Foreclosure Mitigation Program Transfer of Real Estate Village of ...

Village of Romeoville
Foreclosure Mitigation Program
Transfer of Real Estate
General Guidelines & Procedures*
Effective: February 4, 2009
Last Updated: February, 2012
Responsible Village Employees:
Steven Rockwell, Community Development Director
Leslie Raupp, Foreclosure Mitigation Manager
Policy Contact:
Community Development Department
1050 W. Romeo Road, Romeoville IL 60446
(815) 886-7200
*Note: These guidelines and procedures only address the requirements set forth by the Community Development
Department and do not reflect the policies of the Finance Department regarding transfer stamps and clearance
letters. That information can be found at http://www.romeoville.org/Finance/index_fn.aspx
Village of Romeoville Inspections
Chapter 93 of the Village Code of Ordinances requires an interior inspection be performed on all
vacant/abandoned properties that have had the public water system disconnected. Water service will not
be reconnected until such time as the vacant property has been inspected by the Village and determined
to be in compliance with all applicable Village ordinances. Building inspectors reference nine (9) separate
Codes when performing their inspections, but are mainly looking for life-safety issues. Before this
inspection can be scheduled, an indoor air quality test must be performed by a certified testing company
and a copy of the report sent to the Village. This is to ensure the safety of the Village Inspectors while on
the premises. If this test reveals elevated levels of mold are present in the home, remediation and a
subsequent air quality test may be necessary.
Transfer Stamps
This Village inspection must be performed before transfer stamps will be issued for any kind of Deed
(including Sheriff’s). This Village inspection will be considered active for one (1) year. After that year has
passed, if the Community Development Department or the Building Department deems that sensitive
items were present during the initial inspection, a secondary inspection may be required at an additional
cost.
Affidavit
At the time of the Village inspection, if violations are found to be present at the home, the current legal
Title holder has two options in order for a sale of the property to be approved by the Village:
1) The seller of the property must abate the violation(s) prior to the sale of the property.
2) If the Village agrees, the seller notifies the buyer of the pending violation(s) AND the buyer
assumes responsibility for abatement of the violation(s).
If option two (2) is chosen, abatement is done through an affidavit process. This allows for violations to
be abated after the property has transferred ownership and is occupied by the new owner. The buyer/
new owner must sign an itemized affidavit of the violations present which includes a date by which the
items are to be abated. Due to time constraints, the date on the affidavit can generally be modified for
compliance within thirty (30) days of the day of closing on a property. Within these thirty (30) days, the
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new property owner must submit the proper permits to the Community Development Department prior to
starting any work. The affidavit date is a reflection of the latest date at which the homeowner can begin
repairing the violations. The work must be completed before the permit expires, generally within six (6)
months.
Water Service
Water service will not be permanently returned to a home unless a bill is put in the name of the legal Title
holder and the Village Inspection is completed. It is not necessary for water to be on at the time of the
Village inspection.
Special Situations
If an indoor air quality test is to come back with elevated levels of mold and remediation is
deemed to be necessary, work can be performed before closing by an entity or individual holding
Title to the property. A Romeoville-licensed mold remediation company must be hired to
complete the work through a permit and a work report/secondary air quality test must be
submitted to the Village when the work is complete. When this is not possible, a buyer can
assume responsibility for mold remediation after closing by signing a mold affidavit. This allows
for mold remediation and the required Village inspection to occur after transfer stamps have been
issued and the home has transferred ownership to the buyer. This process has several
restrictions for occupancy and water service that differ from the traditional affidavit process
discussed. Please contact the Community Development Department for more information.
If a 24-hour water turn-on is necessary for a buyer to complete a private home inspection, this
water turn on can occur prior to the required mold testing and Village Inspection. Please contact
the Water Billing Department at 815-886-7200 for further information.
Additional Requirements
At the time of the Village inspection, a representative of the property must be present to grant
Village inspectors access into the home.
The indoor air quality test shall sample air on all living levels of the home including any basement
or crawlspace.
A certified company or individual does not need to be licensed with the Village of Romeoville to
perform an indoor air quality test in a home. The Village does keep a list of companies who can
perform such tests. Please contact the Community Development Department for this list.
If elevated levels of mold are found to be present in a home and remediation is necessary, a
Romeoville-licensed mold remediation company must be hired to complete the work. Please
contact the Community Development Department for a list of licensed contractors.
Scheduling and Fee Requirements
In order to schedule the Village-required inspection, a copy of the indoor air quality report must be
in the Village’s possession. The Community Development Department can usually schedule this
inspection within 5 - 7 business days from the day the report is received. The Building Division
leaves two (2) special priority time slots open each day of the week specifically for these
inspections.
The fee for this Village inspection is $50. If this appointment cannot be kept and cancellation is
not received within 24 hours, a $50 penalty will be assessed against the property.
Related Information
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Please visit the Village of Romeoville’s website for more information on these requirements
http://www.romeoville.org/ForeclosureFinancialResources/FinResforBanksAttorneysandRealtors.aspx
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