They're not sure if they have a condo or an individual home
Realtor says it never was a condo, and there's no record of a condo association or other evidence.
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DEAR HARRY: My children bought a townhouse in a newly constructed community in Pennsylvania. They have a letter from a prominent law firm indicating that they had a condo. Now they would like to move to New Jersey because they both have new jobs there. Their Realtor says that the home never was a condo. There is no record of any condo association or other evidence. They tried to reach the law firm, but it has since dissolved. They were told that they have to sell the property as an individual home, not a condo. Because of that letter, their bank won't give a buyer a mortgage as either an individual home or a condo. They had a cash buyer, but he wanted to "steal" the house. There has to be a way out. Help!
WHAT HARRY SAYS: Step 1 is to see if any other homes were sold and how those sales were handled. Follow that pattern. If they are the first sellers, and that letter has an identifiable signature, they may be able to find him through the bar association. It appears to me that the letter was prospective and that the creation of a condo never actually took place. Have their Realtor help them through this. A title search will get the answer. Once the title is insurable, a mortgage will not be impeded.