- Joined
- Mar 4, 2008
- Messages
- 114
Background: I found a foreclosure in Marlborough, NE Calgary at a decent price. It’s a 4 level split, 3 beds up, enough room to park 5 cars, plus a large heated double garage out back, and an illegal suite in the basement. The cash flow would be stellar with the suite, and barely acceptable without it.
I took posession in January.
In February, in during my renovations, a lady from the city showed up. She knew about the suite. All evidence of a kitchen needed to go. I was ripping it out either way-in theory, to replace it-so I did so and invited her over to photograph it.
I was cordial-best to develop a relationship with the governing bodies-and asked her in passing how she’d found out there was a kitchen.
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW IF YOU’RE BUYING IN MARLBORUOGH OR FOREST LAWN:
She said that there is a ‘vigilante’ who is operating in those two neighbourhoods. He scours the rental ads and mls.ca. If he comes across anything that says ‘illegal suite’ or ‘non conforming suite’ he immediately phones in a complaint, which the city is obligated to pursue. She said so far about 40 complaints have come in from this one guy, creating a huge amount of work for her. (as an aside, my brother wondered if the person is maybe in some way connected to the young people who were killed/injured in the basement suite fire in Calgary. It is possible)
I want that suite badly enough to pay the $3000 for the zoning change-$8400 a year in cash flow is worth it in my book. A member of the city will be contacting me in the next 10 days to begin the process.
I’ve been told the major wild card in this is the neighbours. I’ll introduce myself to them once I’ve started the process and try to get them on board.
Can anyone provide any other insights as to how to increase the odds of success on this?
Thanks, and I’ll keep this thread going with updates as the process goes along. No sense keeping the learning to myself.
Cheers
Keith
I took posession in January.
In February, in during my renovations, a lady from the city showed up. She knew about the suite. All evidence of a kitchen needed to go. I was ripping it out either way-in theory, to replace it-so I did so and invited her over to photograph it.
I was cordial-best to develop a relationship with the governing bodies-and asked her in passing how she’d found out there was a kitchen.
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW IF YOU’RE BUYING IN MARLBORUOGH OR FOREST LAWN:
She said that there is a ‘vigilante’ who is operating in those two neighbourhoods. He scours the rental ads and mls.ca. If he comes across anything that says ‘illegal suite’ or ‘non conforming suite’ he immediately phones in a complaint, which the city is obligated to pursue. She said so far about 40 complaints have come in from this one guy, creating a huge amount of work for her. (as an aside, my brother wondered if the person is maybe in some way connected to the young people who were killed/injured in the basement suite fire in Calgary. It is possible)
I want that suite badly enough to pay the $3000 for the zoning change-$8400 a year in cash flow is worth it in my book. A member of the city will be contacting me in the next 10 days to begin the process.
I’ve been told the major wild card in this is the neighbours. I’ll introduce myself to them once I’ve started the process and try to get them on board.
Can anyone provide any other insights as to how to increase the odds of success on this?
Thanks, and I’ll keep this thread going with updates as the process goes along. No sense keeping the learning to myself.
Cheers
Keith