A developer wants to buy our house, but it is attached to the other house. If we don't sell, they threaten to tear down the house that they bought from the other owner of the house.
2007-09-21 04:57:25 · 4 answers · asked by guitar4031 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
This is a house in Queens, NY in a r-7 zoning.
2007-09-21 05:55:11 · update #1
The story is that they want to build a condominium, and they got the signed contract for the 5 other houses on the lot (I don't think cash has exchange hands yet). But we're in the middle house, 3 houses down from the corner.
2007-09-21 06:08:20 · update #2
There's also a driveway in the backyard area for all the houses. It's a shared driveway, so I'm not sure if they can just build something over it and block the other homes from the use of the driveway.
2007-09-21 06:12:22 · update #3
you need a competent local real estate attorney.
Off hand, I'd argue they can't do that since the common wall is an inextricable part of your property and you use both it and the house next door as part of your external shield against the environment. Thus, tearing it down would damage your property for which they'd need to compensate you.
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Sounds to me like they're trying to bargain hard on the purchase price of your house. The old saying is "a ploy perceived is no ploy" and what I'd do is sit down with my family and decide what price we'd be willing to accept to sell out.
Then add 20% and offer to sell to them for that figure.
If they repeat what I hope the attorney verifies is bluster, withdraw the offer. Then offer to sell again the next week for 25% higher.
As far as I'm concerned, you have them over a barrel. They foolishly bought 1/2 the structure without locking up the other half in advance and deserve to PAY for their error.
:-)
2007-09-21 05:09:54 · answer #1 · answered by Spock (rhp) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should check with an attorney and your local building department. In order to tear down, they would have to get a permit. Ask the building department what would happen in such a case.
2007-09-21 05:06:35 · answer #2 · answered by Tim 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You would have to check with zoning laws probably to see what is structurally safe. But, I would say they could tear down their half as long as it didn't cause any stuctural damage to your half.My ex was a contractor, and it was amazing some of the things they could get away with.
2007-09-21 05:06:48 · answer #3 · answered by Harley Lady 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You might want to talk with the city about this developer's plans. And I would do it today. This sounds like a bully to me and they may not have the right nor the approval to do anything with that site.
2007-09-21 05:10:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋