Expert: Dick Dennis - 7/15/2006

Question
Dear Sir, We are in the process of purchasing a house in PHX. Having trouble getting straight answers from realtor and web...
Does the city of PHX building code require the seller to bring everything in and on the property up to code prior to selling?
(ie: electrical GFCI circuts, pool enclosures.) The house was built in 1981.
Thanks for your help, look forward your reply!

Answer
The PHX building department should know what you need to know. However, in the course of buying a house, you should engage a home inspector to detect anything that is not obvious. A Realtor is not a carpenter, nor an electrician, nor a plumber. But he/she certainly can tell if there may be something wrong that would warrant an inspection.

If buying the property "as-is" then the seller is not obligated to fix the property up. That's what fix-up means. But he must absolutely disclose everything he knows about the property, especially anything negative. Then it's up to the buyer to decide if he wants the property with the problems disclosed by the seller and the home inspector.

I do wish you well.

Dick Dennis