventilated | 11 years and 4 months ago

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Certificates of Occupancy don’t get changed randomly, easily, or cheaply. Also, building classification and certificate of occupancy, though related, are not interchangeable. Has your attorney asked for a copy of the notice the Seller claims to have received? If not, why not? You need a copy of the notice (if it really exists), and you need a new attorney. You can also do a lot of research on your own through DoF and DoB, but that’s no replacement for a competent attorney: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/property/property_bill_soa.shtml http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/html/bis/bis.shtml

wiley | 11 years and 4 months ago

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I’m wondering if you have it backwards – meaning that the property was a commercial property and it has been converted to residential, you can get a new c of o but to change the tax rate the reclassification happens in July. Tax rates go down for residential properties, not typically commercial properties. Is this a recent conversion?

Arkady | 11 years and 4 months ago

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I’d go to Dept of Finance & talk to someone or phone 311 & get someone from there to switch you to the relevant agency.

cate | 11 years and 4 months ago

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A rezoning would not change an individual building C of O from residential to commercial. Also, a bank will not lend on the same terms for commercial property. Furthermore, you and others will not be permitted to live in the building if the C of O is commercial. Something sounds fishy. Was this property perhaps always a commercial building and they’re pulling a bait and switch? I would run away as fast as possible.

daveinbedstuy | 11 years and 4 months ago

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Your first issue is that you have an attorney that can’t explain the issue. Drop him and get one that specializes in real estate, or at least a better one that does. I would guess that the area was rezoned.