certificate of non-harassment

We are currently looking at a townhouse where the owner has told us that the top floor of the house is a rooming house or a SRO.  We are aware that financing a house with SRO status is difficult but since we really like the house, we wanted to make an offer that was contingent on the seller delivering a certificate of non-harassment.  We don’t necessarily mind being the ones responsible for paying for all the drawings and the plans for the conversion but want nothing to do with chasing the tenants and getting their signatures. If successful, we would want to use the house as a 2 family house.  Before we even go ahead with the offer, what type of financing is available (if any) if the owner delivers a certificate of non-harassment?  We are not concerned with how long the process takes b/c we just renewed our lease where we currently live.  
Thanks in advance.

samtsegaye

in Mortgage 12 years and 7 months ago

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johnlee | 11 years and 7 months ago

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Hi rustydevon, Do you mind passing me the broker’s info you mentioned? Thanks a bunch!

johnlee | 11 years and 7 months ago

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Hi rustydevon, Do you mind passing me the broker’s info you mentioned? Thanks a bunch!

samtsegaye | 12 years and 7 months ago

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Rustydevon – first, thanks! second – this is actually a pretty funny coincidence – spoke to an expediter before I read your second note and he told us the same exact thing as you did – CNH does not mean no SRO status. Right after we spoke to the expediter, we offered the seller above ask with money in escrow until they were able to obtain a CNH. They ended up rejecting the offer – I assume b/c they can probably get more than what we offered for it if they delivered it vacant with a CNH.

rustydevon | 12 years and 7 months ago

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A couple more quick notes Stam: Getting the CNH does not mean that the house will no longer have SRO status. You will have to get a new C of O before the house no longer has the SRO status.  If you really want to make it happen get into a contract, put some money in excrow, but have a contingency that the CNH must be presented before you can close. It might take a very long time, but it should be doable. Good luck!

samtsegaye | 12 years and 7 months ago

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Thank you both. Really helpful. rustydevon – the DOB website does say “YES” to the SRO restricted query so will need a CNH. The owner did tell us that the building can be delivered vacant so I expect (and will confirm) that the seller will be responsible for relocating the 1 SRO tenant currently living there. We also heard of brokers that will help find banks that will finance a SRO but we prefer to take the house only if a CNH can be delivered. Thanks again!

rustydevon | 12 years and 7 months ago

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We did exactly what you’re suggesting. Is the house now totally vacant? It took us 1.5 years to close, but mostly just because that’s how long it took to relocate the tenants. Getting an SRO tenant to move is not as easy as it sounds. Where are you going to find them another apartment in the $500 range, which is often their current situation.  Also, just to that you better understand the process, neither your or the seller will be tracking anyone down or getting any signatures. You’ll just have to wait 6 months while the Department of Housing Preservation and Development – Anti Harassment Unit investigates.  Zumpano is correct. Unless DOB website says SRO restricted: YES, you won’t need a CNH to get your permits as far as I know.  Although I’ve always heard differently here, in my experience SRO status will not come up in your financing unless you bring it up. You want to just call it a single family or two family or whatever the tax classification is. I can recommend a broker that isn’t scared of SRO status if you’re interested.

zampano | 12 years and 7 months ago

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how many units in the building? how many sro units? there is a cut-off on small sros check DOB bis to see if it is listed as SRO