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Margate perfect for first time homebuyers
• Commissioner prescribes thorough home inspection
Wednesday,
December 2, 2009
In so many respects Margate is ideal for first time homebuyers and young professionals in search of a good place to settle down. As Broward County’s first city west, Margate’s housing stock is old and primarily cement block – so you know your house can weather the storm. To sweeten the deal, 2/2s are selling anywhere from $75K and up.
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Margate was a boom town in the 60s and 70s when the majority of Margate’s single family homes were built. Most were constructed from cement block and roofs typically lasted 20 years. Margate was a popular destination for snowbirds and the retired and many lived here just a few months out of the year.
Needless to say, times have changed and so has the Margate population. Many of Margate’s retired have passed on and left homes to their kids. Others, in search of a mortgage payment under $1,000, are scooping up deals citywide. We’ve got the market cornered on foreclosures, fixer uppers and short sales. We have a huge inventory of 55 and older homes and a surplus of condominiums priced under $50K.
A day trip through Margate reveals hundreds of homes up for grabs, some neglected and some in turnkey condition, but all waiting for the right buyer to step through the door.
Because the housing stock in Margate is older than in neighboring cities and over time building codes have changed, Margate Commissioner, Frank Talerico recommends that new home buyers pursue a reliable, thorough inspection of any Margate home before closing a deal.
It’s not uncommon, said Talerico, for first timers to find that, after they've purchased a home in Margate, a room, fence, garage or otherwise permanent structure wasn’t permitted and are now burdened with bringing the structure up to code and the costs associated with doing so.
City officials acknowledge part of the problem is homeowners who, in the past, have built and remodeled without permits, but changes in building codes over the last three decades are culprit too. Numerous safe structure elements have been added to codes in cities across South Florida and once a home changes hands the new owner becomes responsible for meeting new standards.
Margate City Attorney, Eugene Steinfeld, said new homeowners often find out when it’s too late. They’ve applied for a permit to do some remodeling inside or outside their new home and when a city inspector comes out to inspect the work, he / she finds other structures on the property which don’t appear in the last plan or survey on record with the city.
When this happens, Steinfeld said, an inspector is required to issue a citation to the homeowner and may even deem the structure to be unsafe.
Talerico suggested that the city consider setting up a “cursory inspection” program to combat the problem, but Steinfeld and Margate Mayor, Arthur Bross advised against it, saying it would create undue liability for the city to guarantee structures that haven’t been permitted.
Although Title companies are charged with ensuring a home’s title is ‘free and clear’ of liens and encumbrances, they’re typically not responsible for checking to see what structures have been permitted on a property. So, without a thorough inspection prior to closing, a homeowner could easily find him / herself in a financial mess -- and a legally binding one too.
Caveat Emptor.
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