Your Home Got Shut Down: Here’s What To Do Next

Yikes, coming home to a “condemned” sign can be really scary and stressful. That’s the city’s way of telling you your home is unsafe and you gotta move out, unless you can get it fixed up fast. You can’t just ignore those orders though, the authorities will force you out if you don’t act.

First thing to do is hire a lawyer and figure out exactly what the issues are that led to the condemnation. The city does an inspection and lists all the problems, like mold, fire damage, busted plumbing, etc. You can try working with them to make the repairs in a certain timeframe, but you can’t live there during that time. Some places even make you register the home in a vacant building program. If that doesn’t work, you can try appealing the condemnation in court. But if you can’t get it fixed or win the appeal, the city might end up demolishing your home.

Being condemned doesn’t automatically mean you lose the house for good. You still own it, it’s just that staying there is really dangerous. If you can’t afford the repairs or they cost more than the house is worth, you may be able to sell it. But the “condemned” label and poor condition will make it tough to find a buyer, and you’ll likely only get the value of the land minus the demolition costs.

The city can also put fines and liens on condemned homes if the repairs aren’t made or taxes aren’t paid. In that case, the house might end up getting sold at auction to the highest bidder so the city can recoup some of their losses.

Another reason a city might condemn your home is if they want to use the land for a public project, like building a new freeway. In that case, they have the right to take your property, as long as they compensate you fairly. Even if you don’t want to sell, the government can file an “eminent domain” lawsuit and force you to sell at the current market value.

If you’re unhappy with the price they offer, you can try to appeal it. You’ll need to get an expert appraisal and find comparable sales to show your home is worth more. But you only have a limited time, like 120 days or a year depending on where you live, to make that appeal.