UrbanTurf Reader Asks: Is DC's Third Party Inspection Program Frustrating Buyers?

• March 23rd 2010

by Mark Wellborn

In this week’s installment of UrbanTurf Reader Asks, a reader who closed on an under-construction condo in Dupont Circle in January is frustrated by the city's stalled third party inspection program which is sitting on an approval for the project. He is curious if other buyers have had similar experiences with the program.

Back in December, I came to an agreement on a condo in Dupont. The unit is in a row house that is being completely gutted and renovated by a developer. The project was supposed to be done by the end of January, but the delivery date keeps getting pushed back. The developer is claiming that DC changed their third party inspection program without telling anyone, which has effectively shut down the program. Apparently, the property has been ready for an inspection since mid-January but has been sitting idle since then while the developer awaits some sort of approval from the city. From what I gather, their third party inspector needs to be re-approved by the city before it can inspect the building, and DC is just sitting on that approval. My developer says that all new residential projects in the city are affected by this, and that developers are very angry.

This is extremely frustrating for me because my interest rate lock-in is set to expire soon and because my current living situation is undesirable and I really need to move ASAP. But if what my developer is saying is true, this issue should be of concern to anyone looking for new construction in D.C. because it is limiting an already diminished supply of new units. Has anyone else been affected by this issue?

Post your thoughts in the comments section. If you would like to submit a question for UrbanTurf Reader Asks, send an email to editor2010@urbanturf.com.

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* UrbanTurf Reader Asks: Are DC Homeowners Seeing Their Tax Assessments Increase? * UrbanTurf Reader Asks: Will I Get a Lower Price on a Condo Before It Delivers?

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/urbanturf_reader_asks_is_dcs_third_party_inspection_program_frustrating_buy/1902.