Seller's Broker Misrepresented a House

We are currently in contract on a brownstone. We planned to do only minor renovations since we can’t afford to overhaul the entire house currently. The seller’s broker told us repeatedly its a legal two family house with the garden unit rental. We had the inspection and went into contract and hired an architect to help us out. Our architect informed us the house is a legal two family but the rental unit is legally supposed to be the top floor according to the C of O. The house is nowhere near configured that way. We were lied to and yet, no one seems to think its a big deal. We can’t afford the costs of changing the C of O and all the renovations that the Dept of Buildings will request. What are our options? And can we hold the seller’s agent accountable for misrepresenting the property?

gxcovowjegmls

in General Discussion 7 years and 11 months ago

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astoriahomeowner

in General Discussion 7 years and 11 months ago

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Sounds like you purchased a house without a lawyer? Closed without ESCROW? Purchased a home without looking on the DOB site?

dlaviano | 7 years and 11 months ago

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You can try to file an LNO instead of amending the current C of O to legalize the use of your building. The DOB also offers “home owners night” to aide in situations like this.

alterboy | 7 years and 11 months ago

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The reason why none of this is a waste of time for you is that your goal, along with your attorney, should be to have the seller provide ample funds in escrow so that any costs you incur to correct the CofO to match what you were told will not be coming out of your pocket.

eileengray | 7 years and 11 months ago

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I have friends who are real estate brokers but I am getting fed up with the industry that misleads their customers. “That space can be a third bedroom” (no windows and undersized) – “It’s a two family” (who sez – the seller?). Brokers have a duty to present facts and if they don’t know them, to advise clients to consult with an architect or building department consultant before entering into a contract. How about every real estate ad feature a sentence that states the legal occupancy as HPD or DOB?

housepoor | 7 years and 11 months ago

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Sorry to hear you are going through this. I thought that only what is in writing can be relied on in real estate transactions. Was there a marketing blurb given to you by the selling broker which was specific about the configuration? If the building did not have a C of O (which would have clearly shown the use for each floor) you had access to the iCards at HPD (typically online, but not always). Someone should have looked. Unless you told your attorney that you were planning to rent out the basement (garden) level and to make sure that was possible, how would he or she know? Did you have a broker representing you? That would have been a no brainer for them to check based on what you told them about your needs. Your bank blowing up the deal may be your best option here.

boredatwork | 7 years and 11 months ago

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The seller’s broker works for the seller. While they are under an obligation not to lie or misrepresent, they have no obligation to you.

As others have said, you need to be speaking to your attorney to see the best option here. Going after the broker in a lawsuit or by filing a complaint with REBNY, would be a huge waste of time.

alterboy | 7 years and 11 months ago

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EileenGray got it right, the others not so much. It is true NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) doesn’t care which unit is rented and which is occupied by the owner. But DOB cares deeply how the building is configured: single unit on top or at the garden level, duplex above or below, etc. The seller’s broker is likely liable for misrepresenting the CofO since he or she apparently was specific about the garden being a separate unit. This misrepresentation may have swayed you to purchase the property and now will cause you problems if filing for new work with the DOB. If down the road you are found to be occupying the building contrary to the CofO it will be a major headache for you at what promises to be the most inopportune time. Speak to a real estate lawyer because it seems that you were, in fact, wronged and may have a financial hardship due to the misrepresentation.

Solomonsmines33 | 7 years and 11 months ago

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The seller’s brokers were correct in informing you that it is a legal 2 family house– you were not lied to. It’s your attorney’s job to do the due diligence and discuss any risks with you. CofO’s not matching the current use of the house (or there being no CofO) or other discrepancies amongst the public records for a house are VERY VERY VERY common in Brooklyn; I hope that you were working with a Brooklyn based attorney that is familiar with these issues. While the DoB has started to care about these things it really is a complicated question of how big a deal it is because again it is incredibly common. My advice is to speak to an architect, depending on the small renovations you were going to make this could still be not such a big deal. The DoB isn’t going to come barging into your house for no reason.
I wouldn’t advise you to take on any risks you are uncomfortable with, but finding a house in Brooklyn that is perfectly up to all current codes and has it’s paperwork all in order and perfectly up to date is probably going to be an expensive, recently re-done house.

ronman | 7 years and 11 months ago

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I hope this isn’t 202 Carroll street? But anyhow let me tell you it will be a LARGE headache and you need to change the CO which means filing a ALT 1 which will trigger many many different inspections and will require Sprinklers and bringing the house up to current code. Also along with nightmares you will have your TAXES increase substantially.
Nothing but a headache back out of that deal unless you want to deal with DOB for 2 or 3 years like I just did.

eileengray | 7 years and 11 months ago

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The type of Certificate of Occupancy that the NYC DOB has been issuing since 1938 always shows the legal use of each floor. The C of O is issued based upon a DOB filing that has the physical layout for the entire building. Whomever told 3H that it didn’t matter how the units were arranged is totally wrong. The DOB is very concerned about having proper egress in the event of a fire and the fire egress may differ when the layout changes. However the DOB ought to streamline the process when there is a change of configuration between two units in a legal two family dwelling. But its an agency fueled by Manhattan real estate interests ignores the reality of borough development and alterations.

anotherposter | 7 years and 11 months ago

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Your attorney is who you should be talking to if this is actually an issue-that’s the person you are paying to cover your interests and make sure everything is as expected legally. For future reference, take everything a broker, especially a seller’s broker, says as a sales pitch based on what they think you want to hear. We were looking when the market was saturated with houses so we looked at lots of places and had time to do research and the information they withheld or confident answers they’d give without having the actual information was astounding.

SewardWasRight | 7 years and 11 months ago

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I’ve rarely seen C of O’s that dictate which part of a 2-family is the rental apartment and which the owner’s property. When there’s been specificity, it’s usually been for a commercial reason, (i.e. a “1-family and doctor’s office”), but this was because of the obvious separation for a specific reason. When we bought our two-family house, we were told we could separate the house into two units any way we wished (i.e., a 2-floor over a 2-floor, or a 3-floor over a ground floor apartment). There was no specificity re: where the apartment needed to be. I may be wrong, but I suspect that the mistake took place when the C of O was issued, and you can place that rental unit wherever you like. As DiBS recommended above, though, check with your lawyer.

SewardWasRight | 7 years and 11 months ago

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I’ve rarely seen C of O’s that dictate which part of a 2-family is the rental apartment and which the owner’s property. When there’s been specificity, it’s usually been for a commercial reason, (i.e. a “1-family and doctor’s office”), but this was because of the obvious separation for a specific reason. When we bought our two-family house, we were told we could separate the house into two units any way we wished (i.e., a 2-floor over a 2-floor, or a 3-floor over a ground floor apartment). There was no specificity re: where the apartment needed to be. I may be wrong, but I suspect that the mistake took place when the C of O was issued, and you can place that rental unit wherever you like. As DiBS recommended above, though, check with your lawyer.

SewardWasRight | 7 years and 11 months ago

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I’ve rarely seen C of O’s that dictate which part of a 2-family is the rental apartment and which the owner’s property. When there’s been specificity, it’s usually been for a commercial reason, (i.e. a “1-family and doctor’s office”), but this was because of the obvious separation for a specific reason. When we bought our two-family house, we were told we could separate the house into two units any way we wished (i.e., a 2-floor over a 2-floor, or a 3-floor over a ground floor apartment). There was no specificity re: where the apartment needed to be. I may be wrong, but I suspect that the mistake took place when the C of O was issued, and you can place that rental unit wherever you like. As DiBS recommended above, though, check with your lawyer.

namahs | 7 years and 11 months ago

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I would recommend you to bring this issue up now. If you need to do any work that requires pulling permits, you will be in for a DOB nightmare when the CO does not match. We are dealing with this situation first hand now.

As earlier poster advise, I assume you have a contingent clause on mortgage. If you want out, just let your loan officer know and it wont pass the appraisal/bank attorney. You can force them to escrow for fix but not sure if they will pony the money out. The seller wont be able to address this issue before closing as any change to CO will take a LONG time.

yudashasom | 7 years and 11 months ago

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Your lawyer screwed up.

daveinbedstuy | 7 years and 11 months ago

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> @mozeeatupu
> What difference would it make which unit is rented out and which one has owner occupancy?

None. You missed the point entirely.

mozeeatupu | 7 years and 11 months ago

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What difference would it make which unit is rented out and which one has owner occupancy? The C of O is for a 2 fam and you have a two fam. What is the problem?

evg25 | 7 years and 11 months ago

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The reply from DaveinBedStuy makes a great good deal of sense.

It is particularly now the time to address these issues so that you don’t expend too much time and emotional capital in solving a problem that may, or may not, be solvable.

Indeed, more to Dave’s point, if your bank is not acceptable of the configuration, they may not lend and then any mortgage commitment that you have in your contract will come into play and you likely will not be obligated on the purchase.

The first place to start is with your real estate agent, then your attorney.

Also check any property condition disclosure reports that may have accompanied your signing of the contract.

I would also be inclined to agree that an Outer Borough attorney makes much more sense then one from Manhattan.

Much success and reduced stress.

RRG