Wholesaling Code Violation Properties in New Hampshire

The short answer

Can you wholesale a code violation property in New Hampshire?

Yes. A cited property can be contracted and assigned, but the buyer inherits the open violations, so you must price the cure and be clear about what the city has asked for. Confirm the file with the city before you sign.

Think of the citation as a clock. The city has told the owner to fix something, and the owner either lacks money, lacks time or lives elsewhere. That pressure makes a flat as-is offer attractive. Pull the inspection file, read the exact items and the deadline, then price the repairs with a contractor. Our code violation leads guide and certificate of occupancy guide explain what inspectors look for.

Violations tend to follow the building, not the person, so a buyer will want to know whether fines or liens are attached. Search for recorded liens and ask the city what is open. Our judgment lien guide and title search guide show how. On licensing, RSA 331-A:2 III covers advertising yourself as buying and selling property, so hold a signed contract before you market.

The opportunity

Why code violation deals appear in Manchester

Manchester has New Hampshire’s largest stock of older multifamily housing, from triple-deckers on the West Side to brick buildings near the Millyard. Aging porches, failing stairs, old wiring and peeling paint tend to draw attention, and Hillsborough County rents have made owners cautious about big repairs. Absentee owners who live out of state often learn of a violation from a certified letter. That letter is your opening. Offer a fair price, a short close and relief from the repair list. Investors who know the city process will bid on that package.

Lead sources

Where to find code violation leads in Manchester

• City records. Ask what enforcement files are public and how to request them. Our motivated seller guide covers the routine.
• Neighborhood drives. Look for notices posted on doors, tarped roofs and unsafe porches on the West Side and North End.
• Absentee landlords. Out-of-state owners are easy to miss until a notice arrives. See absentee owner leads.
• Tenant complaints. Renters sometimes report problems, which can lead to a citation and a tired owner.
• Skip tracing. Use skip tracing when the mailing address is old.

Your exit

Who buys cited properties in Manchester

Contractor-investors and small multifamily operators buy most of these. They can price a roof, a stair rebuild or an electrical upgrade in their head and often have their own crew. Offer the violation list, photos and the city’s deadline in the first message.

Be clear that the buyer takes responsibility for curing the items and any extension request. Some buyers prefer to talk to the city before closing. Include a inspection contingency so they can verify the file.

Step by step

How to start wholesaling code violation properties in New Hampshire

1. Read the notice. Note each cited item, the date and any reinspection.
2. Verify with the city. Ask the department what is open and whether fines are accruing.
3. Price the cure. Get a contractor range, then run the ARV calculator and MAO calculator.
4. Make the offer. Write an as-is wholesale offer that names the violations.
5. Disclose your role. Tell the seller in writing that you may assign the contract.
6. Line up the buyer. Pull from your buy box list of investors who rehab multifamily.
7. Close and hand off. Use an investor-friendly title company and share the city file with the buyer.

An owner in Florida inherited a West Side triple-decker. A city inspector had cited rotted rear stairs and a failed railing, and the notice gave a date to fix both. The owner could not manage contractors from far away.

You offered $455,000 as-is, subject to a seven-day inspection period, and gave written notice of your plan to assign. You asked the city to confirm the open items before you signed.

A Manchester investor who owns other triple-deckers paid a $15,000 fee, took over the contract and rebuilt the stairs. The seller left with cash and no repair list.

New Hampshire rules to know

Outreach, licensing and tax on cited properties

Cold calls and texts to owners carry their own rules. RSA 359-E:8 bars telemarketing to numbers on the do-not-call registry kept by the list administrator or the FTC, and the FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule can apply to calls into New Hampshire. Our TCPA guide is a good start. Letters avoid many of those problems.

On licensing, RSA 331-A:2 III lists activities that make someone a broker, and no New Hampshire wholesaler statute was found. An attorney can tell you how the Real Estate Commission treats assignments. Transfer tax under RSA 78-B:1 is $0.75 per $100 of price, and the contract should say who pays it.

Learn it with a mentor

Learn to read a violation file

A citation hides cost or opportunity. Mentorship students send us their files, and we walk through the repairs and the buyer pitch together.

FAQ

Code Violation Properties in New Hampshire: common questions

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