Team OB,
My daughter just graduated law school at Tulane and took the bar exam. She has a big law job lined up in Houston for next month. All is good in life, it is time to sell our condo in NOLA that she has occupied for over 3 years. We love the condo and it is in a great location etc., however, there is a problem with the building. This is the first, and only condo I will ever own.
The building is from the early 1900s and was completely renovated and converted from apartments to condo units around 2018. The first summer after moving in ( around 2021) we noticed some cracks in the plaster and dampness behind a hanging picture. It wasn't too bad but I called the property manager to see if the unit above ours had experienced a leak or issue. I was given the owner's name and info and I called him. It turns out he bought the unit (first owner since the conversion) for his son to live in while attending school. He said they had to move him out due to mold issues while they tried to figure out what the cause and remediation would be. The guy is a certified public insurance adjuster ( as luck would have it) and he knows construction and building codes and techniques etc very well) and owns a large firm that handles this type issue for commercial and private issues with insurance companies.
He hired an engineer to do a report and the condo board did too. I don't know all the details but the report said the developer did not follow several key code element for ventilation of the attic spaces and undersized and install ed the wrong type of AC unit. The net effect of all of this is that the upstairs unit in the NOLA heat and humidity is sweating into the walls and creating the damage and issues. I told him I was going to wait to do repairs on our unit (minor) until he had his repairs completed.
He has been trying to work with the Condo board and the property manager since to resolve his issues. The developer of the condos is also currently the property manager. This has been ongoing now for almost 2 years and he has since hired a local attorney. I have not approached the board about our unit officially, but the members are aware.
Our damage wasn't too bad but when we went last week to mover her out, there is another significant area of damage and it is starting to cup some of the wood floors = all still minor. I had really counted on selling this condo pretty soon after graduation, but now I feel stuck and not sure what to do next. I would have to disclose these issues for the sale so it seems I need to join in the action to get the repairs done.
People with experience, what am I in for and what is the logical next step for me? Attorney to contact the board, just fix it and list it, insurance claim (won't pay for mold etc). Any advice appreciated.
A lot of chicks for your troubles:
My daughter just graduated law school at Tulane and took the bar exam. She has a big law job lined up in Houston for next month. All is good in life, it is time to sell our condo in NOLA that she has occupied for over 3 years. We love the condo and it is in a great location etc., however, there is a problem with the building. This is the first, and only condo I will ever own.
The building is from the early 1900s and was completely renovated and converted from apartments to condo units around 2018. The first summer after moving in ( around 2021) we noticed some cracks in the plaster and dampness behind a hanging picture. It wasn't too bad but I called the property manager to see if the unit above ours had experienced a leak or issue. I was given the owner's name and info and I called him. It turns out he bought the unit (first owner since the conversion) for his son to live in while attending school. He said they had to move him out due to mold issues while they tried to figure out what the cause and remediation would be. The guy is a certified public insurance adjuster ( as luck would have it) and he knows construction and building codes and techniques etc very well) and owns a large firm that handles this type issue for commercial and private issues with insurance companies.
He hired an engineer to do a report and the condo board did too. I don't know all the details but the report said the developer did not follow several key code element for ventilation of the attic spaces and undersized and install ed the wrong type of AC unit. The net effect of all of this is that the upstairs unit in the NOLA heat and humidity is sweating into the walls and creating the damage and issues. I told him I was going to wait to do repairs on our unit (minor) until he had his repairs completed.
He has been trying to work with the Condo board and the property manager since to resolve his issues. The developer of the condos is also currently the property manager. This has been ongoing now for almost 2 years and he has since hired a local attorney. I have not approached the board about our unit officially, but the members are aware.
Our damage wasn't too bad but when we went last week to mover her out, there is another significant area of damage and it is starting to cup some of the wood floors = all still minor. I had really counted on selling this condo pretty soon after graduation, but now I feel stuck and not sure what to do next. I would have to disclose these issues for the sale so it seems I need to join in the action to get the repairs done.
People with experience, what am I in for and what is the logical next step for me? Attorney to contact the board, just fix it and list it, insurance claim (won't pay for mold etc). Any advice appreciated.
A lot of chicks for your troubles:
