Does my City Require Inspections in order to sell?
Some Cities in Minnesota require inspections in order to list and sell your home. Below you’ll find a list of which cities require inspections along with notes and links to book with inspectors who are certified with that particular city!
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The Time-of-Sale inspection must be filed with the city and it’s required for all single and two-family dwellings, condominiums, townhouses and mobile homes offered for sale. Multi-family rental buildings of four (4) or more units are not included.
Repairs are only required for items that pose an immediate hazard to the occupants. However, any other deficiencies will be documented in the Time-of-Sale Housing Evaluation Report.
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For Columbia Heights, a Time-of-Sale Housing Inspection AND Sewer Scope video is required to identify any safety or maintenance concerns. Immediate hazards discovered during this inspection must be corrected before a Certificate of Property Maintenance can be issued.
Homeowners need to apply for the Time-of-Sale Inspection through the inspections department via their online form. If the seller cannot or will not address the required corrections, the buyer may choose to assume responsibility for the repairs. This requires written consent from the City of Columbia Heights Building Official and a financial guarantee in the form of a cash escrow to ensure the completion of necessary corrections.
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The Duluth Sanitary Sewer Collection System is designed to manage a specified volume of wastewater, sufficient for handling dry weather flow. However, during extreme wet weather events, overflows can occur due to inflow and infiltration (I/I) of clean water into the system.
To address this, the City of Duluth conducts an inspection program to identify private properties contributing to I/I. Properties found to be contributing are offered grants of up to $2,150 to assist with funding corrective measures to eliminate I/I.
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City of Golden Valley conducts inspections of homes and businesses to identify if roof drains, foundation drains, sump pumps, and other clear water sources are improperly connected to the sanitary sewer system.
All properties in Golden Valley without a Certificate of I/I Compliance must undergo inspection and achieve compliance before being sold. Additionally, property owners seeking plumbing permits, variances, subdivisions, or other city approvals will also be subject to these inspections.
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The Maplewood truth-in-sale of housing program aims to protect public health, safety, and welfare by ensuring decent, safe, and sanitary dwelling accommodations within the city. To achieve this, the program mandates the disclosure of housing information and defects at the time of sale.
Before selling, the following property types require a Truth-in-Sale of Housing (TISH) evaluation: single-family houses, duplexes (with a report needed for each unit), townhouses, condominiums, and any other attached housing units designed for single-family occupancy. Owners must have a complete Truth in Housing report before showing a property.
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Before selling your house in Minneapolis, you need to schedule a Truth in Sale of Housing (TISH) evaluation with a licensed evaluator. This evaluator will inspect your property and file a disclosure report. The seller must display this report for potential buyers during showings. If there are no required repairs, the City will issue a Certificate of Approval (COA) online. If repairs are needed and completed, the City will issue the COA online after a possible reinspection.
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As part of Mounds View's Water Preservation Program (H2OPP), the City Council has adopted Ordinance 967. This ordinance mandates that all property owners must have their sewer service lines, known as "laterals," televised and, if necessary, rehabilitated or repaired before transferring the property title. This measure aims to prevent groundwater from infiltrating the sanitary sewer system, thereby enhancing overall water preservation efforts in the community.
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Before selling any residential property, including single-family homes, condominiums, townhomes, and apartment buildings, a Point of Sale Inspection is required. This inspection, which takes about 45 minutes for a single-family home, aims to identify safety or maintenance issues. After the inspection, the homeowner receives a detailed list of necessary repairs to meet city codes. The seller must complete these repairs and have the property reinspected to obtain a Certificate of Property Maintenance, allowing the sale to proceed.
Additionally, all open permits on the property must be closed before the Certificate of Property Maintenance can be issued.
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The city council has determined that the discharge of water from sources such as roofs, surfaces, groundwater, sump pumps, footing tiles, or swimming pools into the municipal sanitary sewer system can cause property damage and overwhelm the sewer infrastructure. To protect public health, minimize property damage, and preserve the capacity of the wastewater treatment system, strict enforcement of these regulations is deemed essential.
To ensure compliance, no property connected to the city's sanitary sewer system may be sold without a point of sale certification. This certification, must verify that the property has been inspected and meets the requirements.
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The City of Orono mandates that property owners obtain a Certificate of Inflow & Infiltration (I/I) Compliance before selling or transferring the title of their property. This involves an inspection of the sewer service line for any property connected to the city's sanitary sewer system.
Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) refers to the excess flow of clear water into the sanitary sewer system, which can overload the system during periods of high groundwater or heavy rainfall, potentially causing basement flooding or the bypassing of raw wastewater into local streams and lakes. The Point of Sale ordinance aims to mitigate these issues by reducing peak sanitary sewer flows caused by I/I.
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The Richfield City Council has enacted an ordinance mandating that all single-family and two-family homes, including condominiums, undergo inspection by the City of Richfield Inspection Division before title transfer or closing if the transfer occurs after October 1, 1990. A Certificate of Housing Maintenance must be obtained as part of this process. If the inspection reveals any code violations, the necessary repairs must be completed and re-inspected within one year of the initial inspection.
This program does not require older houses to meet current building standards. Instead, it focuses on addressing deficiencies that violate the building codes in effect at the time the house was built and resolving any health or safety hazards.
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The City of Robbinsdale has recently eliminated the requirement for Point-of-Sale inspections when selling houses, with plans underway to repeal the associated Housing Disclosure Ordinance. As a result, residents are no longer obligated to undergo these inspections. However, the city acknowledges the importance of thorough property evaluations and offers inspection manuals for homeowners who wish to assess their homes comprehensively.
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Beginning March 1, 2023, the City of St. Anthony requires a "point-of-sale" inspection as part of the Inflow & Infiltration (I&I) Reduction Program. This mandate necessitates an I&I inspection before any property sale and as part of the rental licensing program. Inflow refers to clear water entering sanitary sewer pipes from illegal connections like sump pumps, downspouts, and foundation drains. Infiltration occurs when groundwater seeps into sewer pipes through cracks or leaky joints. Since the sanitary sewer system isn't designed to handle this excess clear water, it can lead to basement flooding or raw wastewater bypassing into local streams and lakes during high groundwater or heavy rainfall periods.
To comply with the new regulation, two inspections must be completed before advertising a property for sale. First, a Public Works employee must verify that there is no sump pump discharging into the sanitary sewer system. Second, a plumber of the property owner's choice must inspect and televise the sewer service line, ensuring the footage extends from the property to the sewer main. Addressing I&I issues is crucial to prevent sewer backups and reduce unnecessary costs from treating clear water in the wastewater system.
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If you're selling a home in St. Louis Park, you need to arrange for a housing inspection. The city mandates property inspections during sales or ownership transfers to ensure community safety and prevent significant deterioration.
Before listing your property, apply for a property maintenance inspection permit and schedule the inspection. This certificate must be provided to the buyer and title company at closing.
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The Saint Paul Truth-in-Sale of Housing (TISH) report is intended for "disclosure only," providing prospective buyers with basic information about the observed conditions of a dwelling. This evaluation is mandatory for all single-family homes, duplexes, condominiums, and townhomes before marketing a property for sale. Notably, a condominium with its own Parcel Identification Number (PIN) requires a TISH even if a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) exists, as the C of O only covers common areas and not individual units. Properties with three or more units, commercial buildings, and mixed-use buildings do not need a TISH.
A licensed TISH evaluator can be hired through a Realtor, agent, or independently, as long as they are licensed by the City of Saint Paul. For condominiums, checking the unit's PIN can be done through Ramsey County to determine if a TISH is necessary.
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The City of South St. Paul has implemented a Time-of-Sale Housing Inspection Program to ensure the safety and maintenance of its housing stock. Established by ordinance, this program mandates that homeowners obtain a Time-of-Sale evaluation report when selling their property, applicable to single-family, two-family, and multiple-family dwellings. The program aims to enhance the supply of safe housing and prevent the deterioration of homes in the city.
To comply with the program, an evaluator will inspect the property following city guidelines, providing a report that must be displayed when showing the house. Any hazardous conditions identified in the report must be rectified before the new owner takes possession. The evaluator files the report with the city within 10 days, and if hazardous items are listed, a re-inspection by a licensed housing evaluator is required after corrections are made.
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Selling your home? You'll need an Inflow & Infiltration (I & I) certificate. Tree roots can break through even the thickest pipes, causing damage that homeowners may not notice until it's too late. To prevent new homeowners from inheriting these issues unknowingly, the City now requires sellers to submit a professional scoping or televising video along with an application for a Certificate of Inflow & Infiltration before closing on a property.
Finding a professional for this service is as simple as calling a plumber. This step is crucial because property owners are responsible for their sewer line from the house to the main line, and hidden leaks can cause significant problems for both homeowners and the city.
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If you’re selling your home in West St. Paul, you’ll need an Inflow & Infiltration (I&I) certificate. The city requires a point-of-sale I&I inspection to be completed before the property is sold. To schedule a free inspection, simply call or click. A city inspector will use a CCTV camera to video the sewer system and visually check the sump system. The recorded video will then be reviewed.
If your property is compliant, you’ll receive a compliance letter that’s valid for 10 years. If it’s non-compliant, the city inspector will provide a report and correction notice. You’ll need to consult the Sewer Repair Contractors list and complete the necessary repairs. With city council approval, you’ll sign any necessary paperwork for assessment, and a compliance letter or certificate will be issued.
