City Inspector and zoning board interfering with sale of property NE

[Mcdonalddr01]

Nebraska
We live in a small village who recently decided to change quite a few zoning laws. We had recently purchased a home outside city limits and are attempting to sell our properties in town, however the members of the zoning board and zoning inspector have directly stopped and spoken to prospective buyers saying that they would have to replace roof and do multiple repairs by December in order to not face $500/day penalties. These are brand new prospective ordinances, and we are selling a couple properties as is. My question is, is it legal and ethical for these people to be interfering with the sale of our property? (We happen to know that 1 person on the board is interested in said property and is trying to drive price down.)

 

[adjusterjack]

If you want to stop this you'll need to hire a lawyer to threaten to file suit (and file suit if necessary) against the Village and the individuals personally for "tortious interference."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortious_interference

 

[quincy]

Nebraska
We live in a small village who recently decided to change quite a few zoning laws. We had recently purchased a home outside city limits and are attempting to sell our properties in town, however the members of the zoning board and zoning inspector have directly stopped and spoken to prospective buyers saying that they would have to replace roof and do multiple repairs by December in order to not face $500/day penalties. These are brand new prospective ordinances, and we are selling a couple properties as is. My question is, is it legal and ethical for these people to be interfering with the sale of our property? (We happen to know that 1 person on the board is interested in said property and is trying to drive price down.)

Have you thought to do the necessary repairs to make your properties ordinance-compliant?

 

[LdiJ]

Have you thought to do the necessary repairs to make your properties ordinance-compliant?

He did use the word prospective in reference to the ordinances...although that could perhaps have been in error.

OP, have these ordinances actually passed into law already? What exactly passed as an ordinance? Giving people only until December to make what seems as potentially very expensive repairs or face $500 a day penalties seems excessive and could possibly violate state law.

I might consider filing suit to challenge the law entirely if it has already passed.

 

[quincy]

It is also possible that prospective buyers are calling code enforcement to take a look at the property to see if the property being sold has any noticeable violations.

 

[xylene]

I have an oblique strategy. Lower the asking price of your home.

 

[quincy]

I have an oblique strategy. Lower the asking price of your home.

Although lowering the price of the property might be necessary if bringing the property to code will be costly and Mcdonald wants the purchaser to foot this expense, lowering the price also apparently is what one member of the zoning board wants Mcdonald to do. According to Mcdonald, a board member has expressed an interest in purchasing the property.

 

[xylene]

Although lowering the price of the property might be necessary if bringing the property to code will be costly and Mcdonald wants the purchaser to foot this expense, lowering the price also apparently is what one member of the zoning board wants Mcdonald to do. According to Mcdonald, a board member has expressed an interest in purchasing the property.

Exactly. Anything else is extensive legal bills.
Fighting this is not going to be recouped in selling the house. A price concession is much less loss than fighting.

 

[quincy]

Exactly. Anything else is extensive legal bills.
Fighting this is not going to be recouped in selling the house. A price concession is much less loss than fighting.

Ah. I see your point.

I agree that lowering the price could be a better option than trying to fight new city ordinances. The best time to fight ordinances are when they are in the “proposed” stage.